Book Review: Johanna Garton's Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff

Thank you to Johanna Garton for providing me with a copy of her biography of mountain climber Christine Boskoff, Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff, in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up in the small-town of Appleton, Wisconsin, Christine Boskoff didn’t get her first taste of mountain climbing until she was in her 20’s, working as an electrical engineer in Atlanta. That first taste of the sport would soon have Boskoff traveling the world in search of higher peaks and incredible challenges.

Eventually, Boskoff left engineering to devote her life to climbing with her husband, fellow climber, Keith Boskoff. The Boskoff’s purchased the Seattle-based company “Mountain Madness” when one of the founders, Scott Fischer, died while climbing Everest. After Keith’s death, Christine kept running the company, while chasing greater climbing challenges. She eventually found love again with Charlie Fowler and the two went missing during a 2006 climb of Genyen Peak in China.

Garton pays tribute to Boskoff’s incredible life, which includes being the only American female to reach six different 8000m peaks. Boskoff’s achievements included many firsts and she proved that she was equally capable, often more capable, than many of the top male athletes in climbing. The sport is certainly not without risks and Boskoff lost many friends due to avalanches and other dangers, yet she was an intelligent athlete who had a deep understanding of the terrain and how to navigate it. She led many people to fulfill their climbing goals and achieved her own dreams without the sponsorships and media fanfare that many of her peers courted. Boskoff was modest, talented and loved by many.

I’m not athletic or particularly “outdoorsy,” yet Garton’s writing allowed me to understand Boskoff’s love of mountain climbing. I could appreciate her passion and I was swept up by her excitement. The world of elite climbers is small and the athletes involved are not household names to the general public. However, Boskoff’s accomplishments are extraordinary and should be an inspiration to anyone who has any type of dream that they are chasing.

I read that Garton was inspired to write Edge of the Map, when her mother told her of Boskoff’s death. Although Garton and Boskoff did not know each other, they had attended the same high school in Wisconsin. Garton heard more about Boskoff’s accomplishments and felt that her story should be shared. I certainly feel that my life is richer from having learned about Boskoff.

I’m unlikely to try my hand at climbing, but, I was nevertheless, fascinated by Edge of the Map. This biography is intense, heartbreaking, and exhilarating. Garton transports the reader to remote locations around the world and on risky expeditions where the difference between life and death is razor thin. I was gripped!

Book Review- Jessica Stone's Craving London: Confessions of an Incurable Romantic with an Insatiable Appetite

Thank you to Ripe Press for providing me with a copy of Jessica Stone’s memoir Craving London: Confessions of an Incurable Romantic with an Insatiable Appetite, in exchange for an honest review.

After a break-up in her twenties, New Yorker Jessica Stone took a leap of faith and without having an apartment (flat) or job, she moved to London. Failure was not an option as Stone literally pounded the pavement looking for openings at copy writing agencies and trying to navigate life in her new city. Soon, Stone finds herself settled into London life and although the dating scene is tricky, she finds love in London cuisine and other joys of city life.

One of the primary reasons that I wanted to review Craving London is because I am missing my favorite city. My husband is English and we usually visit England ( often including London) at least once a year. This year, the pandemic caused us to cancel our vacation. I was looking to Stone’s memoir to provide a bit of armchair travel to a city that we mutually adore, she did not disappoint.

In fact, one of her favorite places, is also mine: Borough Market. Borough Market is a culinary delight that I did not discover until a more recent trip to London. It’s a massive covered market with vendors selling food from around the world. It’s an overwhelming sensory experience. Stone is a huge food fanatic and budding chef. While in London, she took a patisserie course at the prestigious Cordon Bleu and she sought out both unique ingredients and food experiences in the city. Her memoir will make you hungry! It also made me keenly aware at how many amazing food experiences I have yet to try in London and despite having taken food tours of the city, nothing I experienced was repeated with Stones. I made a list of her recommendations!

Her memoir includes several recipes. I always think this is a nice touch when I see it in a book that is not specifically a cookbook, but I must admit that I never actually try the recipes. It did work with the themes in Craving London.

Stone’s primary struggle that is woven throughout her memoir is dating. She is a passionate woman who is living a very full and exciting life, including joining running and rowing clubs, yet her romantic life always seems to fizzle. She meets men who are not the right fit or as equally committed. Sometimes it seems to be due to cultural differences, but also it just seems to be that she is meeting jerks. I think it is common for people to worry about the aspects of their lives that seem incomplete, especially if it happens to be a romantic relationship, but from my perspective, Stone had quite a fabulous and enviable life. She had a solid ( mostly) career, plenty of friends, was engaged in many activities, well-traveled and she was living in one of the best cities in the world.

Craving London ended with Stone realizing this and she is quite an inspiration for all people to get out and enjoy life, whether or not romantic love comes your way. I’m writing this review on Valentine’s Day 2021 and although I am happily married, I can get behind this theme of living your best life, whatever that looks like for you. Thinking back to when I was single, I also lived my life like Stone, enjoying things that made me happy and never letting a lack of a partner prevent me for dining in a restaurant or trying something new. It’s human to struggle over feelings of disappointment or lack, but it is also important to hear that being single isn’t all doom and gloom. Stone didn’t learn this lesson over night either.

Craving London is the ideal memoir for both Valentine’s Day and these months that we’ve spent lock-inside due to the pandemic. I relished both Stone’s personal journey and her thoughts on life in London.

Book Review- Clara Bensen's No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love & Wandering

Thank you to Running Press for an advanced copy of Clara Bensen's memoir, No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love & Wandering, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Clara Bensen is living a quiet life in Austin, Texas. She's in her mid-twenties and after suffering a mental breakdown, she has finally regained control of her life. Bensen has a stable office job and a small apartment. Things are going well, so she decides to start dating and joins OKCupid.

Bensen meets Jeff, a dynamic personality and free spirit. Jeff is a recently divorced father and college professor, currently illegally living in his university office. After just a few dates, Jeff convinces Bensen to quit her job and join him on a trip to Europe and Asia. The catch? No luggage and no expectations. Will this experiment end in love or disaster?

LIKE- I admire Bensen's spirit of adventure. Although I met my husband on the internet ( Match.com) and we ran way for a Vegas weekend on our third date, I can't imagine quitting my job and traveling without luggage or an itinerary.

She wore the same dress for three weeks and only had what she could carry in her purse. No way could I manage that! They also never made hotel reservations, instead trying their luck with the mercy of strangers and couch surfing. The stars seemed aligned for them and they never encountered much trouble with finding a place to stay. I did see the plus side of traveling without an itinerary; it left them open to magical encounters, conversations with locals, and visits to places off-the-beaten path. Most of their experiences were not those of the typical tourist. 

As far as Bensen's writing, her memoir is a fine blend of personal insight and travelogue. She writes lush, sensory filled descriptions of the locales and infuses her story with her feelings towards Jeff and this burgeoning love. She strikes a strong balance between the various elements of her memoir. 

DISLIKE - As an obsessive vacation planner and OCD regarding personal hygiene, their story caused me stress! It was fascinating and I admire them, but it still was stressful. A note to Jeff - a toothbrush is definitely in the "needs" category! 

RECOMMEND -  Yes! No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love & Wandering, is a great way for the armchair adventurer to live vicariously through Bensen and add a little safe spontaneity into their lives. Bensen's memoir is a hopeful story for those thinking of internet dating. 

Also, make sure you do a Google search for Clara and Jeff to see their vacation outfits, especially that famous green dress!