Beckoning Silence

Regular readers/visitors will be aware of my interest in the written word, I find it an escape and often long for one of those cannot put it down type books, you know, the sort that you want to read cover to cover without interuption. The obvious Dover Solo(Marcia Cleveland) Nothing Great is Easy (Des Renford) and Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know (Ran Fiennes) spring to mind, though the list in full is quite extensive. (Newcomers can find my recommended reading list on the side bar of this site).

Time being such  a precious commodity.. and lives being so very busy, I find it almost as rewarding to watch something thrilling on the big or small screen. I have mentioned several times my pleasure at watching Two Swimmers. However having recently loaned out Touching The Void on DVD to a swimmer friend, I set about purchasing 'The Beckoning Silence' a drama documentary based on the book by Joe Simpson.

Simpson and another give the narrative on the gripping film, during which Simpson reflects on his childhood dreams and the fascination of climbing the North Face of The Eiger, as is often the case there are so many parallels I can draw from this film and relate them all to swimming at length in cold lonely water. In particular  the references to Endurance and Psychological battles. The following two excerpts spoken by Joe Simpson give a feel of the sort of thing I am referring to.

'You want to test yourself more and more. You want to go and do a first ascent. That's how you live. I didn't realise how obsessive I had become.....Perhaps you have to become obsessive to do something to that degree.

'It wasn't just luck that I survived. I made an effort. All I had to do once I had found a way out was endure. It wasn't easy, but it was all I had to do. I know what strength of mind it takes to keep death away'

If you have not yet seen it, get it and TTV on your must see list