|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Fabulous account of an AMAZING adventure Mar 02, 2010
A great book written by one of the world's greatest adventurers! When I read a short magazine article about a crazy adventurer who bicycled unsupported carrying all of his own gear & food, from Sweden to Nepal, parked his bike, summited Everest without oxygen, climbed down, then bicycled back home to Sweden; I immediately knew I had to read his book. Even if Goran had not climbed Everest, just the bicycle journey would have been an amazing story - can you imagine fixing 132 flat tires along the way? His pedal through the Arabic Middle East was probably far more dangerous than climbing Everest w/o oxygen, and he is fortunate that he was not murdered.
Goran's ascent of Everest was not like the typical tourist climber that you hear of today, who are nearly carried up and down the mountain by guides and Sherpas. Goran did it solo, sans team, sans oxygen, and almost died along the way. Although it has been many years now since I have read the book, I believe the only assistance he received was a container of butter given to him in exigent circumstances by a film crew. Goran accepted this emergency sustenance as a necessary means to save his life, but he felt guilty doing so.
Goran is a likable guy too, with a manageable ego and refreshing honesty. He has no qualms about bruising the inflated egos of some of the climbing elite by calling out their less than altruistic and fraudulent behavior, when confronted with it.
I was very saddened to learn of Goran's tragic death in 2002, as a result of a rock climbing accident in Washington state during 2002. Goran had since left Sweden and moved to WA. Apparently, he slipped during a challenging rope climb, and fell to his death when various components of protection hardware gave way.
Goran was not only a great adventurer, he was also a good man, who had genuine concern for the planet and fellow man. He was actively involved in charitable projects in Nepal and even climbed Everest again in 1999 with a climbing party to help clean up the mountain by hauling down littered oxygen canisters.
I still can't believe no one has made movie about this guy yet. He was the real deal. It has been too long since I have read this book; time for a reread.
An incredible story - Proof that truth is stranger than fiction Jun 24, 2008
This guy is a total nut - driven beyond all reason - and it finely caught up with him after he finished this book - he's now dead. An unbelievable story of what a man can do if he is determined enough. It is not a great piece of literature but rather a great story that is made greater by the fact that it's true.
 An Interesting Everest Account, but Hyper-critical Nov 06, 2007
I enjoyed Kropp's story very much ~ I always find it fascinating to read about these type of experiences and about explorers who have such a fascinating drive to go to such extremes to attain their goals. Kropp's story is a unique one in that he sets SUCH high aspirations for himself (bicycle with no help from Sweden to climb Everest, then bicycle back again) then is maniacally headstrong about following through on his goals.
Although I enjoyed his account, I was quite put off by his criticism of others and his opinions of what they were doing "wrong." And he had a LOT of opinions. It's his book and he can say whatever he want, however, it is just my feeling that this book would have benefited from Kropp staying with HIS story and HIS experiences and not veer off every other chapter to rag on others.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The story of an extrodianry adventure Feb 01, 2004
Göran Kropp was an extrodinary man. This book describes his crazy one man expedition to Mount Everest. I would have given it five start if it had been as good as the lecture he gave that I once attended. The book could have had more details about the amazing things that happened during his tríp. It is very inspiering and well worth reading though.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Life is a Grand Adventure Jan 23, 2004
Goran Kropp's and David Lagercrantz's "Ultimate High: My Everest Odyssey" is an excellent autobiography of a climber. Kropp wisely chose to tell his story with the help of a professional writer, Lagercrantz. Kropp's book is liberally peppered with fascinating stories that leave one astonished. As with any autobiography, it is only an enjoyable read if you like the author. I found his spirit delightful. A bit more than half the book covers Kropp's own three attempts to summit Everest in the context of the much written about events of May 1996. Kropp adds interesting details to Jon Krakauer's classic account of the 1996 Everest tragedy, "Into Thin Air". Disturbingly, far too much of chapters ten and eleven of "Ultimate High" appear to be borrowed, in places with the almost same wording, from "Into Thin Air". Lagerkrantz acknowledged a debt to Krakauer at the back of the book. Perhaps this is customary in Sweden. Other than this problem of sometimes repeating or paraphrasing Krakauer, "Ultimate High" is a fun read. It would be valuable, if a second edition of this book could be published that includes a biography of Kropp after Everest until the end of his far too short life in 2002.
|
| | |
