Touch the Top of the World - by Erik Weihenmayer (Paperback)

About the Book

In this poignant and inspiring memoir, the author shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment--and by a seeing world. His story is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming a life into something truly miraculous.

Book Synopsis

The incredible bestselling book from the author of No Barriers and The Adversity Advantage

Erik Weihenmayer was born with retinoscheses, a degenerative eye disorder that would leave him blind by the age of thirteen. But Erik was determined to rise above this devastating disability and lead a fulfilling and exciting life.

In this poignant and inspiring memoir, he shares his struggle to push past the limits imposed on him by his visual impairment-and by a seeing world. He speaks movingly of the role his family played in his battle to break through the barriers of blindness: the mother who prayed for the miracle that would restore her son's sight and the father who encouraged him to strive for that distant mountaintop. And he tells the story of his dream to climb the world's Seven Summits, and how he is turning that dream into astonishing reality (something fewer than a hundred mountaineers have done).

From the snow-capped summit of McKinley to the towering peaks of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro to the ultimate challenge, Mount Everest, this is a story about daring to dream in the face of impossible odds. It is about finding the courage to reach for that ultimate summit, and transforming your life into something truly miraculous.

"An inspiration to other blind people and plenty of us folks who can see just fine."--Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Into Thin Air

Review Quotes

"Moving and adventure-packed... eloquent... Weihenmayer tells his extraordinary story with humor, honesty and vivid detail, and his fortitude and enthusiasm are deeply inspiring. With the insightful intimacy of Tom Sullivan's classic If You Could See What I Hear and the intensity of the best adventure narratives, Weihenmayer's story will appeal to a broad audience."--Publishers Weekly

"Weihenmayer is an extraordinary individual, adventurer, and athlete... This inspirational story is highly recommended."--Library Journal

"Any fully sighted person might be proud of [Weihenmayer's] feats; to have achieved them without sight is quite amazing."--The Washington Post Book World

"An exciting, one-of-a-kind memoir that should appeal to lovers of man-against-nature stories... The word 'inspiring' is used far too often in book reviews, but here is one case where it really is appropriate."--Booklist

"An inspiration to other blind people and plenty of us folks who can see just fine."--Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Into Thin Air

About the Author

ERIK WEIHENMAYER is a bestselling author, athlete, adventurer, and motivational speaker. He is the only blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. He also completed the Seven Summits, joining 150 mountaineers who have accomplished that feat, but the only climber who was blind. He is the author of Touch the Top of the World and The Adversity Advantage. His latest book is No Barriers: A Blind Man's Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon. He co-founded No Barriers USA, which helps those with special challenges to live active and purposeful lives. He lives in Colorado.

To download an audio excerpt from Touch the Top of the World, visit the American Foundation for the Blind Web site.