Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival

Touching the Void is a 1988 memoir by British author Joe Simpson. The book recounts the disastrous, near-fatal attempt of Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, to ascend the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The book details Simpson’s harrowing ordeal, in which he broke his leg and fell into a crevasse, and how he survived against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Simpson’s narrative highlights the resilience of the human spirit and explores the complex dynamics of trust and moral decisions in extreme situations. Touching the Void has become a classic in adventure literature, praised for its honesty, depth, and emotional impact. The memoir won the 1989 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature and the NCR Book Award. It was adapted into a BAFTA Award-winning docudrama in 2003 and a stage play in 2018.

This guide refers to the 2012 DirectAuthors.com e-book edition.

Content Warning: This book includes graphic descriptions of injury and suffering, intense psychological distress, and themes of existential crisis.

Summary

In the summer of 1985, British mountaineer Joe Simpson and his climbing partner Simon Yates attempted an unclimbed route in the Peruvian Andes. The two young men planned to climb the near-vertical West Face of the 20,813-foot Siula Grande in the Cordillera Huayhuash mountain range.