Undoubtedly, the life of Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been an exceptional one marked with endurance and daring exploits. The renowned explorer has successfully navigated the two poles, made his way across the Sahara and completed seven marathons on seven continents over the course of one week, a feat he accomplished at the age of 59, a mere 16 weeks after undergoing a double-heart bypass procedure. His endeavours have facilitated an astounding just under £20 million in charitable donations, cost him fingers due to frostbite during a solo escapade to the North Pole and resulted in numerous near-death experiences.
This compilation of writings honours 12 of Fiennes’s most remarkable exploits as he reaches his 80th year of life, ranging from his initial voyages as an active serviceman in the Royal Scots Greys, the very same regiment of the British military led by his deceased father during World War II, to his three year-long journey circumnavigating the Earth, also known as the Transglobe Expedition.
The majority of these narratives have made appearances in over 25 of Fiennes’s prior publications; therefore, avid readers of his books such as A Talent For Trouble or Mad, Bad & Dangerous To Know may choose to pass on this compilation, though those new to Fiennes’s exceptional tales of extraordinary resilience will likely find it an adequate entry point. However, the book’s somewhat disjointed narrative that hops between continents and timelines may leave readers yearning for additional clarification at times.
After some time, the minutiae of each expedition may be perceived as monotonous, until something incredibly startling interrupts reader’s tranquillity; for instance, Fiennes’s statement that roughly a tenth of all climbers who reach the peak of Everest don’t manage to descend, making his own successful climb in 2009 at the age of 65 even more impressive.
The writings provide scarcely few insights into Fiennes’s persona, apart from an impressive survival instinct under gruelling conditions. On rare occurrences, the reader gets a peek beneath the hardened exterior, whether it’s his struggle to overcome a lifelong fear of heights on the life-threatening North face of the Eiger or his revelation about splurging £6,000, 75% of his savings, on a Land Rover for his 1969 Nile expedition against his mother’s wishes, who became increasingly frustrated with his reckless attitude towards life and refusal to pursue a respectable vocation. Regrettably, he never did.