Enough

Climbing Toward a True Self on Mount Everest

By: Melissa Arnot Reid

Narrated by: Melissa Arnot Reid

A searching, uplifting memoir by the celebrated, groundbreaking climber: a journey of overcoming where the mountain’s highest peaks can only be reached by traversing the dark crevasses of the soul

At twenty-seven, when Melissa Arnot Reid accepted a tank of oxygen just short of the summit of Mount Everest, she felt ravaged by defeat. Driven by a relentless, lifelong quest to prove to herself, her family, and the world that she was enough, she had set herself an incredible goal—to become the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. The failure battered her spirit and left her struggling to keep her tenuous grip on hope.

In the candid and adventurous spirit of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, Enough is a story of a life in which the most dangerous mountain faces became a refuge—until suddenly they, too, no longer seemed safe. From a childhood marked by conflict, betrayal, and predation, Reid propelled herself to the top of the mountain climbing world, summiting and guiding on the world’s most challenging peaks and establishing herself as a woman unafraid to throw elbows in a milieu dominated by men. And yet for every summit she reached, her valleys of inner turmoil—over her estrangement with the family she believed she’d destroyed as a child; over relationships that cycled through deception and infidelity—grew deeper and more self-destructive. Eventually, she could not keep these worlds from colliding, especially after a series of tragedies at dangerous elevations took the lives of her mentors and friends. Forced at last to face herself, Reid made her most perilous climb yet—toward the uncertain promise of forgiveness and self-acceptance.

A beautiful, aching memoir of a journey with life-and-death stakes on the mountain and off, Enough bares the soul of one of the world’s greatest climbers, from the rarified heights visible only at thin-air altitudes to the dark depths home to demons familiar to anyone who has struggled to find compassion for themselves.

©2025 Melissa Arnot Reid (P)2025 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Enough reads as if I’m standing on a wind-blown crevasse with one of my favorite athletes. Melissa teaches us how to reach our own personal summit by showing how she climbs on despite trauma, pain, tension, stress, doubt, and failure. She knows what it feels like to stand on top, but sharing this book and the detailed journey of how she got there is her greatest achievement.”—Deena Kastor, Olympic medalist and New York Times bestselling author of Let Your Mind Run

“This brave, fascinating memoir documents the tormented life of an elite professional mountain guide. It derives much of its considerable power from the author’s ruthless honesty. Melissa Arnot Reid provides an understated first-hand account of her pivotal role in preventing a mob of angry Sherpas from murdering three famous European climbers who’d insulted and disrespected them on Mt. Everest, bears witness to the two deadliest mass-casualty events in the mountain’s history, and describes her agonizing ascent of the peak without supplemental oxygen. Enough is the best ‘Everest book’ I’ve read in a long time.”—Jon Krakauer

“As [Melissa Arnot Reid] sketches the shape of a void between who she is and who she longs to be, one cannot help but cheer her on in crossing that divide in fits and starts and wrestling repeatedly with the idea of where—and to whom—she belongs. An endearing memoir about how to seize hard-fought freedom to become the best version of yourself.”—Kirkus Review

The complexities of Melissa’s life.

This book took a lot of courage to write. Most of us only know Melissa via public media and “Enough” exposes her difficulties and challenges through life from her personal perspective. Amazingly dramatic, yet so very human.

Harships to triumphs

Raw, vulnerable,brave, heroic journey of Melissa’s life.
The highest recommendations for this EXCELLENT memoir❤️

Did not care for reader

Reader was almost monotone and voice annoyed me. Pauses didn't seem to follow punctuation either. Only listened because story was interesting.

Honest look inward

Melissa opens up the way each of us would love to but are unable to. Each of us have had our own Everests, figuratively, to challenge us to be the very best version of ourselves but Melissa make her actual Everest relatable and realistic. Her vulnerability has made her a role model for all who struggle to be Enough!

Beautiful navigation of life

A beautiful interpretation of a hard and complicated life turned magical. Tears are still coming down my cheeks from the most unbelievable lessons as well as how well the author shares her navigation to her beautiful self.
As a fellow climber and mother I saw myself in this book more than I imagined. A true gift to anyone that reads it.

Raw, honest, adventurous, detailed

I like the analogies of Melissa’s life to climbing, the soft whispers in her narration, the darkness. I’m sad this book is over, it was that good

INCREDIBLE

There are not enough words to describe how wonderful this book is. As a young female guide I related to so much of this journey. I found myself laughing, crying, and reflecting in every chapter. Thank you for writing this.

Captivating story of one remarkable individual

Melissa’s mountaineering achievements are truly remarkable and worth reading about entirely on their merits. But her story telling skills are also excellent making this book a page turner. I struggled occasionally to comprehend the depths of sadness, grief and emptiness which drove her to accomplish what she did on the mountain. But I am absolutely fascinated by her incredible, superhuman will, strength and perseverance. Out of this world. Inhuman. Truly exceptional in every way.

A genuine life story

Melissa’s vulnerability through the entire book, her authenticity, a breath of fresh air among the male-dominated mountaineering guides.

Riveting and revealing

The writer all but peels back her skin so she could share the emotional, spiritual, and physical experiences of a woman coming of age and fighting for her calling, her place at the table in the formidable men only (mostly) world of climbing. She is a powerhouse by any definition and a force of nature. A must read.