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  • The Push

  • A Climber's Journey of Endurance, Risk and Going Beyond Limits to Climb the Dawn Wall
  • By: Tommy Caldwell
  • Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
  • Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (357 ratings)
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The Push cover art

The Push

By: Tommy Caldwell
Narrated by: Johnathan McClain
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Summary

Penguin Audio presents The Push by Tommy Caldwell, read by Johnathan McClain.

A dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite's El Capitan.

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 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.

©2018 Tommy Caldwell (P)2018 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about The Push

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

2% climbing 98% morose love story

If your looking for a story of epic climbing and can stomach endless padding with a morose love story then this might be your book. If what your really after is a story about a naive twenty year old babbling on about how wonderful his current girlfriend is, how amazing his life is, how God and children will make life so amazing then this will be right up your street. Repleat with fist pumping, self congratulatory cliches and naive contradictory messages on happiness and life this book is like wading through treacle. In a word 'vomitous'... stick to climbing tommy, all you've achieved here is to paint a picture of a young man with a poor sense of self clinging to rock and American cliches as the only path to happiness...

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Push by Tommy Caldwell

A tremendous book. I enjoy climbing and mountaineering books but this one is special. The thrill of being out on a climb shines through but there is an honesty about self-doubt which few athletes will talk about. The complexity of human relationships is woven in bringing moments of great joy and also great sadness, feelings mirrored on his climbs. Like all examples of expertise it is clear that Tommy wasn't born and climber but became one, through the now familiar mix of expert coaching, a supportive environment and huge self-belief, commitment and resilience. The narrator also does a great job and is easy to listen too.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great adventure yarn.

Im not a climber, I’ve only dabbled on an indoor wall. The only reason I say this is that climbing knowledge isn’t necessary to appreciate the candour, spirit, drive and honesty so wonderfully told throughout the story. It’s tough to imagine some of the descriptions at times….so, just pop yourself on YouTube and watch some action. When you go back to the story, it’ll all start to add up! A wonderful 12 or so hours to be accompanied by. Thanks 😊👍

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable a good mixture of everything

A good mixture of everything really enjoyed it lots of climbing motivation and family/love a solid read

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant

This book is simply excellent. Part autobiography part tale of a climber's greatest achievement. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a love of adventure, the outdoors, climbing of life in general.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Positive and warm

I like a good story. This is one of them.

Honest and warm with interesting events running through it.

Alex Honnold credited this book in one of his and he wasn’t wrong.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Amazing story... just not that brilliantly told

I climb and thought this would be an amazing story about a brilliant climb... which it was! There's loads of great material in here - some of it really raw and honest - but there's also a good few hours of cringe-inducing waffle as well. The way Caldwell writes about women is particularly nauseating. The off-vibes are probably not helped by the narrator, who definitely amplified the self-obsessed, whiney and jealous tones... I wish I'd saved myself the credit and given it a go in print instead.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Just awesome!

Tommy Caldwell is a true inspiration to climbers all over the world. His story of perseverance through adversity is absolutely fascinating and inspiring!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating story

Really enjoyed this hearing the development of Tommy Caldwell as a person as he develops as a climber. True tale of overcoming many of life’s adverse moments and still achieving your aims and goals

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb listen

I enjoyed everything about this book. The reader was easy to listen to and Tommy’s story is captivating throughout.

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