Imagine having to rip your own hand off, just to live...
This is what happened to the author of this book, Aron Ralston....

It was 2:41 pm. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall....
So began the six days of hell for Aron Ralston. He would have to make the one most important descion in his life thus far... did he want to live? Or die?

Based on a true story, this book is both moving and utterly amazing. It shows what one will do when death is facing them with a snarling face.

There are pictures in the book that Aron himself took while he was trapped. There's even a picture of his right hand before and after he, literally "sawed" it off.

This is a wonderful book, and I hope I can get many participants for this bookring I am turning it into.

Participants:(bold are still waiting to read, italics have read.)

mrsjones(OH)
stellertony(AK)
dicentragirl(WA)
knitwit(Pennsylvania)
Sterile(UK, can ship internationally)
robert-walker(UK, can ship internationally)
FiBe(UK, can ship internationally, but prefers UK/Eur)
PCSAF(Portugal, can ship internationally)
crrcookie (Germany)
back to me, it's loving mother(CT,USA)

Released on Saturday, December 18, 2004 at about 11:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Post office, starting bookring! in New Britain, Connecticut USA.

RELEASE NOTES:

starting bookring!

:-)

Received the book and have already started it. I'm just to the part where the boulder fell on Aron's arm and he's in tremendous pain. I think I'm only on about page 30.... compelling read!

I'm only about halfway through this (it's not a quick read), and thought I'd make a journal entry.

I am ASTOUNDED by how FOOLISH Aron is!! I love reading about his outdoor adventures. I'm not one to climb mountains or ski myself, but I do like the outdoors and love to read about true-life adventures. So, I like his writing. But, he is the most foolish, dangerous person I've read about.

I'm halfway through the book and he has almost drowned because he was dangerously impulsive, he has been swallowed by an avalanche, which nearly cost him the life of a friend - and did cost him that friend's friendship, he has been chased by a bear, has nearly slid off a mountain because of ice and lack of proper equipment, has treated himself for frostbite instead of going to a hospital, and is now trapped in a desert canyon with his arm pinned by a boulder.

Aron is the kind of person who I'd love to sit around a campfire with and hear him tell of his adventures. But he is someone that I would definitely NOT go exploring with. He's too risky and makes foolish decisions that come so close to being fatal.

Of course, none of us can ever know how we'd react in a life-or-death situation such as Aron faced. Would we be able to amputate our own arms to save our lives? I hope to never face such a decision.

When Aron got to the point of describing the multi-tool cutting his arm, I was so grossed out I had trouble bringing myself back to the book. I don't know when I got so squeamish, but his descriptions were hard for me to take.

Still, what a compelling read. Thanks again, RainDrop162004, for starting this ring. I'm sending it on now to stellertony.

Thanks, Raindrop

A tip... remember to be careful when you're writing down the BCID. I got this a week ago and can only now journal it because the book says 2257936 instead of 2257986. (I'll fix it for you)

(Mrsjones, how on earth did you journal it?)

I'm about halfway through now... I should be done within a couple of days. Thanks, Raindrop!

Just about done (45 pages left, will be done by tonight), and I was planning on sending it to dicentragirl today, but realized that I don't have her address. I'm PMing her right now & am hoping I can get it in time to send it off tomorrow.

I have to agree with mrsjones about Aron's foolishness. He breaks so many rules that I'm surprised he lived this long. Very interesting read - thanks, Raindrop!

I received this in the mail last night. I've heard such debates about this book and the author's actions... I can't wait to read it!


Okay, long story short... A fire destroyed the original copy of the book before I could read it. This is a new copy. I'll get it read and back in the ring as soon as I can!

Could this guy BE a bigger chump???! I just finished this tonight. His lack of judgement and forethought absolutely stuns me... I agree with everything MrsJones said and then some! I'm not sorry I read the book, I'm just sorry that there are people out there like Aron that put other's lives (his friends, rescuers...) in danger. One note on his writing style... I think he made VERY good friends with his thesaurus while writing the book.

This will be off on its way as soon as I get an address.

Arrived today. I have my current book plus a ring to read first but I will get to this as quickly as I can. Thanks for sharing!

