The Sharp End of Life
A Mother’s Story
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Narrated by:
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Ann Richardson
About this listen
Wife and mother. Teacher and musician. Marathoner and rock climber. At 66, Dierdre Wolownick-Honnold became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite - and in The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story, she shares her intimate journey, revealing how her climbing achievement reflects a broader story of courage and persistence.
Dierdre grew up under the watchful eyes of a domineering mother and realized early on that her parents’ plans for her future weren’t what she wanted for herself. Later, what seemed like a storybook romance brought escape, with new experiences and eye-opening travel, but she quickly discovered that her husband was not the happy-go-lucky man he had first appeared. Adapting as best she could, Dierdre juggled work and raising two young children, encouraging them to be fearlessly confident. She noted with delight how her “little lady” Stasia took it upon herself to look out for her baby brother, and watched in amazement as Alex started climbing practically before he could crawl.
After years of struggle in her marriage and her ultimate divorce, Dierdre found inspiration in her now-adult children’s passions, as well as new depths within herself. At Stasia’s urging, she took up running at age 54 and soon completed several marathons. Then at age 58, Alex led her on her first rock climbs. A world of friendship and support suddenly opened up to her within the climbing “tribe”, culminating in her record-setting ascent of El Cap with her son.
From confused young wife and busy but lonely mother to confident middle-aged athlete, Dierdre brings the listener along as she finds new strength, happiness, and community in the outdoors - and a life of learning, acceptance, and spirit.
©2019 Dierdre Wolownick (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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By: Marshall Ulrich
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I'll Push You
- A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair
- By: Patrick Gray, Justin Skeesuck
- Narrated by: Patrick Gray, Justin Skeesuck
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Meet Justin and Patrick. Born in the same hospital two days apart, they grew up together, faced life shoulder to shoulder, and were best man in each other's weddings. It was the way things had always been. It was the way things were always going to be. But then the unexpected struck - Justin was diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease that robbed him of the use of his arms and legs. As Justin transitioned to life lived in a wheelchair, Patrick stayed by his side, and together they refused to give in to despair or physical limitations.
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Mixed Feelings!
- By Sharpie on 02-13-20
By: Patrick Gray, and others
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The Pursuit of Endurance
- Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience
- By: Jennifer Pharr Pharr Davis
- Narrated by: Jennifer Pharr Davis
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Jennifer Pharr Davis, the former record holder of the FKT (or Fastest Known Time) on the Appalachian Trail, tells the story of her meteoric rise in the world of endurance hiking and, in doing so, unpacks key traits that make women uniquely suited to endurance. With a storyteller's ear for fascinating detail and description, she takes us with her as she sets the record on the Appalachian Trail and introduces us to the mentors who helped her to identify and unlock different facets of her endurance capabilities.
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Not uplifting
- By M on 05-15-18
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On the Ridge Between Life and Death
- A Climbing Life Reexamined
- By: David Roberts
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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What compels mountain climbers to take the risks that they do? Is it the thrill in the physical accomplishment, in managing to defy the odds, or both - and why do they continue to do what they do in the face of such great danger? In On the Ridge Between Life and Death, David Roberts confronts these questions head-on as he recounts the exhilarating highs and desperate lows of his climbing career.
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The same book as Deborah and Mountain of My Fears
- By joe on 02-16-22
By: David Roberts
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Wildflower
- By: Drew Barrymore
- Narrated by: Drew Barrymore
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Wildflower is a portrait of Drew's life in stories as she looks back on the adventures, challenges, and incredible experiences of her earlier years. It includes tales of living on her own at 14 (and how laundry may have saved her life), getting stuck in a gas station overhang on a cross-country road trip, saying good-bye to her father in a way only he could have understood, and many more adventures and lessons that have led her to the successful, happy, and healthy place she is today.
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Hold the shrieking !
- By Dawne on 11-27-15
By: Drew Barrymore
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Walking
- One Step at a Time
- By: Erling Kagge, Becky L. Crook - translator
- Narrated by: Atli Gunnarsson
- Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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A lyrical account of an activity that is essential for our sanity, equilibrium, and well-being, from the author of Silence.
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A delightful and essential book
- By Yogans on 05-02-19
By: Erling Kagge, and others
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Run!
