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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 9, 2009 - 01:33am PT
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This has just been published - the first volume of Robbins' autobiography. To Be Brave: My Life The book will be available on September 1st, and includes photographs by Glen Denny. See http://www.royalrobbinsthebook.com/index.php
It is being published by Pink Moment Press - http://www.pinkmomentpress.com
A copy donated and signed by Robbins is in the auction for Tyrus Bachar, and should fetch a good price.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Thanks for letting us know.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Great news.
I've always enjoyed his writing, and had hoped he would write this someday.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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I could totally get into a book about Robbins life, but this is the 1st in a series of 6!!! What does he do, detail his daily morning constitutions? I think I'll wait until it comes out to see if it's readable.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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I could totally get into a book about Robbins life, but this is the 1st in a series of 6!!! What does he do, detail his daily morning constitutions?
That was my first thought too, until I looked at the XXX title for the last four. I'd always thought he was a bit of a prude, but if 2/3 of his autbiography is XXX... Well maybe.
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
crimping through the start of the Generator
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Largo?
AO sez you wrote this one up already, we'd love to hear your take.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2009 - 12:17pm PT
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Seems pretty clear that a second volume is planned, but beyond that it's hard to tell. An apparent six volumes may just be an artefact of the webpage design. I don't remember any climbers whose autobiography was more than one volume, although some (Shipton, Hillary) wrote memoirs at quite dispersed dates. (Hillary's first autobiography was 1954 or so, then another in the early 2000s.) Still, audience attention-spans may not extend to more than perhaps two volumes.
A price of $19.95 suggests relatively short volumes, especially given good photos, although it may just be that it's a paperback, and privately published and distributed. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what develops.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2009 - 12:58pm PT
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Sure you didn't just pop it open, you know, to check that all the pages are there, and maybe look at the pictures? :-)
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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> [w]here is the cover photo taken?
Yosemite Valley (Sentinel spliced/lowered on L, Cathedrals in middle, El Cap on R), but with railroad tracks spliced in.
Must be symbolic of something?
Maybe about how events in his youth set the wheels in motion for him to end up with his many adventures in Yosemite.
Bring on the volumes, if that's what it takes to get this into print!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Hitching the rail with Pat Ament?
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2009 - 02:55pm PT
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RR has (I believe) been based in Modesto since the 1960s. But he was born in West Virginia, and raised in Los Angeles.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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How many lives has Royal had to do six volumes? I mean I know he used up a couple in the Valley, but has he been listening to Werner to much? What will the last volumne be about, how to design clothing?
I say all this with the greatest repect, tongue in cheek, as Royal is the man!
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Bad Climber
climber
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Er, that title is a bit much, isn't it? The guy does have a monster ego. Good climber, though! I still wish I had my copy of Advanced Rock Craft. I suspect this current volume is pretty well written.
My autobiography will be coming out soon:
To Be Awesome: My Life
or
To Be Studly
or
To Be Really, Really, Really, Really Good Looking
or
To Be Having Endless Hot Sex with Platoons of Super Models!
Oh, I kill me.
bAd
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2009 - 04:37pm PT
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Don't we all hope to be brave? Isn't that part of what climbing's all about?
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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> Er, that title is a bit much, isn't it? The guy does have a monster ego.
Please explain how an ambition to be brave suggests a monster ego. I don't see a connection.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Really, Bad Climber, I have to agree with Clint. Bad Climber, just wait until the book is out; we may actually be surprised by a change in posture by Royal. Believe me, I too will read it with a very critical eye....as far as struggling to be brave, Royal never concealed his apprehensions and snaileye moments; he was straightforward about that aspect.
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Katie_I
Mountain climber
Wyoming
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I'm partway through reading it. It's very honest, very humble and beautifully written. Spare, luminous, self-questioning prose. One of the better climbing memoirs I've read (so far). I'll post more when I get a chance to finish it.
As for six volumes, didn't Marcel Proust need a few, himself? =)
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Yeah, I reviewed To Be Brave for Rock and Ice. I gave it five stars out of a possible five. I couldn't put it down. The guy found just the right tone and it pulled him right through. Great stuff.
JL
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