26 episodes

Exploring the world of mountain literature through interviews with Climbers, enthusiasts and authors, readings of excerpts and uncovering the mysteries and nuances of climbing writing both old and new.

Climbing on the Bookshelf Stuart Rhodes

    • Arts

Exploring the world of mountain literature through interviews with Climbers, enthusiasts and authors, readings of excerpts and uncovering the mysteries and nuances of climbing writing both old and new.

    Dancing, Discovery and the Doctor with Mimi Zieman

    Dancing, Discovery and the Doctor with Mimi Zieman

    Mimi Zieman has treated frozen limbs on the highest mountain, delivered triplets near the deepest ocean trench, tap danced through Broadway studios, and has been a suburban mom of three – all experiences that have prepared her for new challenges. Her latest challenge, writing Tap Dancing on Everest, about the risks we take to become our truest selves.
    A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face (Kangshung Face) of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain and only successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first larger team, Mimi Zieman's team would climb without using supplemental oxygen, porter support, or chance for rescue. She would accompany the climbers as the doctor and only woman, although she was still in her third year of medical school. Full of self-doubt, Zieman grappled with whether to go but couldn't resist the call of the mountains. When three climbers disappeared during their summit attempt, she reached the knife edge of her limits and dug deeply to fight for the climbers' lives and to find her voice.
    Tap Dancing on Everest is a coming-of-age story about the risks we take to become our truest selves. Zieman weaves her childhood as the daughter of immigrants raised in 1970's New York with capturing the curiosity and awe of a young woman as she faces down messages to stay small and safe and ventures into the unknown.
    Find out more about Mimi here :
    https://www.mimiziemanmd.com
    IG @mimiziemanmd
    You can buy the book from all good bookshops.


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    • 28 min
    Roping up with Steve Part 1

    Roping up with Steve Part 1

    In the 1950's and 60's Yosemite Valley was the centre of the rock climbing universe. Camp 4 was the gathering place for the "Golden Age" of Yosemite climbing.
    Steve Roper lived in Yosemite Valley for nearly 10 years, this is his story from the inside of that era. In 1967 he co founded the Sierra Club magazine "Ascent" with Allen Steck, he was the author of and "Fifty classic climbs" which is still used today and not forgetting "Camp 4 - Recollections of a Yosemite climber" which was such a significant book that it was used against the Park Rangers in a legal battle against them closing Camp 4! . In this candid and raw interview he talks about his early years climbing and his writings of the books mentioned above.

    Many, many thanks to the AAC Library archive with their invaluable help for the access to the interviews (shout out to Shane Johnson, Pete Takeda and Katie Sauter). Without their dedication to their work this episode would not have been possible. THANK YOU.
    IG - @Americanalpine & @Alpinelibrary


    IG - @Climbbookshelf
    climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com




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    • 1 hr 4 min
    NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 2 with John Middendorf

    NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 2 with John Middendorf

    We go again with Deucey to chat about his research for his two volumes of work "Mechanical Advantage, Tools for the wild vertical". Kindly and readily available to download as a PDF or to order and own an actual copy of the volumes (for those of you that prefer actual things!). Then eventually moving onto another use for his Portaledge design, Rain forest activism.💪 AWESOME!!
    Volume 1 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609796-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical
    Volume 2 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609835-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical

    Google search for:
    "Blurb John Middendorf" or
    "Blurb Mechanical Advantage"

    Check out his research on : https://www.bigwallgear.com/
    OR have a look at : https://www.bigwalls.net/ Also check out his YouTube channel which has the latest talk from Flagstaff https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoYF4fSNfZ0
    Check him out on IG @johnmiddendorf4


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    • 32 min
    NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 1 with John Middendorf

    NOW That's What I Call Research VOL 1 with John Middendorf

    John "Deucey" Middendorf is one of the 80's & 90's big wall pioneers and has climbed all over the world from Baffin Island to El Cap to Pakistan. His Portaledge design revolutionised big wall climbing and has had many iterations and what he is perhaps best know for, although he has made many other types of gear. In Two parts (just like his new research volumes) we delve a little into his past, portaledges and his beautifully researched volumes (In 2 editions) "Mechanical Advantage, Tools for the wild vertical" on equipment design which you can find and buy from......

    Volume 1 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609796-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical
    Volume 2 : https://www.blurb.com/b/11609835-mechanical-advantage-tools-for-the-wild-vertical
    OR
    Google search for:
    "Blurb John Middendorf" or
    "Blurb Mechanical Advantage"

    Check out his research at https://www.bigwalls.net/ OR https://bigwallgear.com
    Also check out his YouTube channel which has the latest talk from when he went to Flagstaff https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoYF4fSNfZ0

    Check him out on IG @johnmiddendorf4


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    • 44 min
    A Library of sports with Katie Quinn

    A Library of sports with Katie Quinn

    Katie Quinn AKA The Sports Librarian reviews and recommends sports literature online. Her real passion is the outdoors and mountaineering literature where I chatted to her about this, and other stuff too! Listen out for some really great recommendations of mountaineering books, films and podcasts. Her favourite book is the episodes picture. You can catch up with Katie on most socials @thesportslibrarian OR katiequinn88.com OR even check out her site on https://bookshop.org/shop/thesportslibrarian for detailed recommends. I had a great time chatting, nice one Katie! thank you ❤️
    MERCH - https://ab9542.myshopify.com/

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    • 52 min
    The Golden Age of mountain literature with Katie Ives

    The Golden Age of mountain literature with Katie Ives

    Katie Ives is a renowned writer in the international climbing community, her first book is Imaginary Peaks the Riesenstien Hoax and other climbing dreams where she details the mystery of the Hoax within the larger view of climbing history and the seemingly endless search for newly discovered peaks and claims of first ascents. Beautifully researched, the book also covers the wider field throughout the world of exploration and discovery. We chat about her time at Alpinist as Editor-in-Chief and she has an insight into the future of mountaineering literature.
    You can buy her book from the publisher ( Mountaineers Books ) in the USA here - https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/imaginary-peaks-the-riesenstein-hoax-and-other-mountain-dreams
    OR
    If you are in the UK then from ( Little Peak Press ) - https://www.littlepeak.co.uk/catalogue/imaginary-peaks-the-riesenstein-hoax-and-other-mountain-dreams_66/
    OR
    You could also support your local bookshop by actually walking into an actual store and buy or order it from there! You know about collecting things if you're a climber!! You can also check out current and past editions of Alpinist magazine on their website here - http://www.alpinist.com/

    You can check out what Katie is up to on her social media channels by visiting IG @katie_r_ives
    MERCH HERE - https://linktr.ee/climbbookshelf

    IG @climbbookshelf or via email climbingonthebookshelf@gmail.com


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    • 49 min

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