Not Set in Stone
Vass, David
Between the 1980s and 2015, Dave Vass became one of New Zealand's leading mountaineers. In 'Not Set in Stone' he recounts the beginning of his outdoor life caving and rafting, before turning to climbing, first around Arthur's Pass, and then at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. A move to Wanaka saw him focussed on climbing hard routes in Mount Aspiring National Park, while later in his career, it was the huge granite walls of the Darran Mountains in Fiordland that captured his imagination.
In 2015, however, everything changed. Coming out from a climbing trip in the Central Darran Mountains, walking down a river at night in a gathering storm, a relatively minor slip resulted in a broken neck, and incomplete tetraplegia.
After nearly dying of hypothermia, and then persistent lung infections, the conclusion of the book is Dave's story of coming to terms with this catastrophic event, and a life now lived in a wheelchair, far from the mountains. [Taken from book blurb, Potton & Burton Books]
Comments from BDS Reviewers
"Very well-written. Descriptive, lyrical, evocative and inspirational."
"I found it enthralling, exciting and gripping."
"I don't often comment on a book's cover, but this one is perfect for the book."
"Vass's book certainly makes one think. I think it would be a good book to discuss."
"This is not a woe is me book, it's really interesting."
"There's a lot to reflect on in this book. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys biographies or memoirs."
200
2023