Addicted to Danger: A Memoir about Affirming Life in the Face of Death

A Seattle lawyer when he is not climbing mountains, Wickwire has scaled K-2 in the Himalayas, the world's second-highest peak, and has thrice failed to conquer Mt. Everest. Closer to home, he has climbed Alaska's Mt. McKinley and is virtually a commuter to the top of Mt. Rainier, which he has reached more than 30 times. Even those not absorbed by this sport will find themselves affected by the author's tales of friends lost on expeditions, including a fellow-climber trapped in a crevasse who could not be rescued and who froze to death as Wickwire hovered helpless in the vicinity. And readers will feel his grief for an outstanding woman climber with whom he fell in love and who died because of her momentary lapse in vigilance. Writing with Bullitt (Filling the Void), Wickwire makes the point with great clarity that he is addicted to danger. His memoir is well worth a read. Photos. (June)