- 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss
- By: Dean Karnazes
- Narrated by: Daniel May
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In his follow-up to the best-selling Ultra-Marathon Man, world-renowned ultra marathoner Dean Karnazes chronicles his unbelievable exploits and explorations in gripping detail; Karnazes runs for days on end without rest, across some of the most exotic and inhospitable places on earth, including the Australian Outback, Antarctica, and the back alleys of New Jersey.
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Great stories. Horrible narrator.
- By Alberto Medellin on 08-20-15
By: Dean Karnazes
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On the Nose
- A Lifelong Obsession with Yosemite's Most Iconic Climb
- By: Hans Florine, Jayme Moye
- Narrated by: Hans Florine
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Hans Florine is a big-wall climbing legend in his own time. He holds the speed record on the Nose route of El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite cliff in Yosemite Valley that's considered the Everest of the rock-climbing world. But Florine's story is not one of super-human athletic prowess; it's one of persistence and dogged determination. In 30 years of climbing, he's ascended the Nose a mind-blowing, death-defying 100 times, more than anyone else ever has, and most likely ever will. In On the Nose, Florine describes the most dangerous, pivotal, and inspirational of those climbs.
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Techno music?
- By Reviewer Al on 11-01-18
By: Hans Florine, and others
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Walking to Listen
- 4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time
- By: Andrew Forsthoefel
- Narrated by: Andrew Forsthoefel
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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At 23, Andrew Forsthoefel headed out the back door of his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with a backpack, an audio recorder, his copies of Whitman and Rilke, and a sign that read "Walking to Listen". He had just graduated from Middlebury College and was ready to begin his adult life, but he didn't know how. So he decided to take a cross-country quest for guidance, one where everyone he met would be his guide. In the year that followed, he faced an Appalachian winter and a Mojave summer. He met beasts inside: fear, loneliness, doubt.
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Transcends the typical trekking story
- By barefoot rabbit on 08-07-18
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Not Fade Away
- A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found
- By: Rebecca Alexander, Sascha Alper
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Thirty-four-year-old Rebecca Alexander is a psychotherapist, a spin instructor, a volunteer, and an athlete. She is also almost completely blind, with significantly deteriorated hearing. Not Fade Away is a deeply moving exploration of the obstacles we all face-physical, psychological, and philosophical. Rebecca's story is an exquisite reminder to live each day to its fullest.
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Loved this!
- By Daryl on 11-24-14
By: Rebecca Alexander, and others
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The Source of All Things
- A Memoir
- By: Tracy Ross
- Narrated by: Tracy Ross
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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A loving and devoted step-father, Donnie introduced Tracy Ross's family to the joys of fishing, deer hunting, camping, and hiking among the pristine mountains of rural Idaho. Donnie was everything Tracy dreamed a dad would be: protective, brave, and kind. But when his dependence on his eight-year-old daughter's companionship went too far, everything changed.
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Brave Woman
- By Ray Stewart on 06-23-24
By: Tracy Ross
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We Are Unprepared
- By: Meg Little Reilly
- Narrated by: Zach Villa
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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We Are Unprepared is a novel about the next big storm, the one that changes our relationship to nature and each other...the superstorm that threatens to destroy a marriage, a rural Vermont town, and the Eastern Seaboard when it hits. But the destruction begins months earlier, when fear infects people's lives and spreads like a plague.
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A Sociological Almost Post-Apocalyptic Thriller
- By Brian on 12-25-16
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The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
- By: Robin Sharma
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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After a bizarre encounter with his lost cousin, Jonathan Landry is compelled to travel across the planet to retrieve letters and mementos that carry the extraordinary secrets that Julian discovered throughout his life. On a remarkable journey that includes visits to the sensual tango halls of Buenos Aires, the haunting catacombs of Paris, the gleaming towers of Shanghai and the mystical deserts of Sedona, The Secret Letters of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari reveals astounding insights on reclaiming your personal power, being true to yourself, and fearlessly living your dreams.
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Very Enlightening
- By Jocelyne Ramos on 04-23-19
By: Robin Sharma
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Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire
- By: John August
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Arlo Finch is a newcomer to Pine Mountain, Colorado, a tiny town of mystery and magic, but he has already attracted the attention of dark and ancient forces. At first he thinks these increasingly strange and frightening occurrences are just part of being in Rangers, the mountain scouting troop where he learns how to harness the wild magic seeping in from the mysterious Long Woods. But soon Arlo finds himself at the center of a dangerous adventure, where he faces obstacles that test the foundations of the Ranger's Vow: Loyalty, Bravery, Kindness, and Truth.
