"Vertical World" by Katie Brown

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Average rating:

out of 5

Product: "Vertical World" book
Publisher: Falcon Guides/Globe Pequot Press
Purchase: Amazon.com
Publisher's description: "Vertical World details the lives and accomplishments of the most influential climbers of this generation, sharing through casual conversation an intimate portrait of each climber, revealing their personalities and drive with great frankness and intimacy. All athletes included are under thirty-five and have broken a major barrier or made a significant accomplishment within the sport - in all cases, something that will stand the test of time. The athletes represent all areas of climbing, from bouldering and sport climbing to mountaineering and big wall climbing."

(Editor's note: Some reviewers below participated in a YourClimbing.com/Falcon Guides giveaway promotion, where they received a book in exchange for posting objective reviews. Companies wishing to participate in this program should contact publisher@yourclimbing.com.)

reviews (13) | email | report

%count Reviews

Rating:

out of 5

Vertical World inspires youth. [ top of page ]

Posted by: woodchuck07 on 3/15/2007

Well I added my full review at another link on this site, but must stop here and refresh the thoughts today. This colorful book DOES read like a magazine. And top magazine quality paper makes for great photos, which make up an important visual link to the commentary given by the featured climbers. Katie went in to each interview with a stock set of questions for sure, but each answer could then spin off into all sorts of revealing inner thoughts and new topics. The result is an exceptional book for us to enjoy. Being a climber herself, well known, and even close to many of those she featured in the book, Katie was able to get the more personal, inside view that some sports mag or media geek would never have been able to generate. There is sincerety in the discussion, a feeling of comraderie' and understanding between interviewee and the writer. It is my hope that Katie gets out there and has a Vol II for us soon. Plus if she' too shy to do it herself, let's have a co-writer do the much-in-demand, complete tell-all Katie Biography for the opening chapter!

Rating:

out of 5

I didn't get the book for Free. . . [ top of page ]

Posted by: Universal Rhythm on 2/9/2007

but I did get it for my birthday(thanks to my parents). I just thought I would do a review anyway. First off, I had barely time to open it before my boyfriend had snatched it out of my hands and immediately began to flip through the pages looking at the pictures and reading bits and pieces of the interviews. Finally after prying it out of his hands I got a chance to look through the book myself, of course with him watching over my shoulders the whole time. I enjoyed the book immensely because in our day and age of all the 'famous climbers' they tend to sometimes get pushed away like they aren't people anymore. I remember being at the Triple Crown Series awhile back and I was walking up right as Sharma was climbing some problem but everyone was hesitant to spot him because he is so renowned in the climbing community, and sometimes seeing pros can be a bit intimidating. Well long story short he fell and was really upset that no one had even attempted to spot him. I think that’s how some people feel whenever they see a celebrity climber, which is silly. Vertical World will be very beneficial to people who assume that they do not have anything in common or hold professional climbers above themselves. Even some of the expert climbers get scared while climbing, started out on plastic, or even go through phases of not feeling motivated to climb. Much to, I’m sure, many peoples excitement, they do have their off days too. Vertical World brought the pros back down to a level where the average Joe could relate to them. And yes, the pictures were amazing also.

Rating:

out of 5

awsome designs [ top of page ]

Posted by: taato on 1/23/2007

First off my apologies for having taken so long, due to an error in the postal process i just recieved the book yesterday and had to work last night but have managed to read about half of it. I do agree that it feels like a magazine but all things concidered it appears to have been intentional. the chapters are broken down concisly and the format doesnt change dramaticaly. being a graphic designer i have to say that the imaging and design elements are great. and again they are held together throughout the book. i only rank it a four because it has a few major blunders such as indentations in some places but not in others, and the occasional deviation from format. but on the whole i would like to say great job katie. This will sit on my coffee table along with my history of art books and photography books. i am glad to have recieved it and already inspired..... to go to the gym as it were BUT INSPIRED NONE THE LESS!!!! i would go to a rock but alas its too cold for all that jazz. On a different note i would like to say that it is bold and should grab teenagers well because on the one hand it does feel like a magazine but it also feels like a school text book. and while i personally have endured 20 someodd years of school and tire of text books subconsciencely i think it will speak to the younger generations easier. again great job katie, to you and your staff, still room for improvement as with all things but great job none the less Cheers Bill

Rating:

out of 5

review. [ top of page ]

Posted by: asc_climb on 1/17/2007

I was deeply inspired by the climbers in "vertical world". The photos were the stand out feature in the book with great resolution and emotional settings. It was an easy read that seemed to go by all to fast. My only critism would be just that, the length. If maybe each climber was introduced more and the interviews with more questions. That in no way affected the quality of the book and I highly recomend "vertical world" to anyone and everyone.

