REVIEW: It’s a great read
It’s hard to describe what this book is, in a good way, as it has a bit of everything. It’s part first-person account of the author’s attempt on the Matterhorn and it’s illustrated with great pictures… It’s also full of what the blurb calls “bonus materials”: all sorts of bits and bobs breaking up the narrative… for anyone who’s thinking of doing the Matterhorn or is just interested in the mountain/ mountaineering in general, it’s a great read and a lovely book to flick through too.
Adventure Travel Magazine, UK, March 2011
An extract from the book
BANG! The crash from below makes me instinctively throw my body down on the rock in front of me. I land hard on my stomach. Just as my fingers grip on to the edge of the rock, I feel an extreme pull on my harness. I am fighting to hold on. It feels as if the rope is tearing me apart. Don’t let go, damn it! My fingers slip a few millimetres. Don’t let go, Steffen! I am holding on with only the tip of my fingers now. The rope is cutting into my left leg. Fight! It feels like an eternity. I am desperately trying to maintain my grip on the rock; I just hope I have the strength to endure.