Author Event: All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing by Jeff Smoot

Join us for an insider’s perspective on free soloing from a climber who has seen it all!

This is a ticketed event requiring a $5 fee or purchase of the book. Fees and books can be purchased through Eventbrite here.

Immersive personal and historical account of free soloing and our relationship with risk.

• An insider’s perspective on free soloing

• From the author of the critically acclaimed Hangdog Days

• Examines what motivates people to climb without a rope

Once considered a fringe activity, climbing without a rope has entered the mainstream consciousness, largely because of the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo featuring professional climber Alex Honnold. Yet climbers have been free soloing all along—motivated by reasons as varied as the climbers themselves.

All and Nothing delves into the cultural history of free soloing, ranging across the storied climbing cultures of the Alps, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, the Gunks, Eldorado Canyon, and several other locales. Writer and climber Jeff Smoot explores the interplay of climbing and risk, as well as psychological theories, evolving ethics, the effect of media coverage (particularly the portrayal of extreme sports), and shares original interviews with dozens of free soloists. Smoot also recounts his personal experiences climbing without a rope in the same era as talented climbers like Mark Twight and Peter Croft.

From inside his complex connection to free soloing, he examines our relationship with risk, how we perceive our sense of control, and our perspective on mortality.

…an excellent resource for anyone interested in the history and psychology of free soloing. -Steve Potter / Climbing Magazine

Jeff Smoot’s timely book explores the mystique of free soloing, introducing a fascinating cast of characters across cultures and generations. Weaving in his personal experiences, he analyzes the allure of the pursuit and the psyches of the climbers who cannot resist this dangerous sport. Strikingly honest and intensively researched, All and Nothing is a gripping, often disturbing read. -Maria Coffey / author of Where the Mountain Casts Its Shadow

Meticulously researched and splendidly written, All and Nothing is captivating. Read this book, and you’ll have a deeper understanding of not just free soloing, but the call of adventure itself. -Sir Chris Bonington

Jeff Smoot is an outdoor adventure writer and photographer. His memoir Hangdog Days: Conflict, Change, and the Race for 5.14 chronicling rock climbing in the 1980s was a finalist for the Boardman Tasker award. A Seattle native, he resides in Hawaii. Find him online at jeffsmoot.wixsite.com/website.