Page 33 - 2019 AMA Summer

BOOKREVIEW
AMA BOOK REVIEWS
NO EASY WAY
BY MICK FOWLER
I am a big fan of the author and have enjoyed his two previous books (Vertical Pleasure and Thin Ice) immensely. When I got my hands on a copy of his new title I was quite excited and I haven’t been disappointed- I’ve been unable to put it down. No Easy Way picks up where Thin Ice left off and documents Mick’s expeditions and exploits since early 2000 to present.
One of the reasons that Mick is a hero of mine is that he is king of the work/life balance. Holding down a full time job as a senior civil servant in the tax office, a family and spending a minimum of one month each year (for the past 30 years or so) in the Himalayas is impressive. Couple this with also holding down the presidency of the prestigious Alpine Club and you can see that he is a busy man. The Mick
TIDES
BY NICK BULLOCK
Anyone at this year’s AGM and heard Nick Bullock speak has probably already bought this book and read it. If they haven’t I imagine they really want to! Nick is funny, modest and a master story teller, which all comes across in this second volume of his biography. At the AGM he had an auditorium eating out of his hand and rolling with laughter.
Tides wonderfully details Nick’s adventurous from 2008 to present and follows on from his previous success with Echoes. Each chapter tells a different story in life and have wide ranging topics. From North Wales cragging and new routing to being pulled over by the police in a non-road legal Volvo with two drug carrying climber friends. The one I have gone back and read a couple of times is the infamous bear attack in Canada with Greg Boswell while attempting a particu-
Fowler trio of titles is a must for anyone who find it difficult to indulge their love of mountains with a demanding career!
This biography chronicals his latest exploits, which range from extreme high altitude climbing (with first ascents in China, Tibet and India) to climbing the castle walls in Nottingham and nearly getting arrested. It is very well written, accessible for all and made me actually laugh out loud. His descriptions of mountains, remote areas and numerous ascents are vivid and he uses humorous turns of phrase that are a trait of Fowler’s.
His thirst for unclimbed lines, remoteness and adventure is contagious and when I put the book down I was 1) Disappointed that it had finished and 2) Hungry to get out and climb!
larly tricky route. Amusing, thoughtful and slightly bizarre; this is the highlight of the book for me.
I admire anyone who pursues what they want regardless of whether the outcome is certain. I suppose this a trait of trad climbers who enjoy onsighting. Leaving a secure job and taking a leap of faith into the world of full time professional climbing must be a little like leading off from a belay ledge on a route at your limit. Nick has danced to his own tune and climbs routes that have inspired and challenged him with little regard of what other people think about. An excellent example of this some of the chossier marble routes on the North Stack of Gogarth he has pioneered and done purely for his own enjoyment, but probably not that of his climbing partner... (another chapter in this great book).
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 33