Best Books

Thanks for your replies folks. I've got loads of great stuff for my birthday and xmas lists. But here's another question for you all - just today the new syllabus for GCSE English was published (okay, so you now know what I do for a living) and I whooped with delight when I saw that one of the recommended texts for study is Mr Joe Simpson's Touching the Void. Basically what that means is that if you've currently got kids under the age of 13 then chances are they may study this in the future. So it got me thinking once again, what other great texts would we like to see as being recommended reading for the younger generation???

Up the 'Boro!

Smoggy

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Originally Posted by smoggy

Has anyone read 'Joss Naylor MBE Was Here?' It's fiendishly hard to get hold of. Is it any good?
Keep the recommendations coming
Smoggy

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Rathbones in Keswick ought to be able to sort you out a copy. Well worth the read.

Just finishing this. Not much about the running, more just the experiences. Easy read. Can't believe it's only 3 quid now, only been out a month and I paid full price on pre-order :mad:

I agree with wheezing donkey about 'feet in the clouds'. I've read it three times now and wouldn't have had a bad word said about it first time round. Now though I think there was far too much droning on (and on) about the BGR, a bit too much about the races and not enough on just pure running in the hills. I think there very first chapter is the one I like the most - him having a near death experience running solo in bad weather.

And anyway does everyone here just read 'inspirational' mountain related books? Whats wrong with normal books?

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Originally Posted by Stolly

I agree with wheezing donkey about 'feet in the clouds'. I've read it three times now and wouldn't have had a bad word said about it first time round. Now though I think there was far too much droning on (and on) about the BGR, a bit too much about the races and not enough on just pure running in the hills. I think there very first chapter is the one I like the most - him having a near death experience running solo in bad weather.

And anyway does everyone here just read 'inspirational' mountain related books? Whats wrong with normal books?

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Al last other voices in the wilderness! I have maintained from the outset (I read it the week of publication) that it was over rated but clever journalism. (Even though he is kind about the Lakeland Classics Trophy).

As for inspirational books? Well I am reading America, Empire of Liberty and I have raced 44 times so far this year. Go figure?

(and yes, DT, you were right!)

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Originally Posted by Stolly

Now though I think there was far too much droning on (and on) about the BGR, a bit too much about the races and not enough on just pure running in the hills. I think there very first chapter is the one I like the most - him having a near death experience running solo in bad weather.

And anyway does everyone here just read 'inspirational' mountain related books? Whats wrong with normal books?

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Do you not think the OTT (over the top) on the BGR was part of the story? People do go OTT on the BGR, it becomes their life, him writing a book so dominated by his attempts just outlines how much it does take over many people's lives. I thought it encapsulated it so well.

I thought it was a superb book. OK it did open up the BGR but in the grand scheme of things so what?

We live in a society where doing a lot of excersise is seen as quite odd, we're an increasingly fat nation, any book which inspires people to get out is worth its weight in gold. I was chatting to a fell race organiser (probably the best short race in Wales) on Wednesday and he'd been away in Corfu and took the book to read again, and he said it inspired him to get out running when he said he was going to do nothing. It's an inspirational book noone can question that.

re not enough running on the hills. I think a lot of fell runners are predominantly fell racers and only venture out into the hills occassionally in a non-racing capacity. For most of the book that's the impression you get of him. he wrote his book, his story, I thought it was superb.

Just read 'Tour du Force' probably the best book I've read in years.

white spiders a good read, heinrich harrier

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Originally Posted by philgreen1968

white spiders a good read, heinrich harrier

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Yes it is a great read and there a German film out called The North Face(2008) that covers the Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser attempt in 1936 that Harrer describes so well in the book. The film gives you a lot more of their background and its very much in the Touching the Void style. Well worth a watch if only for the 'Hinterstoisser Traverse' which gives you a much better appreciation of it than the book does.

Heinrich Harrer - Seven years in Tibet is also a superb book a must read as good as white spider.

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Originally Posted by GrahamB

Al last other voices in the wilderness! I have maintained from the outset (I read it the week of publication) that it was over rated.

