Rising

“More than a superb, nail-biting account of her ascent of Mt. Everest, Rising is Sharon Wood's deeply personal reflection on loyalty, gratitude, and the unbreakable bonds formed on the mountain.”

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“Rising, by Canadian climber and guide Sharon Wood, captures a major breakthrough for women in high-stakes mountaineering. Her exploration not only of the climb itself but also of relationships, her passion for the mountains, and her own uncertainties make Rising an inspiring read for anyone pursuing their own sense of place on this lumpy planet.”

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“Rising is sure to become a classic in the ever-burgeoning genre of climbing memoirs. By making the impossible possible, on a difficult and rarely repeated route up the world’s highest mountain, Sharon Wood’s Everest journey should inspire women and climbers the world over— challenging us to be strong, steely-eyed and present in each moment, and to persevere.” 

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Rising is a most welcome addition to the swaths of mountain literature about Himalayan exploration and exploits on Everest.  But make no mistake, this is no conventional tale of reaching the highest point on earth.  Much like her early expeditions to the Greater Ranges, Sharon Wood’s book is caught in the masculine world of climbing and national heroism but it stands worlds apart.  Not that Wood isn’t a hero. Being the first North American woman to summit Everest and via the daunting West Ridge, a previously unclimbed approach from Tibet, is evidence of that.  The real signs of bravery lie in her writing, in her ability to convey the vulnerability and fear every climber feels whilst facing the challenges of adventures at altitude.  Rising is filled with such honesty and modesty, the reader is often left to wonder how the author will overcome her frequent moments of doubt.  Emotional, poetic and heartfelt, Rising proves that not only is Wood skilled when summiting peaks, her words on the page shine with integrity proving she is a force to be reckoned with as she sets a new bar for literature in conveying the truth of the mountaineering world.  

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“A beautiful, totally absorbing story full of courage and resilience. True to its title, Rising is much more than just a climbing narrative. It’s an ascent in so many ways.”

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“…a fiercely and beautifully honest telling of one of Canada’s most important mountain stories by one of our most important mountain voices. Sharon reminds us of the way that Everest should be climbed, and helps us understand the many ways that a mountain can change a life.”