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Fun to listen to.
- By Elizabeth Bourgeois on 11-05-20
By: John August
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To Shake the Sleeping Self
- A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret
- By: Jedidiah Jenkins
- Narrated by: Jedidiah Jenkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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On the eve of turning 30, terrified of being funneled into a life he didn’t choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent 16 months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia. He chronicled the trip on Instagram, where his photos and reflections drew hundreds of thousands of followers, all gathered around the question: What makes a life worth living? In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jed narrates his adventure - the people and places he encountered on his way to the bottom of the world - as well as the internal journey that started it all.
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Different that I expected
- By Sabrina on 02-21-20
By: Jedidiah Jenkins
What listeners say about The Sharp End of Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Reviewer
- 09-30-20
Heartfelt story of a mother
This really was a beautiful, rich, and heartfelt story. I think most people know of Dierdre through her son Alex but she has her own story to tell, and the hard work, will power, and strength she shares in this book is worth every minute.
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- JK
- 09-19-21
Excellent Storytelling
From the beginning of this book I didn't want to stop listening. Dierdre is an amazing writer and much of her background resonated with me. Her ability to overcome obstacles and challenges is inspiring. Her description of how climbing impacts and enriches life like nothing else rings true for me as well.
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- Ron B
- 01-16-21
enjoyable
I find other people's lives interesting. I appreciate her sharing her story .
I personally find fiction somewhat aggravating but a true account of almost anything if it's told well, is enjoyable.
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- The Flying Waltini
- 11-28-20
A Fantastic Mother and Family Portrait
Often success in life can be measured by the stressors that created it. A Great read!
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- A User
- 10-31-24
Hope for climbers in the second half of life
I didn’t realize this was Alex Honnald’s mother. I was just interested to hear the story of how someone like me, who came to climbing later in life, was able to build enough skill and fitness to climb El Capitan. This book gave me hope for my own journey as a climber. I appreciated the honesty of the writing and the insecurities that Dierdre shared. We’re all fallible humans who experience challenges in life, but if we work hard we can achieve extraordinary things.
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- TheKev00
- 09-16-20
Inspirational
I loved this book. If Dierdre can do it so can you. Get out there and get out of your comfort zone. If you are a fan of Alex Honnold you need to read this book to get a better understanding of where he truly comes from.
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- Jana R Kelley
- 01-24-20
Great Memoir
I got this book bc I’m interested in Alex H’s climbing and have followed his story for about a year. I saw a short interview once where his mother said that every year for her birthday he took her on a climb. I have three sons of my own so I thought this was really special. When I read that his mother had written a book I immediately bought it. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am 49 this year so the thought of his mother learning to climb in her 50s is inspiring to me. I also really enjoyed learning a bit more about climbing and learning a bit more about her son through this book. It is well written and easy to listen to.
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- Pianoguy
- 10-03-19
Great & Exciting Read - Incredibly Well Written!
I am not a rock climber; and was so pleased that the author told her story about climbing (and life) in such a human and relatable way; allowing even non-climbers to understand and enjoy her challenges and adventures as if we were on the wall beside her! The writing and story-telling is exceptionally descriptive and fast paced - jumping between her athletic challenges and life experiences growing up in a strict, traditional home; falling in love, and suffering heartbreak and divorce; and coming to terms with being the mother of two brilliant, athletic children - one of which is the most famous Free Solo climber in the world! I very much enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone seeking to overcome challenges and embrace life.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-18-22
Inspirational
As a 50+ woman who likes running, hiking and all things outdoors, I found Dierdre's story not only relatable but inspirational. I'm a former indoor rock climber, and her story affirmed that it's not too late for me to start up again! For anyone who wants to readi about perseverance or just for the love of climbing.
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- Amber
- 07-11-22
INSIRATIONAL !
this book is like a great friend, you really enjoy spending time with it and think about it when it's over, remembering the moments. The narrator has a lovely voice and made the book easy to listen to, she expressed the emotions very well. I highly recommend this book, it reminds me of how capable and resilient we are as humans. we really can do whatever we put our minds to.
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