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Woefully overrated in my opinion.;)

Maybe it is over written and romanticised... maybe overly concerned with one man's pursuit of the Bob Graham Round... maybe a lot of things, but I found it a bloody good read and for the third time of reading, it is still good.

Got me into this game of fell running any how... and is that a good thing or not?;)

And now for something completely different:

A Quiet Vendetta by R.J. Ellory... gritty but captivating thriller kinda thing.

The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman... Medieval historical novel about Richard of York... not everyone's taste but good.

a couple that have n't been mentined that I've just got

Endurance, Lansing,Alfred. 1999 - Shackleton's 1914/5 epic of survival, very humbling and inspiring interms of what the human spirit can support. Really enjoyed it

I may be some time, Spufford, Francis.1996. Hugely intelligent autopsy on the 19century / 20 century view of wild places and from whence came the desire to venture into them and how they are ingrained in our collective perception.

:)

also jus reading

The Flying Scotsman. Obree, Graham

Tour de France. Fife, Graham.

Thanks to others for listing their tips....was jus going to ask this question, at some point, so cheers:)

Krakaurs's 'Into thin air' is an excellent read - I was up at Scott Fischer and Rob Hall's memorials last summer. At Fischers, there are hundreds of other memorials to Everest's lost climbers high up on the hill above Labouche - a simply amazing sight.
When we got back to Kathmandu we dined out in the best climbers restaurant in the world - the appropriately named 'Rum Doodle', where you could buy copies of the book !

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Originally Posted by trilathon

also jus reading

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Originally Posted by trilathon

was jus going to ask this question, at some point, so cheers:)

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Is there a problem with the "t" on your keyboard?

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Originally Posted by Spelling Bee

Is there a problem with the "t" on your keyboard?

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can't be a yorkshire man then:D

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Originally Posted by XRunner

Here is a link to my bibliography of fell running books.

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I am trying to build up a list of such fell running books on my junior fell running website, but I need the ASIN numbers for the facility to work. If anyone has a book not yet listed, please could you PM me with the ASIN code, assuming it has one.

Once the book is included on the list, a price is displayed when it becomes available on Amazon, which hopefully makes the obscure limited print run books a tiny tiny bit easier to find.

Thanks in advance. :)

Just noticed "50 Years of Mountain Trial" is available.

Dont know if this book has been mentioned.
'More Fire' How to run the Kenyan way. By Toby Tanser.

Its abit of a painful read but its worth a look, quite interesting it shows the training techniques,diet, etc. of the top Kenyan runners past and present. Training 3 times a day 6 days a week.. :eek:

[QUOTE=trilathon;236496]also jus reading

The Flying Scotsman. Obree, Graham

Agreed, The Obree book is brilliant, but tragic (in the sense that it is tragic that such a brilliant athlete should have such have such self-loathing and so little self-esteem) - it compelled me to write to him in support. Funnily enough mentioned this book to some respiratory sports scientist specialists today as on one (unsuccessful) suicide attempt his massive lung capacity saved him from both death and severe brain damage!

Great thread this, picking up lots of recommendations.

Just finished Born To Run, liked it a lot, especially enjoyed the descriptions of Barefoot Ted.

Starting The Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane next - recently read 'Wildwood, A Journey Through Trees' by Roger Deakin which I thought was great. Their writing styles seem very similar. A real pleasure to read.

As for non-outdoorsy books, I loved The Baroque Cycle series by Neal Stephenson, tremendous historical fiction (or science fiction??) spanning 1600-1700's.

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Originally Posted by trilathon

also jus reading

The Flying Scotsman. Obree, Graham

Tour de France. Fife, Graham.

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Obrees book was good.

One of my favourites is 'Why We Run' by Bernd Heinrich, an odd mix of autobiography up to attempting to break the 100 mile US record, and biological comparison with other animals. It initially takes some getting use to, but worth the effort. Who knew, the VO2max of budgerigars is an unbelievable 583!

'Life at the Extremes' by Frances Ashcroft is fascinating, it has a chapter on 'Life in the fast lane'.

'Indian Running: Native American History & Tradition' by Peter Nabokov is okay, but 'Born to Run' seems more promising.

Don't touch 'Running through the ages', not one mention of fell running!

Any of the books by Ronald Turnbull are worth reading.

