Born to climb : from rock climbing pioneers to Olympic athletes
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Born to climb : from rock climbing pioneers to Olympic athletes
Vertebrate, 2022
- : hardback
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [267]-283) and index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
'A compelling read. Zofia's fearless approach to climbing history sees them take on the status quo, effortlessly shining a light on under-represented topics - women/gender, elitism, the average climber - and bringing climbing right up to the current day. The perfect addition to any climbing backpack!' - Sasha DiGiulian
Climbing is one of the world's fastest-growing sports - exciting, addictive and, arguably, much more fun than going to the gym. In 2021 it made its long-awaited Olympic debut, but its journey to Tokyo has been anything but traditional. And the traditionalists would argue that it's not even a sport at all ...
In Born to Climb, anthropologist and climber Zofia Reych shares with us the fascinating cultural history of rock and competition climbing. Zofia offers a fresh perspective on some of the pivotal moments and outstanding individuals of the sport, from eighteenth-century exploratory forays on rock, via the rise of climbing legends such as Emilio Comici, Wolfgang Gullich and Lynn Hill, to the limelight of the Olympic arena for the stars of today - Janja Garnbret, Adam Ondra, Shauna Coxsey and more.
But Born to Climb is much more than a celebration of the sport's famous people and places: it is an examination of modern sporting participation and culture, interwoven with the author's own climbing journey. While the writing is engaging and often funny, Zofia is not afraid to broach sensitive and often overlooked topics, including gender divide, capitalism and the tension between aesthetic and athletic approaches to climbing, in what is a must-read for all climbers.
Table of Contents
Foreword
2017
Preface
Chapter 1: First Steps
Chapter 2: Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory
Chapter 3: Monty Python's Flying Circus
Chapter 4: The Golden Age and Other Myths
Chapter 5: The Descendants of Gods
Chapter 6: London, 2011
Chapter 7: Gymnasts on Rock
Chapter 8: The Piton Dispute
Chapter 9: A Rock Shelf High Above the Black Lake Valley
Chapter 10: On Stolen Land
Chapter 11: Hard Grit
Chapter 12: Steel City, 2015
Chapter 13: The Poetry of Mountaineering
Chapter 14: Climbing Free
Chapter 15: To Bolt or Not to Be
Chapter 16: Switzerland, 2019
Chapter 17: The Age of Plastic
Chapter 18: The Birth of a Rock Star
Chapter 19: 'Agenda 2020'
Chapter 20: Bleausarde with an E
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Glossary
Acronyms
Grade Comparison Table
Notes and References
Further Reading and Recommended Viewing
Index
by "Nielsen BookData"