Andrew Greig
Auteur van That Summer
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Werken van Andrew Greig
Heart of the Cards: A Fool's Journey 1 exemplaar
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Tagged
Algemene kennis
- Geboortedatum
- 1951-09-23
- Geslacht
- male
- Nationaliteit
- UK
- Woonplaatsen
- Orkney, Scotland, UK
South Queensferry, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK - Opleiding
- University of Edinburgh
- Relaties
- Glaister, Lesley (wife)
- Prijzen en onderscheidingen
- Eric Gregory Award (1972)
Leden
Besprekingen
A sympathetic novel about a group of friends and The Old Man of Hoy, a sea stack on Orkney. The friends move in and out of relationships with each other, lose touch, meet again and have problems and dramas. These friends are human and real. Climbing runs through the novel and Scotland is travelled through and present. I found the book occasionally wandered away and I lost interest but at other times the narrative was gripping. The reader moves from present to the past as events are revealed.
Historical fiction set in Scotland in the late 1500s, narrator William Fowler (a real person) looks back on the turbulent times when James VI (son of Mary Queen of Scots) was a youth. William is captivated by a young fisher girl, Rose Nicolson, who is intelligent and loves to read, though she is betrothed to another. This was a period of history in which the Protestant religion has become prominent, but some still desire to restore Catholicism. It is a story of unrequited love, politics, intrigue, murder, superstitions, and the written word.
The storyline covers William’s family history, education, and involvement in the political turmoil of the era. It is realistic historical fiction that bogs down occasionally in a sea of detail, but overall, I found it an enjoyable read. It spurred me to research further into the history of the period. The narrative includes a good amount of Scottish dialect and antiquated terms, and there is a helpful glossary provided in the back.… (meer)
The storyline covers William’s family history, education, and involvement in the political turmoil of the era. It is realistic historical fiction that bogs down occasionally in a sea of detail, but overall, I found it an enjoyable read. It spurred me to research further into the history of the period. The narrative includes a good amount of Scottish dialect and antiquated terms, and there is a helpful glossary provided in the back.… (meer)
“So what’s it all about? Why do climbers climb, why did I do it, what does it mean? Somehow I no longer want to talk or think about it. I’d begun climbing eager to analyse my companions, myself and climbing; now I’m reluctant to draw any conclusions at all. There is no clear answer to these questions, and even if there were it would not be very important. It is in the experience itself that the value lies.“
Andrew Greig is a Scottish writer who was asked, in 1984, by climber Malcolm Duff, to document his expedition’s attempt to summit Mustagh Tower in the Karakoram Himalayas in northern Pakistan. The author never expected to undertake such a daunting task, but Duff helped him prepare and taught him the basics beforehand. This book takes the reader along for the entire trip, starting with the preparations and logistics. It recounts the various obstacles and challenges all along the way, including both the downtime and the actual climbing.
Greig documents the interpersonal dynamics, physical and mental challenges of climbing, landscapes, and people living in the region. It differs from many books I have read, which are more focused on the actual climb once all the preliminaries are completed. I always seem to enjoy these narratives, since it allows me to experience an expedition without, you know, risking life and limb.
“Above 20,000 feet one does not recharge, can eat little and usually sleep less, in conditions of great discomfort. And then the next day get up and do it all over again. It is this combination of absolute mental and physical demands that makes mountaineering the total experience. That makes it so addictive.”
… (meer)
Andrew Greig is a Scottish writer who was asked, in 1984, by climber Malcolm Duff, to document his expedition’s attempt to summit Mustagh Tower in the Karakoram Himalayas in northern Pakistan. The author never expected to undertake such a daunting task, but Duff helped him prepare and taught him the basics beforehand. This book takes the reader along for the entire trip, starting with the preparations and logistics. It recounts the various obstacles and challenges all along the way, including both the downtime and the actual climbing.
Greig documents the interpersonal dynamics, physical and mental challenges of climbing, landscapes, and people living in the region. It differs from many books I have read, which are more focused on the actual climb once all the preliminaries are completed. I always seem to enjoy these narratives, since it allows me to experience an expedition without, you know, risking life and limb.
“Above 20,000 feet one does not recharge, can eat little and usually sleep less, in conditions of great discomfort. And then the next day get up and do it all over again. It is this combination of absolute mental and physical demands that makes mountaineering the total experience. That makes it so addictive.”
… (meer)
Lijsten
THE WAR ROOM (1)
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Statistieken
- Werken
- 26
- Ook door
- 3
- Leden
- 950
- Populariteit
- #27,088
- Waardering
- 3.8
- Besprekingen
- 44
- ISBNs
- 92
- Talen
- 3
- Favoriet
- 5
The story alternates between Penang and the Orkneys, and it's the Orkneys which come alive in the portrayal. Penang is much hazier.
The men in the book are more vividly drawn than the women, but the tale is involving from the start. I was always eager to carry on reading until the final pages, when coincidence piled on coincidence. A disappointing end to a finely written book.… (meer)