Product Description
A Canvas of Rock transports the reader through two of the most influential periods in modern British rock-climbing as seen through the eyes one of the UK's well-respected rock climbers - Mark Radtke.
This collection of personal experiences and friendships with climbers from the 1970s to the present day, provides a rare insight and first-hand account on some of the crucial and at times contentious episodes that paved the way to today's rock-climbing scene. We are also treated to insights of the man himself - his passion and his drive that have allowed him to challenge his limits and to pioneer many new Extreme routes.
'Rad shows us his own frailties - his vertigo, his occasional bursts of egocentricity - and this makes him a convincing guide. It is a great read, full of humour and drama, but at the same time it is a wise and important contribution to the ongoing debate of climbing ethics.' From Foreword by Andy Cave
Mark Radtke (Rad) is a well- known character in the UK's rock climbing scene having spent the last thirty years pitting himself against hard extreme routes around the world and adding to the rich tapestry of climbing with a plethora of first ascents of his own. He embraces climbing in all its forms, but in his debut book reveals how adventure lies at the heart and soul of the experience. 'Without risk climbing simply becomes a sport'.
Mark has worked as a learning and development specialist for the last twenty years. He runs his own company that helps businesses and people achieve outstanding results. He is married with three daughters and lives in the Yorkshire Dales.
Quotes from back cover and review:
'Laid bare, here is the cost of adventure climbing, the fear, the falls, the crunching of bones. And yet, by guiding us through his emotions, sometimes complex and conflicting, Rad (the author) convinces us that it is still worth it. A life lived in the vertical without always knowing the outcome somehow reaches deep into a part of us, touching something instinctive.' Andy Cave (Award winning author of Thin White Line and Learning to Breathe)
'This is an important contribution recording the history of a turbulent time where climbing styles were in state of flux and emotions ran high. The author describes a time of great controversy and change with a clear eye and although deeply involved, he manages an often dispassionate analysis of the circumstances and characters who strut their stuff on an overhanging stage, a really entertaining read with some great pen portraits of people in his life'. Ian Smith. Judge for the Boardman and Tasker Prize for mountain literature 2009 & 2010.
No of Pages: 288
Page Size: 156 x 234 mm
ISBN 10: 1908098007
ISBN 13: 9781908098009
Publisher: 2qt Limited (Publishing)
Published Date: February 2012
Edition: 1st ed , Feb-2012
Binding: Hardback
Illustrations: colour sections
Weight: 680g
07949003771
