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Reinhold Messner
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Reinhold Messner, Free Spirit: A Climber's Life Paperback – January 1, 1998

by Reinhold Messner (Author)
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Known as one of history's greatest Himalayan mountaineers, Reinhold Messner was the first person to climb all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks, many of them solo. In this definitive work, he recalls his early climbs in the Alps, expeditions to the Himalaya, the first solo ascents, a trek across Antarctica, and numerous other adventures. 70 photos .
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Mountaineers Books
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1998
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0898865735
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0898865738
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"True Messner devotees will find lots to like about his autobiography." -- Valley Advocate (Easthampton, MA)

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mountaineers Books; Reprint edition (January 1, 1998)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0898865735
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0898865738
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

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Reinhold Messner

Reinhold Messner

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
14 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MB
5.0 out of 5 stars enjoy Climbing? Enjoy Mountaineering? You'll Love it!
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2010
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If you enjoy climbing and mountaineering you will love this book written by the greatest climber of all time. This book is great to read sitting by google for those unfamiliar with the Dolomite, Alp, Karakorum, and Himalayan mountains he discusses. The more you learn about what Reinhold Messner did in climbing - the more you are amazed - especially the Rupal face climb and the solo ascents as well as the no-oxygen solo climb of Everest. He was a true pioneer in climbing and his book is well written.

Such a great book. I really enjoyed it - I've read some of it twice.
One person found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2016
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Love Reinhold Mesner, especially when he is being interviewed. As an author, not so much.
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catsruletn
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
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I find this book to be really boring and am having trouble motivating myself to finish it. I guess if you are really into very intricate details about climbing this book might appeal to you but for me it just seems endless and repetitive. He gets into too much detail about where he placed his pitons and how many he used and how long it took him to get to this ledge or that etc. It just seems like him constantly repeating the same refrain; "the weather was good so we started climbing with this piton here and that piton there, then the weather got bad but we had to keep soldiering on, and then we finally made it". Not my thing.
2 people found this helpful
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Robert Hayes
3.0 out of 5 stars A rather dry account of one of the world's best mountaineers
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2000
Free Spirit could have, potentially, been a incredible account of a brilliant mountaineering career. Instead, during the course of the book, one can picture Messner sitting down 20 years later in an attempt to remember exactly how he felt during his numerous expeditions and bold first ascents.
Although the book starts out well enough with fond memories of his childhood in the Dolomites, it quickly degrades into a fact-fest of unemotional paragraphs that will disappoint. How anyone can describe their first ascent of Everest without oxygen, or the death of a brother in so few words is amazing; if not degrading.
Your climbing collection will not miss this volume.
5 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2020
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I read this book with great interest. Page from page author brings reader to the mountains so one could not stop till book is finished.
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Anthony M. Frasca
5.0 out of 5 stars The alpine icon
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2001
The achievements of Reinhold Messner are legendary. Among them, he is the first man to have ascended Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. He is also the first man to have climbed all fourteen 8000-meter peaks. Mr. Messner could rightfully be quite boastful and egotistic in his writing. Exactly the opposite is true. The book was panned by a number of reviewers for being "dry". This is precisely why I find the book so engaging and interesting. Mr. Messner narrates his achievements in a matter of fact manner leaving the reader to fill in the enormity of his spirit. Personally, I find the single-minded obsession of mountain climbers to be somewhat bizarre. Yet, I find reading about the tales of misery and death to be entertaining. I admire Mr. Messner for his unbridled enthusiam for mountain climbing and also for his restraint in narrating the tales.
12 people found this helpful
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Ryan
2.0 out of 5 stars Not Everyone Can Write
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2012
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I have the utmost respect for Messner as a climber, but not everyone is meant to be a writer. I've tried at least 3 times to get through this and I just can't. I'm sorry, he's a terrible writer and after struggling for an hour or so to choke it down I pick up something else. Sometimes ghost writing is the way to go.
One person found this helpful
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K. Freeman
3.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a rapid overview
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2000
Messner's account of the early years of a remarkable climbing career skips over each individual ascent so quickly that the reader loses interest. While his writing in itself is not unskilled, the rapid descriptions make the book read like a laundry list. Also, while his puritanical philosophy of mountaineering must have its roots in this early period, he mentions its development only in passing. Despite some gorgeous photographs, this book does not approach the best of its kind.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Bobbie
3.0 out of 5 stars Gift
Reviewed in Canada on November 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Said it was okay. Not his best
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Kyle Hunter
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2015
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Good product
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