The Push
A Climber's Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond Limits
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Narrated by:
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Johnathan McClain
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Written by:
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Tommy Caldwell
About this listen
A New York Times Bestseller
A dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite’s El Capitan
“The rarest of adventure reads: It thrills with colorful details of courage and perseverance, but it enriches readers with an absolutely captivating glimpse into how a simple yet unwavering resolve can turn adversity into reward.” (The Denver Post)
A finalist for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature
On January 14, 2015, Tommy Caldwell, along with his partner, Kevin Jorgeson, summited what is widely regarded as the hardest climb in history - Yosemite’s nearly vertical 3,000-foot Dawn Wall, after 19 days on the route. Caldwell’s odds-defying feat - the subject of the documentary film The Dawn Wall to be released nationwide in September - was the culmination of an entire lifetime of pushing himself to his limits as an athlete.
This engrossing memoir chronicles the journey of a boy with a fanatical mountain-guide father who was determined to instill toughness in his son to a teen whose obsessive nature drove him to the top of the sport-climbing circuit. Caldwell’s affinity for adventure then led him to the vertigo-inducing and little understood world of big wall free climbing. But his evolution as a climber was not without challenges; in his early 20s, he was held hostage by militants in a harrowing ordeal in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Soon after, he lost his left index finger in an accident. Later his wife, and main climbing partner, left him. Caldwell emerged from these hardships with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. He set his sights on free climbing El Capitan’s biggest, steepest, blankest face - the Dawn Wall. This epic assault took more than seven years, during which time Caldwell redefined the sport, found love again, and became a father.
The Push is an arresting story of focus, drive, motivation, endurance, and transformation, a book that will appeal to anyone seeking to overcome fear and doubt, cultivate perseverance, turn failure into growth, and find connection with family and with the natural world.
©2017 Tommy Caldwell (P)2017 Penguin AudioYou may also enjoy...
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What the critics say
"If you want to be inspired by a great leader, if you want to feel what it takes to do what no one thought possible, if you want to be absorbed by a heroic journey - Tommy Caldwell's story is one of the best you could ever hope to find. Here, in his own words, you get more than just a climbing adventure, you get the inside view of how a person can endure crushing setbacks and persist to fulfill a spectacular vision. And in sharing his story, he has become a teacher to us all." (Jim Collins, author of Good to Great)
"The Push is the most insightful book about climbing I’ve ever read, and quite possibly the most enjoyable. Whether Caldwell is explaining his astounding feats on vertical terrain, or the agony of trying to sustain a doomed relationship, or the merits of what he calls ‘elective suffering', the writing is consistently captivating and unfailingly honest." (Jon Krakauer, author of Into Thin Air)
"Yes, Tommy Caldwell is a badass, but he is no different than you or I. I've always been interested in how people do the impossible. This isn't just a book about climbing, it's about laser sharp focus in all aspects of life. Tommy's story provides insight how we can all push a little further and a little higher." (Scott Jurek, author of Eat & Run)
What listeners say about The Push
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Alexandra
- 2018-12-27
push
C'est inspirant et enlevant! Même si vous ne faites pas d'escalade, ce livre vous charmera!
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- Kayla Lindsay
- 2020-06-19
Loved it!
Listened to it on my 10 hour drive. I didn’t want the drive to end so I could keep listening. Lots of really good insight into who Tommy is!
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- Anonymous User
- 2018-04-14
Climbers will love this book
I am a climber and I’ve looked up to Tommy Caldwell as a kind of role model since I first saw him in the movie Progression (2009). In that movie he was just starting the Dawn Wall project. This book is the long-awaited answer to the question: can it be climbed? Obviously, the answer is yes. But there’s more to it than that! He tells a story of fatherhood, love, and loss that is told from the point of view of someone with an admirable attitude on life. A stellar read!
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- Jessica Grace
- 2019-01-24
Insightful & Moving, Climber or Not
Read The Push after watching the movie, and was not disappointed. Tommy Caldwell is a thoughtful writer, unafraid to share the struggles he dealt with during this nearly decade-long endeavor. A great insight into his experiences, both on and off the wall.
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- Justin R.
- 2019-03-14
great book about an amazing feat of human grit
an amazing telling of one of the most athletic achievements in human history. Great for climbers and non climbers
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- Landon Thompson
- 2018-09-13
Excellent Book
This could be the best climbing book I've ever read. Strikes a great balance between the climbing side of his life, his personal life, and what was going on in his head throughout both. It left me inspired to get out there and climb. #audible1
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- Mona_Lisa
- 2024-09-04
Insightful
Insights into a mad, compulsive obsession. Not sure if I find his qualities as admiral or just nuts. I’m glad he found the inner poetry of love and life eventually. This book gave me vertigo.
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- Pia Ocenar
- 2019-01-28
Wow! You gotta read this one!
I loved it! As an avid climber I loved to hear about all his adventures and the places with the included rawness that he added to the story. Tommy Caldwell was so real and he didn't hold back from telling his story and it made it so personable.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2018-05-22
great climbing book
very interesting story of a world class climber. easy to follow. made the drive fly by
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- David
- 2020-04-23
inspiring novel about adventure and adversity
a lifetime of experience packed into an short novel. can't imagine the mind set and perseverance it takes to accomplish what Tommy has. amazing.
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