Last year as I was preparing to board a plane in Atlanta I grabbed a copy of Outside magazine solely because it contained an excerpt of this book. I figured reading the whole book would change my opinion of Aron and his recklessness but alas I was wrong. This should be required reading for anyone who considers themselves an "expert" outdoorsman/woman. I applaud Aron for his ability to keep his head in such extreme circumstances but he never should have been in the position of having to do what he did. I always tell my 8 year old scouts - NEVER hike alone and ALWAYS tell someone where you are going and when you can be expected back. I only hope they never reach the point where they consider themselves above common sense.

Mailing to Sterile in the UK on Monday, 11 July 2005

I took delivery of this book this morning, thankyou Knitwit for posting over to me. I am just finishing another book at the moment then I will start this book. Shouldn't be too long reading this....

RELEASE NOTES:

After acquiring Rob's address (again) I then forget to take it the Post Office with me! so, this book will be travelling 31st August.

Arrived this morning, thanks Sterile. Have a few bookrings before this one but i got some time off work shortly so i will get to it soon

Like other readers before me i am amazed at Arons stupidity. He almost drowned, only just survived an avalanche, chased by a bear, and this a guy who considers himself an expert outdoorsman and a one time member of a search and rescue group.
But leaving all that behind it's a great book, i cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like trapped in that canyon without food and water, and could i have made that final decision of saving my life by cutting off my arm? i very much doubt it.
Thanks Raindrop for giving me the chance to read this book

Received this book over the weekend. I have one ring ahead of it but should get to it pretty quickly. Thanks for letting me join the ring!

Ok I admit it, I'm wussing out of this book. I've got to the bit where he traps his hand and he's describing the state its in and it's already grossing me out slightly (in my defense I'm full of cold so this probably isn't the best time to try to read this book).

So I daren't read any further as I am very squeamish (what was I thinking when I joined this bookring :o eek! ok so I was hoping that I could skip the icky bits but I'm only at the beginning of the book and I'm already "Eeeewing" outloud!

Anyway I'm going to pm PCSAF for their address. But thanks Raindrop162004 for letting me "attempt" to read this book (note to self: do not read/attempt to read any true life stories that involve severed limbs EVER).

But I have to agree with what everyone else has said about Aron, for a seasoned hiker/climber etc he's not right bright is he??? Brave yes but definitely lacks common sense.

RELEASE NOTES:

sending on to the next person on the list.

Thanks FiBe, I got it.

I've read it and found it amazing and frightening at the same time!! I'm not much for outdoor activities, but after having read this book, just as well I'm not!!!

I've send it today to crrcookie. Bon voyage till Germany.

This book has now arrived in Kaiserslautern, GERMANY!

It looks like this book has been on a rather long journey. :) The book istself though is holding up very well and is in very good condition.

I look forward to reading this book and I hope to be able to mail it out very soon and get it back home to RainDrop who must miss it after such a long time away.

OK I thought that the number one rule ever was "Go with a buddy!" At least that is what I have always been taught. Swim with a buddy, hike with a buddy, travel with a buddy and so on. I would consider myself to be an independent person but never would I try any of the stunts that Aron pulled alone.

When I first heard about this bookring I signed up thinking that it would be an interesting story. Based on the description I thought this was a one time deal and that Aron had to learn a very painful and costly lesson about never going out alone and always telling someone your itinerary. When I learned that this one only one 'adventure' of many that he has done alone. I stopped feeling sorry for him. In fact, I want to scream at him that he is an idiot!

I mean really you think that he would have learned about going out alone after many of his other foolish near-death experiences. I was astonished that he would make it a goal to climb mountains alone in the winter under the harshest conditions. And I cannot believe that having to cut off his own arm didn't teach him anything. He got a prosthetic that doubles as a climbing axe and he plans to continue going out alone. What is this guy thinking?

I think that if this book had not been a bookring and I had not needed to finish it up so that I can get it in the mail before I move that I might never have finished it.

Thank You Raindrop for offering this book up as a bookring. It will be headed out to you within a week!

Mailed on 8 May 2006.

Well, after a year long trip this book has made it home safe and sound.

Much thanks to everyone who participated and I hope you all sincerely enjoyed the book!

Smiles to all!


*Mwah!*