Rating:

out of 5

I thought I was reading a MAGAZINE [ top of page ]

Posted by: calvinclimber on 1/16/2007

Let me start by saying that although I received this book through the YourClimbing.com promotion program, Vertical World is well worth it's price. I really enjoyed the book and the pictures are fantastic (although some don't have captions so I don't know what the picture was all about). Katie met her goal of producing an inspiring work. As a climber from the previous generation (I'm 45) who has been at it for 28 year, it was great getting to know what makes the next generation tick. Due too it's format with each person coming at you in a stand alone manner, I often felt I was reading a magazine and not a book. One critcal thing to say is that questions in Vertical World never really challenged the climber's thought process(es).

Rating:

out of 5

Hits the spot. [ top of page ]

Posted by: Brad Liew on 1/13/2007

Just by opening the book itself you are greeted by some amazing pictures capturing moments of pure intensity, character and power. That aside though, I, as a climber outside of the states who relies solely on climbing videos to phantom these great American climbers, find it hard to relate and connect with the icons. Katie Brown does her best to project a situation where one feels like they're talking to these icons themselves but after an inspiring start with Dave Graham and Chris Sharma, the book does take a back foot and seems quite repetitive ( no offense to the other climbers who I feel deserve great respect ). This book will definitely appeal to climbers who grew up watching or hearing about these icons but a person outside of that circle will have a hard time putting their accomplishments into prespective. Taking nothing away from Brown though, she does manage to pull it off and this is a wonderful piece of climbing inspiration that would greatly benefit and feed the imagination of everyone aspiring to climb at their level one day. It does hit the spot! Thanks to Katie and everyone at yourclimbing.com for the book! Brad Liew

Rating:

out of 5

Climbers Rock!!! [ top of page ]

Posted by: gssettles on 1/8/2007

I enjoyed the book very much. The photos are amazing. I have heard of most of the climbers and have followed Chris Sharma and Steph Davis through their careers and I am a giant fan. Dean Potter's accomplishments are just amazing. And ever since I read about Beth Rodden and Tommy Caldwell's frightening and amazing experience in Kyrgyzstan everytime I hear or read their names I stop and listen or read. It was so cool getting to read about how each of them got started and what keeps them going. I felt like I learned things people would not normally learn about world class athletes. Also, I had not heard much about the other climbers. It was great getting truned on to thier passions and climbing styles. Josh Wharton is amazing. I guess I knew climbers did hard alpine climbing but seeing it in pictures and hearing a little about it was very different. Also, getting to know Jason Kehl a little was wonderful. He sounds like an amazing young man. With all these great reasons to read the book and I would recommend to anyone (if anyone cares) when I got done I felt like something was missing. I could not put my finger on it and tried to talk to some friends about it but stll could not figure it out. I still find it very hard to put it into words. I will try with the understanding that I liked the book very much. I am not a book reviewer and reading constantly is the only thing I know about books. OK, enough beating around the bush. For how different many of these climbers are, their answers were all very similar. I don't want this to sound to harsh but it was almost like reading the same interview over and over again. So, I want to ask Katie how she decided on the questions she would ask? Again, I liked the book very much and all my friends who saw it, most of who are not climbers, loved it. It lead to many discussions over winter break.

Rating:

out of 5

Book Review [ top of page ]

Posted by: mcnda623 on 1/6/2007

An intimate encounter with talented climbing personalities, Vertical World offers readers a view of nine individuals who have forged and continue to push the limits of climbing in all its forms. While livelihood of these climbers and the book’s readers may often be strikingly different, the passion driving all climbers to rock is adequately celebrated in the glossy pages of Vertical World. Author Katie Brown asks insightful questions, her precision presumably honed by her own significant climbing history and familiarity with these nine individuals. Such a personal sensitivity can only come from one of these influential climbers themselves, and the biggest disappointment about Vertical World is the blatant lack of an interview with Katie Brown herself. Alas, someone must do the writing. As the director of this work, Brown skillfully guides the climbers to talk about distinct, personal viewpoints, highlighting the subtle but important differences among climbing celebrities and devotees. A difficulty encountered within Vertical World is the absent feeling of resolution. While the reader might not consider this point while first pawing through the gorgeous photographs and reading verbatim words of climbing superstars, upon finishing the book, one might ask: what was Brown trying to accomplish? Unlike novels, non-fiction tales, documentaries, or typical interviews that march the reader through a logical progression in the name of a clear goal, Vertical World feels more like a still life, nine snapshots of people that have done incredible things. Consequently, the book as a whole feels fractured and at times exhausting. Brown’s goal to let “some of the world’s best have the opportunity to inspire other climbers,” is appreciably executed but not completely realized, at least for this reader. This criticism aside, Vertical World melds visual beauty with intellectual promise, creating an entire vertical world within the two dimensional pages of a worthy book.

