Apr 03, 2012 | 256 Pages
“Charming [and] uplifting…a keen feminist fable for brave girls.”
–Publishers Weekly
“Herr’s prose…captures the joy of being on the trail…More than anything, the narrative serves as an apt landscape for a mother to reflect on her choices and on her struggle with how to explain life’s unfairness (sexism, cruelty of nature, distrust of strangers) to her daughter while continuing to nurture the innocent joys of fleeting childhood. Warmly ruminative and honestly observant.”
–Kirkus
“As someone who has struggled to keep up with Alex on a pair of New Hampshire 4,000ers in winter, I can testify first- hand to what a remarkable hiker and person she is. Trish Herr’s charming memoir distills the lessons she learned on the trail with her precocious daughter. Up offers a welcome corrective to the Tiger Mother syndrome.”
–David Roberts, author of Finding Everett Ruess: The Life and Unsolved Disappearance of a Legendary Wilderness Explorer
“As a parent of two kids myself, I’m always working for more quality time with cell phones and computers turned off. Some of my best times have been kayaking, hiking, and skiing with my family. It’s the stuff life is built on. So I love this mother-daughter tale of sharing something beautiful and profound together and building upon those shared experiences. It’s what every family should emulate. The delightful stories put a smile on my face as they brought back memories of my daughter when she was Alex’s age. And it warmed my heart as they reached each summit together.”
— Erik Weihenmayer, author of Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man’s Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See and The Adversity Advantage: Turning Everyday Struggles into Everyday Greatness
“What is more striking than the breathtaking vistas they are rewarded with at the top — including double rainbows — are the mountains of emotions Herr expresses as she observes her daughter growing, not just in hiking skills, but in wisdom about people, learning lessons useful in life: Joy, love, and amazement.” — BOSTON GLOBE
“An entertaining read….UP perfectly captures the roller coaster ride of parenting.” — CONCORD MONITOR
“Inspiring and enjoyable.” — MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM
“Herr’s account is really half hiking reference manual and half meditation on how to instill independence and confidence at a young age—an odd and oddly compelling combination.” — BOOKPAGE
