Above the Clouds: How I Carved My Own Path to the Top of the World

The most accomplished mountain runner of all time contemplates his record-breaking climb of Mount Everest in this profound and free-flowing memoir—an intellectual and spiritual journey that moves from the earth’s highest peak to the soul’s deepest reaches. What drives a person to the edge of one of the most difficult and revered mountains in the world? How much is one willing to sacrifice and suffer to pursue an authentic and bold life? The most accomplished mountain runner of all time, Kilian Jornet ponders these questions as he contemplates his record-breaking climb of Mount Everest, exploring the mountain’s changing nature over four seasons and his own existence. As he recounts a life spent studying, tending, and ascending the greatest peaks on earth, Jornet ruminates on what he has found in nature—simplicity, freedom, and spiritual joy—and offers a poetic yet clearheaded assessment of his relationship to the mountain . . . at times his opponent, at others, his greatest muse. In this sweeping, soulful journey—the flip side of stories like Into Thin Air—Jornet illuminates with beauty and brilliance what it means to be an athlete, a competitor, and a human facing the greatest life challenges—for him, the mountain he yearns to climb and honour. In Above the Clouds, Kilian Jornet, the world's best mountain runner, takes us on an inspirational journey of self-discovery and motivation. His autobiography is not just a sports biography, but a profound exploration of the human spirit and its relentless pursuit of freedom. For fans of Scott Jurek (North), Tim Major (The Lost Art of Running), Steve Friedman (Lost on Treasure Island), Damian Hall (In It for the Long Run), and Dean Karnazes (Ultramarathon Man).