From what I saw of the film last night, its as mind numbingly boring as the book. Took me over a year of picking it up and putting it down 5 minutes later to stagger through that…

DBW, I’m with you on that – the book turns what should have been a totally compelling tale into one long self-justification for not letting anyone know where he was going, by endlessly telling us in flashback what a fantastically accomplished outdoorsman he is.

I’ve still not bothered to get past 2/3 of the way through even though I know the “juicy” bit is yet to come.

Ho hum. I gather the film is very good though – I guess Danny Boyle will have worked his magic on the screenplay and made it hang together well.

I actually really liked the book but found the film a bit dull.

Didn’t get the impression his past adventures were in anyway trying to justify not informing anyone.

Fair dos, ebg – I really wanted to like the book, I usually speed through the outdoor epics, Into Thin Air and the like, but just really couldn’t get on with the writing style on this one. May have to adopt DBW’s tactics and give it another go!

Watched Birdsong instead – probably an error as I enjoyed the book.

I read the book on holiday a few years ago, I have to confess to flipping pages to get the the Man Cuts Own Arm Off bit.

From my limited understanding rotting flesh is easier to cut through, and he was pretty much hallucinating by then anyway. The nerves and tendons were the difficult bit, once he had broken his own bones.

The lesson is not so much carry a knife, more don’t go somewhere so isolated on your own without telling anybody ??

My review:

“Boring ride. Look out for that rock.

Eeew. ****! Yuuuuuuck.

Phew.”

I’m surprised that no-one has tried to identify the bike yet…

why didn’t he go through his elbow joint? cut through the cartilidge, just like jointing a chicken. would of been out of there in a flash, and with a nice clean stump too.

I had to keep going to get to the “smashing off arm” bit. Once thats done you’re about 10 pages from the end (but theres more “I’m awesome despite having one hand” type stuff).

Want a good outdoor epic/disaster book? Touching The Void.

Touching the void is poss one of the few exceptions to the rule that books are always better than the film

The film good? Never seen it. Was at an IT conference weirdly and the fella who did the cutting of the rope was there doing a speech. Was awesome. Had to buy a copy of the book there and then (he signed it too) and I loved it.

Might have a look on lovefilm tonight and see if its on there to watch whilst I’m rebuilding the bike 🙂

close the thread, lsd has already won.

DBW – did a lot of climbing in my youth and read all the books/mags at the time. TTV reads like a typical climbers book – ok for me, but not generally appealing. The film really captures the desperation so much better IMHO.

So you met Simon Yeates? At the time, he got so much stick from the climbing fraternity (sic) even though JS stood by him. Fascinating how their relationship faired afterwards esp with filming it. He has a slightly mad look in his eyes that reminds me of one of my old climbing buddies.

Thats the fella. Inspirational speaker. Will have to get hold of the film…

the book turns what should have been a totally compelling tale into one long self-justification for not letting anyone know where he was going, by endlessly telling us in flashback what a fantastically accomplished outdoorsman he is.

Great synopsis

😆

I’m surprised that no-one has tried to identify the bike yet…

Never mind the bike, what tyres was he using? I strongly suspect he had the wrong ones for the conditions, which ultimately may have led to the accident.

Anyway what’s the best knife for forcing girls into the back of your van?

😆

Oh dear, I think I’ve just wet my pants.

i am So stoked with this thread. awesome dudes…………. 8)

Why thank you, stilltortoise 🙂

@ton – 😆

theotherjonv – Member
If you had an eccentric BB and a leatherman, why didn’t you rig the expander wedge bolts into a crude lifting device instead of sawing your arm off. Are you stupid or am i confused.

I think we need more posts like this, trying to resolve the problem of fubar arm without self surgery

I did not watch it because it’s just a guy sawing off his own hand with a small knife … no story there apart from cutting his own hand to survive.

I did not watch it because it’s just a guy sawing off his own hand with a small knife … no story there apart from cutting his own hand to survive.

And the Mona Lisa’s just a picture of some miserable tart! 😉

don simon – Member

And the Mona Lisa’s just a picture of some miserable tart!

… and putting me off my dinner … 🙄

😆 thread of the week so far 😀

I carry one of these, so if I’m passing and you want to either cut your arm off, or force some girls into the back of a van, or indeed both, just give me a holler – it will serve either purpose more than adequately.

iDave – Member

OK, so my take on it. Even if he’d been rescued he’d have lost his arm. Therefore the hacking should have been done on the first day*

*in theory

Posted 23 hours ago #Report-Post

stavromuller – Member

You’re missing the point idave, if he didn’t have a knife no form of hacking could be carried out

and they would have had to call it 24 minutes

Your out on the bike and you need to self-amputate, simple !

Hold right hand pedal in good hand. Place affected limb in front of chainring ( with chain on granny ring) and rotate at speed.

Nice clean cut (well cut anyway).

It would be even better if you were riding a tandem and got to cut someone else’s arm off, it would be so much more exciting than walking off to get them help. 😀

saleem – Member

It would be even better if you were riding a tandem and got to cut someone else’s arm off, it would be so much more exciting than walking off to get them help.

You been having dreams about TJ giving you a backie again?

I wouldn’t start at the arm lol

Still can’t work out what some so-called outdoor adventure enthusiast was doing carrying a blunt knife.
He should have at least had a Swiss Army knife with a wood saw on, or a multitool with a sharp serrated blade or a saw.
One of these would have had his arm off in a jiffy:

Then he could have mailed the arm in the jiffy and maybe had it sewn back on…

Did the parks authority allow him to keep the boulder as a souvenir?