Closer to the Edge
by Leo Houlding, Headline £20
The first book by the pioneering British climber suffers from attempting to cram in too many episodes from an absurdly eventful life but it’s an enthralling read. Rather than straining for philosophical implications of the sport, as do many mountaineering memoirs, Leo Houlding’s is a candid insight into the tight-knit climbing scenes in the UK and Yosemite, and into the risks and rewards of a dangerous career.