Are you climbing mountains?

Have you heard Joe Simpson's story?
He was a mountaineer who, after a horrific accident in the Peruviuan Andes, wrote a book about his experiences called Touching the Void, which was later made into a movie.

His is an astonishing story of survival against the odds.
After a spectacular fall which shattered his leg and landed him deep in a crevace, he climbed up and spent the next 4 (yes, 4!) days crawling on hands and knees back to camp.
As well as coping with his appalling injuries, he had no food or water to sutain him.
Nothing but his own unstoppable will to live.

When he arrived back at camp on the 4th day, he had gone from 10.5 stone to just over 6.
He was 'in a very bad way', he says with classic understatement.

He wrote Touching the Void in 7 weeks, the words tumbling from him, determined to be recorded.

Since then, he has continued to write.
Books in which he struggles with the nature of aggression and violence, the dangers of climate change and the urge to test one's body and mind to the limits.

He's a cool guy is Joe.
This is what he has to say about politicians:
Politicians - absolutely vile breed of self serving, dishonourable, corrupt, self aggrandising liars without a shred of integrity when their self-interest is threatened. Should all be put in a sack and drowned.

And this is what he has to say about writing:
Writing is just as exciting - and as frightening - as mountaineering.

And he should know ...