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Virgin on Insanity - BOOK.

Steve Bell

30-May-2016
7:35:19 PM

Hello Chockstoners,

Since escaping the Nati vortex I've picked up on the current trend of old blokes writing books about their days of glory. The standout difference about my book is that Simey isn't in it, although he did take one of the photos.

Virgin on Insanity is about my youthful adventures and misadventures, epics on big north faces and even more dramatic failures with the opposite sex. In the mountains I was ahead of my age group, but as the title suggests, I was a late starter in other respects. Of course, there is a happy ending :D

You can check it out here: https://www.stevebellwords.com/pages/virgin-on-insanity-www-voi-com

And here: http://www.amazon.com/Virgin-Insanity-Coming-Toughest-Mountains/dp/1910240834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464598797&sr=8-1&keywords=virgin+on+insanity

It's even on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Virgin-on-Insanity-1636720446568690/

Publication date is 1 June, but it's okay because you can buy it now :)

simey

1-Jun-2016
10:56:09 PM

Interesting to compare Steve Bell's 'Virgin on Insanity' to Andy Pollitt's 'Punk in the Gym'.

Both memoirs are written in very different styles... Andy's 'stream of consciousness' writing style is in stark contrast to Steve's approach where particular themes have provided a focus when describing his early years.

I do feel Steve's book will appeal to a broader audience than Andy's, although certain climbers will no doubt enjoy reading some of the detail and insight provided in Andy's book.

Or if you are trying to decide which book to buy, simply choose whether you would rather read about a guy with looks and talent doing some of the hardest rockclimbs in the land and getting laid every week, or about some guy who couldn't get laid in a brothel, who then risks life and limb on some dangerous mountain nonsense and who then goes off to look for enlightenment in a cult. (Gee Steve, when I describe you like that I'm surprised you didn't turn into some sort of pyscho-killer!).

Either way, I am quite enjoying this trend of old climbers recounting their glory days.

BA

2-Jun-2016
10:54:16 AM

On 1/06/2016 simey wrote:

>Either way, I am quite enjoying this trend of old climbers recounting
>their glory days.

Must be your turn next, eh?

Steve Bell

2-Jun-2016
2:00:51 PM

That's a fair assessment Simey.

So far Andy and I are neck and neck with book sales - he sold one of his to me, and I sold one of mine to him!

Eduardo Slabofvic

2-Jun-2016
2:24:00 PM

On 2/06/2016 BA wrote:
>On 1/06/2016 simey wrote:
>
>>Either way, I am quite enjoying this trend of old climbers recounting
>>their glory days.
>
>Must be your turn next, eh?

It would be a thin book

Will_P

3-Jun-2016
11:35:49 AM

Hi Steve,

Very keen to read it - any plans to make it available on Kindle? If not, is there anywhere in Melbourne I can pick up a copy?

Steve Bell

3-Jun-2016
4:58:17 PM

Hi Will,

Good to hear from you. Vertebrate tells me it'll be on Kindle etc soon. Happy to post you a copy in Melbourne, either PM me or buy through my website:
https://www.stevebellwords.com/pages/virgin-on-insanity-www-voi-com

Also the Wilderness Shop in Box Hill has a few copies.

Cheers,
Steve

IdratherbeclimbingM9

4-Jun-2016
9:24:58 PM

On 2/06/2016 Eduardo Slabofvic wrote:
>On 2/06/2016 BA wrote:
>>On 1/06/2016 simey wrote:
>>
>>>Either way, I am quite enjoying this trend of old climbers recounting
>>>their glory days.
>>
>>Must be your turn next, eh?
>
>It would be a thin book

Congratulations to Eduardo for this his 3,000^th post to Chockstone!
Foreeza jolly good poster, foreeza jolly good poster etc, etc, andallthatstuff!, (though I'm not sure simey would agree in this instance, heh, heh, heh).

simey

5-Jun-2016
12:43:27 AM

So Eduardo bought up his 3000th post with that gem... I have no doubt that such a milestone will feature significantly in Eduardo's action-packed biography.

Will_P

6-Jun-2016
2:58:56 PM

Thanks Steve. I just happened to be out in Box Hill for a meeting today, and dropped by the Wilderness Shop, scoring their last copy. Looking forward to reading it.

Steve Bell

6-Jun-2016
6:58:31 PM

Awesome, thanks Will. I hope you enjoy the read as much as George Mallory said he did :)

Good to know Wilderness sold all their copies - more will be on the way when the main shipment arrives next month.

Cheers,
Steve

Steve Bell

11-Jun-2016
1:49:58 PM

Now available on Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Virgin-Insanity-Coming-toughest-mountains-ebook/dp/B01GRS8N8Y/ref=sr_1_1_twi_kin_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465615993&sr=1-1

ajfclark

11-Jun-2016
3:19:22 PM

So it's on amazon.com.au for $13.56 and from the kobo store for $31.19, a little over twice as much?

Steve Bell

11-Jun-2016
5:48:38 PM

Apparently. Don't ask me how these things work!

Eduardo Slabofvic

12-Jun-2016
9:44:11 PM

On 11/06/2016 Steve Bell wrote:
>Apparently. Don't ask me how these things work!

How do these things work?

Andy P

3-Jul-2016
12:37:45 AM

Just had a peek ... Very, very good.. Well done Steve.
Cheers Andy.

Steve Bell

3-Jul-2016
1:35:03 AM

Thanks Andy. I'm looking forward to finishing yours when I get back from the UK - I lent it to a friend while I'm away. Wish I knew you better when we were young, no doubt you could have given me some very helpful advice!

ajfclark

3-Jul-2016
9:52:14 AM

I've recently finished Steve's book and I found it quite enjoyable to read.

A collection of very interesting stories, some chapters were quite a rollercoaster from beautiful, to awkward and amusing or harrowing and back. At quite a few points I remember thinking "But why Steve?" and then continuing to read, looking for the answer. The story manages to sustain this level of interest for large sections, so it only took 5 or 6 evening sessions to make in through the 256 pages. There were a couple of quite late nights reading enough to see how a given adventure panned out.

I think it's well written and very easy to read, and the use of the occasional photograph reduces the need for over long, flowery, poetic descriptions that never quite convey things as effectively. There's enough description of the technical side of climbing to make it accessible to non-climbers (I read several chapters to my wife) without it interrupting the flow of the prose for those more familiar with climbing.

Stylistically, my only gripe is that occasionally the story will flashback to an earlier time and it isn't always clear this had happened for a few lines, requiring some rereading. This only happened in a couple of places so it was perhaps due to my eReader missing some formatting (or maybe it was because I should've put the book down earlier and gone to sleep!). It really was only a minor interruption to my reading.

The story felt incredibly honest and upfront, and it certainly explores some of the less comfortable and less discussed regions of the human condition - Steve's descriptions of awkward teenage angst made me squirm. It's quite well paced, never slow or dull but at the same time not so fast paced it's exhausting or forced. Likewise the language is rarely overly complex or simple, like Goldilock's bed (and unlike Steve's on many occasions) it was just right.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and was slightly disappointed when I reached the end: 4/5 stars

Steve Bell

15-Jul-2016
10:05:41 PM

Here's the review by UKClimbing.com:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=8539

Andy P

16-Jul-2016
3:23:17 PM

Ace review, can't wait to get stuck in beneath 'my' palm tree in FNQ in a few weeks' time. Well done Steve.
AP.

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