Life Lived Wild

Adventures at the Edge of the Map (Patagonia)

By: Rick Ridgeway

Narrated by: Rick Ridgeway

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A life worth living is lived at the edges where it is wild.

At the beginning of his memoir Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map, Rick Ridgeway tells us that if you add up all his many expeditions, he’s spent over five years of his life sleeping in tents: “And most of that in small tents pitched in the world’s most remote regions.” It’s not a boast so much as an explanation. Whether at elevation or raising a family back at sea level, those years taught him, he writes, “to distinguish matters of consequence from matters of inconsequence.” He leaves it to his listeners, though, to do the final sort of which is which.

Some of his travels made, and remain, news: the first American ascent of K2; the first direct coast-to-coast traverse of Borneo; the first crossing on foot of a 300-mile corner of Tibet so remote no outsider had ever seen it. Big as these trips were, Rick keeps an eye out for the quiet surprises, like the butterflies he encounters at 23,000 feet on K2 or the furtive silhouettes of wild-eared pheasants in Tibet.

What really comes through best in Life Lived Wild, though, are his fellow travelers. There’s Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, and Doug Tompkins, best known for cofounding The North Face but better remembered for his conservation throughout South America. Some companions don’t make the return journey. Rick treats them all with candor and straightforward tenderness. And through their commitments to protecting the wild places they shared, he discovers his own.

A master storyteller, this long-awaited memoir is the bookend to Ridgeway’s impressive list of publications, including Seven Summits, The Shadow of Kilmanjaro, and The Big Open.

©2021 Rick Ridgeway (P)2021 Random House Audio

Love it end to end!

A must read for all adventurers and lovers of nature. We can all learn fro the lives of the do-boys.

Great story of life’s adventures and very spiritual!

I loved listening to this book read by the author. It was incredible hearing his adventures in life with friends and his wife. I laughed and cried and am already ready to find his other books to listen too !

Unreal.

One of the most beautiful memoirs I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.

Sublime

Thanks Rick Ridgeway for sharing these stories. More than a book it is a life lesson.

Absolutely amazing

I just finished Life Lived Wild and am still processing the profound impact it had on me. There’s so many beautiful life lessons woven into this book. I’m so thankful Rick took the time to write (and record) it. What a national treasure he is.

A life Lived with Adventure Integrity and Love

I am so glad I listened to Rick tell his stories of adventure and his love of life. But it was so much more. He shares so much love for humanity; his dear wife, Jennifer and his go-to adventure friends. He evolves as a lover of nature including animals to the preservation of nature in all its forms that was most endearing. I have Re

A life well lived.

What a great book about an incredible life. Highly recommend this read! It is made better by Rick reading his life’s story.

Heavy, real, and heavy

this book is for anyone who wonders what a life of adventure looks like.

wow!!!

so cool, what an amazing story. started listening to it looking for some mountaineering Adventures and ended up with life lessons.

Great stories of adventure, survival, and life.

I enjoyed listening to this book. Lots of risks involved. I believe the author/narrator is honest with his listeners about life on the edge, and accomplishments along the way. He shares his friendships and love for the land and adventures without preaching. Good read.