Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds

by Kara Richardson Whitely Narrated by Kara Richardson Whitely

Overview

Kara Richardson Whitely knew that she could reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. She had done it once before. That's why, when she failed in a second attempt, it brought her so low. As she struggled with food addiction and looked for ways to cope with feelings of failure and shame, Kara's weight shot to more than 300 pounds. Deep in her personal gorge, Kara realized that the only way out was up. She resolved to climb the mountain again-and this time, she would reach the summit without waiting for her plus-sized status to disappear.



Gorge: My Journey up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds is the raw story of Kara's ascent from the depths of self-doubt to the top of the world. Her difficult but inspiring trek speaks to every woman who has struggled with her self-image or felt that food was controlling her life. Honest and unforgettable, Kara's journey is one of intense passion, endurance, and self-acceptance.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"In Gorge, Kara Richardson Whitely takes us where few have dared to go before: thrillingly up to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and profoundly down to the darkest depths of food addiction. Kara is fearlessly honest and powerfully intelligent. I was moved and inspired by every page of this beautiful book." --CHERYL STRAYED

"[Richardson Whitely] writes accessibly and frankly about her struggles with both Kilimanjaro and her self-image...This detailed account of her travails will give confidence not only to hesitant would-be mountaineers but to those, like her, whose biggest hurdle is 'to learn to be O.K. with who I was.'"—New York Times Sunday Book Review

Named one of "Five Fabulous, Possibly Life-Changing Books" by Redbook

"As inspiring as it is refreshing."—Backpacker

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"The author' story is immediately engaging, as she chronicles her initial Kilimanjaro triumph and her follow-up failure with wit, energy and color." —Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews

2015-01-28
A physical journey up Mount Kilimanjaro and an emotional journey through a lifetime of baggage.When journalist Whitely embarked on her third trip up Kilimanjaro—Africa's highest peak—she had already made it to the top once and made a second failed attempt. What caused the second and third climbs to be different, and significantly more difficult than the first, was the extra weight. At more than 300 pounds, the author was definitely not the norm on the mountain, and she was battling more than altitude sickness and fatigue. In addition to the immense physical challenges, Whitely's journey on Kilimanjaro served as an opportunity to battle demons of abuse and abandonment and an eating addiction. The author' story is immediately engaging, as she chronicles her initial Kilimanjaro triumph and her follow-up failure with wit, energy and color. Her general background is equally striking: Tales of her binge eating strike a visceral chord alongside her desire to find inside herself a different person, a new stereotype of "hiker girl" rather than overweight girl. The first half of the memoir, well paced, compellingly juggles the two personas of addictive eater and avid hiker. The second half of the memoir, however, becomes repetitive. Whitely spent her time on the mountain thinking about her past and her obsessive eating, and while that was clearly a long, reflective process, it becomes heavy in the retelling, overshadowing the journey. Readers expecting an inspirational story about a mountain climb may feel like they've lost the plot amid reminiscences of an absentee father and the author's previous attempts at confronting her weight. The focus slips away from Kilimanjaro and lands squarely on Whitely's weight problems, which is problematic because the book lacks resolution on that front. Disappointing despite its honesty and flair.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170923618
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	06/30/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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