Rating:

out of 5

A Fun Read [ top of page ]

Posted by: cbear on 12/29/2006

I finally had a chance to sit down with Vertical World early this week and found it entertaining to read. I couldn't put it down and was always interested to move from one interview to the next. I'm a slow reader, but once I start reading a book that interests me I can't put it down. This is exactly what this book did to me. I really enjoyed reading their responses/philosophy about climbing. As a climber still working on improving me skills, I really enjoy reading the thoughts of talented people in the sport. I really admire/respect the mental strength that these climbers apply while in some really "commited" situations. One fact that really stood out to me was how many of these climbers started in the Northeast part of the country. Also I learned that Tommy Caldwell was missing a finger, wow, and still climbing as strong as he does. Katie - you asked Tommy about Kyrgyzstan and his missing finger in the same question, did he lose his finger as part of his ordeal in Kyrgyzstan? Kudos Katie on the props you received from several of the climbers. Maybe your next book can be about some of your climbing experiences/travels. That is something I'd read. Great job on a book that is fun to read.

Rating:

out of 5

Great Read [ top of page ]

Posted by: the_shoe on 12/29/2006

I must say first that thanks to Chris's gymnastic climbing picture on the cover, I must have opened this book upside down at least 20 times when I first received it. Great cover photo and the rest of the photos in this book are spectacular as well. Since I started climbing 2 years ago I must have read every book on the market, Katie's book is a refreshing change from all the technique books and trips gone horribly wrong. Being new to the sport you need to comprehend a gamut of feelings and emotions that come along with climbing. You need to put a finger on why you constantly feel the need to explain this over whelming desire to distance yourself from society and loved ones in order to make a connection with something so basic and simple. Katies book in the conversations with these respected climbers helped me come to understand what I have been feeling and dealing with. The insight from these climbers puts it all into perspective. Now if I could get my wife to understand why it is so important for me to get away from her so often to climb. I highly recomend this book for all who are struggling with thier love of the sport and to all who completely understand and get it there are the great pictures. Shoe

Rating:

out of 5

"Vertical World - Conversations with Today's Masters of Rock" [ top of page ]

Posted by: JJM on 12/20/2006

Imagine sitting down with nine influential climbers and asking them anything that you want. Katie Brown has done just that in her first book titled "Vertical World, Conversations with Today's Masters of Rock." Katie's laid back conversational style gives the reader the feeling that they are sitting and listening to two friends discuss life and climbing. Her questions go beyond the "How did you feel when you completed ...?" and uncover the feelings and drive behind today's young climbers who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The book contains conversations with climbers as diverse as Beth Rodden and Jason Kehl, and each chapter begins with a short overview of what the person has accomplished. This combined with stunning photos from some of today's best climbing photographers, the book is as much fun to look at as it is to read. "Vertical World" is a must read for anyone who is interested in learning about the personalities behind some of today's best climbers. Thoughtful and well written, Katie Brown shows us that her ability to convey a message to an audience is equal to her ability to send a hard route.

Rating:

out of 5

Verticle World - 5/5 [ top of page ]

Posted by: mrpotter on 12/20/2006

Well, sarah basically says it all right there, but I just want to add that this book is AWESOME! Like sarah said, this book is worth buying just for the photos. The questions were actually interesting and very informative. This book is flat out INSPIRING! Just reading it and seeing the pictures makes you want to go climb. If I had to send my free copy back, I would definitely buy it back. Many thanks to Katie and yourclimbing.com!

Rating:

out of 5

vertical world..OUR WORLD!!! [ top of page ]

Posted by: sarah on 12/20/2006

ENGLISH REVIEW i've received the book yesterday..i'm so busy, have my last exam in unoversity but i don't care..i'm really curious and i want to look a little that book..i look..i look...but..at the end of the day i red it all!!! woha!! very good work!! first of all the graphic..really practical and functional...the colors are not toom uch strong and so they did't dosturb you when you are reading.. than..THE PHOTOS!!!absolutely great..if you are not interested in reading about interviews you shoul buy this book only for the photos...great in dimensions(sometimes they are full page!!)and in the contents...it seems like they really captured the soul of the climbers...(for example jason kehl's profile photos...) love the facts taht there are many girl's interviews..sometimes women are left behind, and i think that it's not right...read about them and you will understand what i mean!! than i really appreciate the fact that the interviews are done by katie... the questions are always really interesting,never banal...probably because of the katie's own experienc as a climber..i think that only a climber could really enter in the heart of another climber... itseems like katie was really prepared,she knows what she wants to know..and what We want to know...i really appreciate the introduction of the climber's profile...katie put the attention on their bodies,their faces..it seems like they are near me..that's woonderful! reading the book i really felt involved in this great and magical world,and that wonderful photo makes me feel really INSIDE..don't know if you understand what i mean..(sure,you know,you know..) i really appreciated that in some page katie put some other infos about other great climber that she didn't interview like Emily Harrington,Daniel Woods,Paul Robinson etc... what can i say?hope it will be soon translated in italian..i'm sure taht here in Italy people would appreciate it so much... i will do an italian review soon...and if you want i will post them in some italian site...i'm sure italian people will appreciate it so much..we don't have many poroducts like this... congratilations!!!! Sarah