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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.522092
EAN num: 9781594850820
ISBN number: 1594850828
Label: Mountaineers Books
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 276
Printing Date: 2008-05
Publishing house: Mountaineers Books
Sale Popularity Level: 16175
Studio: Mountaineers Books
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Brief Book Summary:
An insightful and at times wrenching memoir of love lost and love found, set against a backdrop of the world's tallest peaks
In 1999 Jennifer Lowe's husband Alex Lowe died tragically in an avalanche on the Himalayan mountain Shishapangma, leaving her alone to raise three sons. Alex was widely considered one of the greatest modern climbers and the world mourned his loss--Tom Brokaw did a one-hour special for Dateline, and Sting narrated and composed music for a tribute film.
While Jenni and her sons faced the absence of the most important man in their lives, Alex's best friend and longtime climbing partner, Conrad Anker, was dealing with the terrible loss as well as feelings of survivor's guilt. Jenni and Conrad gradually, and unexpectedly, found solace in one another and married in 2001--Conrad is now the adoptive father of the three Lowe children.
Through letters and expedition notes from Alex, Forget Me Not spans continents and tells the story of three people whose lives intertwine to a degree they could never have imagined. Jenni's account takes readers inside a woman's heart and mind as she navigates her shattered life and survives, ultimately finding transformative love through her great loss. From the valleys of Montana to the peaks of the Himalayas, this never-before told story exposes the controversial yet ultimately redemptive power of love.
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Rated by buyers -
Twenty eight October 1996 Alex Lowe speaks in Houston, Doug Scott in Sante Fe. Sante Fe a more enticing destination especially with a stop in the Guadalupe Mountain on the way I drove to Sante Fe enjoyed Doug's "Seven Summits" presentation and had a few beers with him and others at the Cowgirl Bar. In 1982 Doug and another Alex, Alex MacIntyre, climbed Shishapagma and collaborated on a book about it, THE SHISHAPANGMA EXPEDITION. The book would be published posthumously in Alex's case as this Alex was to die soon on Annapurna. Doug Scott who had survived a high altitude bivouac on the west face of Everest with Dougal Haston and climbed within a few feet [honoring the sacredness of the mountain] of the summit of Kangchenjungna with Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker. Dougal, Peter, and Joe would soon all die in the mountains. And on K-2 Doug would see his ropemate Nick Estcourt swept to death in an avalanche which would no doubt have killed him to if not the 5mm rope connecting them not have broken. Doug Scott who I understand prepares for every expedition as not to come back but somehow always has. Alex Lowe who promised to come back and finally could not. Alex Lowe would never write a book but thanks to Jennifer we have many of his letters. Poignant letters bimming with hope and love of Jennifer and people and mountains and his three young sons. From the Trango Tower he writes of the little Alpine Forget-Me-Nots imploring Jennifer to come up with an idea of a painting typing together the flowers and their Love. One wonders if Jennifer could bare to create such a painting. She, thankfully, has created the took and in FORGET ME NOT she writes of the 18 years Alex and she were together although because of Alex's involvements in expedition months adding up to years they were apart. She tells of the early years when she joined Alex on climbs and of their itinerant life working on a seismic crew: of times spent at Camp 4 in Yosemite, climibing in Alaska, climbing in Europe. She also writes of her development as an Artist, visiting the Lourve while Alex put up hard routes in the Chamonix. And she remembers soloing the Skyladder and going on the summit on Andromeda experiencing the risk, serenity and joy of climbing before finally becoming more like Hector's wife and devoted mother Andromechea in the book of Hectors death, the Iliad. Alex not unlike Hector tragically compelled to risk [duty] and adventure but albeit more so equally tied to Jennifer, Max, Sam and Isaac. An imaginative and impulsive father who engaged his sons in everything from tadpoles to homework. A world class climber who claimed his greatest climb was summiting the Grand Teton with his son Max. How could it be otherwise than through tears we read of Jennifer receiving words from Shishapangma that Alex was missing under tons of ice and snow. Alex, David Bridges, and Corad Anker had been crossing a face, the slope above avalanched, Alex and David had run down the mountain, Corad across. Alex and David were buried, Conrad although injured survived. We read of Jennifer being comforted by her mother and the monumental strength of her sister Jan, both of whom were to die and the subsequent few years. Especially poignant is the picture Jennifer gives us of picking 3 year old Isaac up wishing to join him in the imaginative world of his sandbox. Later as Jennifer we learn more of the depth of Conrad. Alex had written of Conrad as one would imagine Enkidu would have written of Gilgamesh in that book of friendship and death, possibly the oldest story in world. Conrad who would become the tender and compassionate husband of Jennifer and father for Max, Sam and Isaac. Jennifer had written of seeing snow geese giving her a sense of Alex and of the affirmation of life which came of it, of continuing to fly, now with the companionship of Conrad, Max, Sam, and Isaac.
Rated by buyers -
I devoured this book!! I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone. It was a nice read, and it surprisingly did not make me cry as much as I was afraid it would (Maria Coffey's Where the Mountain Cast Its Shadow made me pretty much cry through the entire book). Very interesting, touching story. I really enjoyed hearing about how they met, fell in love and all of the adventures they shared together, and how she handled her life while her husband was away doing what he loved while she continued to do what she loved (she is an accomplished artist). It was sad knowing how he died and how hard it must have been for her to break the news to her children, that part really got to me. Overall I think it shows just how strong of a woman Lowe-Anker is - how she almost lost it all but was able to keep going forward and putting one foot in front of the other and was able to find love again. Great story, you should really check it out!
Rated by buyers -
I loved this book. I could really relate to it, as my husband spent time with Alex Lowe on one of his climbs. Small world. What an amazing climber and man Alex Lowe was. May his spirit live on in all of us. Jennifer is such a strong woman and I can relate to her, being the mother of boys also. I also met Jennifer at Mountain Film in Telluride, CO and had my books signed. It was an honor to meet such a respectable woman, then to read her story, was even more impressionable!
Rated by buyers -
Jennifer Lowe-Anker tells many women's story in telling her own: a remarkably capable person who falls in love with one of the world's best athletes--and allows him to pursue his passion to its fullest while raising 3 boys and "keeping the home fires burning". Her experience of the compromises and rewards of a loving marriage--carry her through the intense grief that follows her husband's death. Her narrative is well-told and unpretentious, yet masterfully done. Though she lives a remarkable life, she has experienced more than her share of death-and has crafted a memoir that weaves it all together gorgeously. This book will stay with you for a long time.
Rated by buyers -
Jennifer Lowe-Anker's wonderfully woven tale poignantly describes the emotional heartache experienced by Alex Lowe as he battled daily with his two loves, climbing and his family. I knew of Alex only as a climber, yet this tale describes his immense love and devotion to his wife and family, and his struggle to balance these two oft-competing passions.
As a climber, husband and a father, both my wife and I have struggled with the issues described here, and Lowe-Anker's heartfelt prose brings home the harsh realities of a life lived with love, and the ultimate consequences that can occur as we pursue our dreams.
This is a wonderful book, which causes us to ponder the big questions of love and life, and the true value of every second we have in our hands, and our hearts.
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