This book is a must-read to anyone with an interest in mountaineering literature. I had never heard of any of the climbers in the book but was fascinated with the context of their stories; that is to say, east bloc climbers during the cold war leaving their situations in Poland behind (temporarily) to stake their claims to fortune and fame in various mountain expeditions broad. Macdonald has succeeded in creating a nuanced and layered book, which at the same time is thoroughly engaging and gripping. I read this almost in a single sitting on my kindle. Read more

Very surprised when I read this book. I'd read the usual reviews but I must admit Freedom Climbers is a different take on the Himalayas history of climbing the high mountains. The first chapter advises the reader how the Polish climbers faced austerity and fashioned the future climbing challenges of this excellent climbers. Truly inspirational, awesome book ... I couldn't put the book down until I got to the back cover. A must for any mountaineering buff x Read more

This book was hard for me to rate. The topic is fascinating. The people that are the focus of this book are/were truly awe-inspiring. However, it was extremely difficult for me to acclimatize (see what I did there) to MacDonald's writing style. For a good chunk of the beginning of the book, I was having a hard time keeping people and facts straight. There's an avalanche (yes, I went there) of information that necessitates note-taking and charts, and as a casual reader, I neither had the time nor the energy for that. This book falls somewhere around a 3.5/5 for me, but points are due and rounded up for making me feel! A lip quivered! In all seriousness, parts of this book (notably the second half) were amazing and had me unable to put the book down. The Polish climbers were truly incredible and in a league of their own. The details of their climbs had me thinking, "That sounds terrible," more often than not. I'll end my review with a quote by Wanda Rutkiewicz that I feel is ever-appropriate: “We should not presume to judge those who seek out danger on the world’s highest places or demand to be told the meaning of what they do. Simply, when they pay the ultimate price for their passion, we should remember them…” Read more

Couldn't put the book down. Must read for the enthusiasts of mountaineering books. This book presents some of the greatest climbers in the history of climbing & for me the best climber ever: Jerzy Kukuczka. The book not only shows their great achievements & first winter ascents in the hardest conditions possible, but also the reality of their daily lives in communist regime. The author had done a great research about the climbers. Read more

Fascinating book about bygone era climbers. Hard to believe what they achieved with such a limited resources. "Himalayas in summer are for women" - Wielicki's motto is still valid for Polish climbers with the record of winter ascends. Read more

Amazing :-) Everyone into mountaineering (and not only) should be well aware of the polish climbing history. True inspiring stories and people, such a peculiar and fascinating attitude. Honest and well written. Beautiful paperback. Read more