His "Long Days In Lakeland" is a classic, with photographs that rival Stolly's.

His three Guide Books for Walkers and Fellrunners should be on everybodies bookshelf:-

Lakeland Mountain Challenges
The Welsh Three Thousand Foot Challenges
Across Scotland On Foot

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Originally Posted by Ronald Turnbull

If a Thing’s Worth Doing It’s Worth Doing Fast

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Just read Curlew Moon by Mary Colwell.

Any other recommendations?

This is worth reading

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Originally Posted by XRunner

Any of the books by Ronald Turnbull are worth reading.

His "Long Days In Lakeland" is a classic, with photographs that rival Stolly's.

His three Guide Books for Walkers and Fellrunners should be on everybodies bookshelf:-

Lakeland Mountain Challenges
The Welsh Three Thousand Foot Challenges
Across Scotland On Foot

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The Turnbull Long Days book is superb... got an old battered copy which has lost the cover sleeve, but i love it.

Also the Lakes and Welsh 3000ers book, i'll have to seek out the Scottish one.

I think he (with another) also wrote the Book Of The Bivvy which is another good one.

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Originally Posted by brett

This is worth reading

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Classics :D

Just read The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn

The sequel to The Salt Path. Enjoyed both.


Just for Fun by Selwyn Wright is next. Love Christmas books!

Latest books are Educated by Tara Westover. It's brilliant.

The one I'm now reading is 'The Book of Trespass' by Nick Hayes.

Surely that's a book for fellrunners.

Latest book that I've read is the new James Rebanks one, English Pastoral.

I liked it better than the first one. His writing style has improved!

It was a Christmas/Birthday present.

Latest book that I've read is the new James Rebanks one, English Pastoral.

I liked it better than the first one. His writing style has improved!

It was a Christmas/Birthday present.

It looks like the Forum has locked you in now, Millipede!

I hope some of you have had chance to have a look at this one :) 'Crusty Farmers With Pitchforks',
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My latest read has nothing whatsoever to do with running, David Buckley's fabulous biography of Kraftwerk. It's been out a while but I've just not had chance to get through it, likewise the crazy Marc Almond biography I've just finished :)

This is a great read and has given me a whole new appreciation of the humble tree. highly recommended :-

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the.../9780141012933

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Originally Posted by JohnK

This is a great read and has given me a whole new appreciation of the humble tree. highly recommended :-

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the.../9780141012933

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Now that is a present idea for my wife birthday.

Also nice to see a link to Waterstones, we always like a good browse whenever we go into town, nothing like a good bookshop.

The Book of Trespass, by Nick Hayes. I am about halfway through reading it.

I don't know if the remaining chapters cover either: disused quarries that become informal recreational facilities but are then strongly fenced off; or areas which are artificially landscaped for the benefit of people who like hitting small white balls into holes. But these were the locations of my trespassing on today's walk.

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Originally Posted by Travs

The Turnbull Long Days book is superb... got an old battered copy which has lost the cover sleeve, but i love it.

Also the Lakes and Welsh 3000ers book, i'll have to seek out the Scottish one.

I think he (with another) also wrote the Book Of The Bivvy which is another good one.

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I like Turnbull's books too, very readable. One particular passage from Lakeland Mountain Challenges (the Bob Graham bit, p.153) always sticks in my mind: FAILURE: Second attempts in August rarely succeed. You're still tired from last time, the bracken and heather are higher, and it's liable to be far too hot.

Au contraire mon ami :D

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

The Book of Trespass, by Nick Hayes. I am about halfway through reading it.

I don't know if the remaining chapters cover either: disused quarries that become informal recreational facilities but are then strongly fenced off; or areas which are artificially landscaped for the benefit of people who like hitting small white balls into holes. But these were the locations of my trespassing on today's walk.

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It's brilliant.

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

I don't know if the remaining chapters cover either: disused quarries that become informal recreational facilities but are then strongly fenced off.

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There's a disused quarry on greenhow hill opposite the church, I think it's known as duck street quarry. There is a very good level at the far end leading you directly into a sun fracture of the craven fault system. Very much worth climbing over the barbed wire for a look, it was extensively stoped.