Amazon.co.uk reader feedback

If you are a fan of mountaineering literature, especially writers of the class of Simpson, Krakauer or Mark Jenkins, then you will enjoy this. Kirkpatrick successfully manages to convey both the thrill and the terror of climbing, in an easily accessible style. As noted in other reviews, some parts of this have been published before, but that should not deter you from getting hold of a copy. Kirkpatrick comes across as a highly driven individual, but also one with whom you would want to share a pint or two down the local, after a long day in the hills. Highly recommended. Mr. Rjt Williams "easywombat"

Psychovertical is a brilliant account of a seemingly impossible big wall climb interspersed with a humourous autobiography that attempts to explain why the author repeatedly finds himself half way up a mountain faced with near certain death. It is a fascinating account which will no doubt appeal to climbers and non climbers alike as the climbing specific language is sparse and adequately explained when used. The book has equal amounts of suspense and I found it very difficult to put down. I thoroughly recommend this book. Mr. S. Taylor "Steve Taylor"

To anyone thinking of buying this book - do! It's the most gripping and well written climbing book I've read since Touching the Void. Moreover signed copies will be changing hands for a small fortune in a few years time as, if Andy carrys on climbing this sort of stuff, he won't be around long enough to sign many more! Steve Reid

Since attending one of Andy's talks, which probably one of the most well paced and entertaining presentations I've been to I've eagerly awaited his book. Reading some of the pitches described on the Wall I had to put the book down from time to time and walk about the room as I could feel my own fearometer building towards overload, so well does Andy paint the picture. I also thoroughly enjoyed how the main theme was interwoven with Andy's own history and development as a climber and as a person. Great relief to the rest of us weekend rock warriors that even the greats are never too far away from the trouser filler either Well done Andy Declan P. Craig

This has to be one of the best written climbing books around. It doesnt hinder the reader with pointless detail, yet gives plenty to keep you reading and not wanting to put the book down. The book is well written, well structured and easy to read. You get to read about a lot of the epics, and not only in the climbing. The thing that shines through more than anything is that trying and keeping trying counts for everything. Buy it. David Frost

Since Andy Kirkpatrick's Psychovertical website has long been one of the best and most entertaining sources of information about climbing gear and techniques, my expectations of this first book were high and I'm pleased to say that it lives up to them (and even surpasses them) in every respect. First and foremost, it's a cracking read, and difficult to put down. But it's also beautifully structured, with the alternating narratives of autobiography and Reticent Wall ascent constantly illuminating each other. To mention a couple of more detailed points (what you might call sub-structure as opposed to this main alternating framework), I found myself particularly struck by his effective use of italicised text to communicate his thoughts from the time and skillful deployment of very short sentences and lines in places to influence his readers' rhythm (perhaps most memorably in the passage describing his reaction to the birth of his daughter). It's also obvious that he's been working with a good editor to eliminate the typos that feature (quite endearingly) in his website writings, on which note it would be remiss not to observe that the book includes a moving account of his dyslexia, its diagnosis and his subsequent quest to make it as a climbing writer. All in all, highly recommended! p. Duggan

Pyschovertical is a an ambitious debut for Andy K, attempting to interweave autobiography with descriptions of alpine and big-wall climbing while presenting a honest explanation of his deep seated compulsive reliance on undertaking these stupendously dangerous expeditions. The book is at its best in the terse descriptions of climbing specific pitches on his deranged solo of the Reticent wall, which form a broken narrative running throughout the book. These passages are so vividly sketched that I feel I know how it feels to leave the safety of a ledge half way up El Cap and commit to hanging your body weight from friable wafer thin flakes, expecting a sudden fatal fall to the valley thousands of feet below. This backbone is interspersed with more fully fleshed out descriptions of Andys' climbs, many solo, in the Alps, Patagonia and other Yosemite walls. Each of these chapters is raised above the genres ubiquitous plodding trip reports by laugh out loud black humour, and the clever use of split narratives. An example of the humour is found in two photo captions, the first of Andy eating gruel from a pan captioned; "Alpinists are only in it for the food and the sex"; the second, of Andy lying next to his nervous looking climbing partner; "By day 5 the food had run out". Surprisingly, given the quality of some of Andys' photos on the web, the two photomontage insets are a little disappointing. Many of the portraits convey the extremes of fatigue that Andy and his climbing partners endure, but the small image size and cluttered layout masks their impact, you want to be able to clearly see the blood shot eyes and battered bodies for the message to sink home. A better example is the back-piece illustration where the sun-blistered skin on Andy's arms as he looks down on the meadows below El Cap speaks volumes. The book is highly readable, with the down-to earth raw prose matching the themes; a stark contrast to the wordy and overtly metaphysical writing of Joe Simpson. However I found the early autobiographical sections comparatively tough going. For example, Andy's character study of his mother revolves around her repetitive use of clichéd phrases, which seemed a bit naff compared to the detail he achieves later in the book. It should be noted that this book partly draws on a series of previously self-web-published short stories and this origin is occasionaly apparent with places and events being repeatedly introduced in subsequent chapters without cross-reference. However, already having read this orginial web-material does not greatly detract or diminish the overall effect of the book. In conclusion, the book is a great read and I would recommend it to anyone with slightest interest in the subject matter, and for many climbers it could well be the start of a path towards big walling adventures of their own. S. J. Ebbens

Up there with White Spider and Touching the Void. The only problem being that it makes you want to go solo aid climbing despite how horrific it sounds. A fantastic book due to it's outstanding structure. Don't worry if you know nothing about aid climbing, as this book slowly explains what it's all about and really opens your eyes to new possibilities in climbing. R. Ackbar

The book illustrates the capabilities and determination of a person from an ordinary background that has a vision and a will to do something not for the glory but to give meaning to their life. The climbing represents a metaphor for the struggle in overcoming family break up, dyslexia and the choices made as a husband and father. This struggle is communicated in a way that will have you crying half way through a paragraph only to find yourself laughing as you reach the end of it! T Maud

One of the best climbing books ever written, dealing not simply with climbing but the complex emotions stirred up by risk. Kevin Shields