Cairngorm John

A Life in Mountain Rescue

By: John Allen

Narrated by: David Monteath

The Cairngorm mountains in Scotland are a magnet for climbers and walkers. John Allen spent more than thirty years in the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team saving the lost and injured. This special anniversary edition of his story includes new chapters discussing how mountain rescue has developed over the last decade.

©2019 John Allen with Robert Davidson (P)2022 W F Howes

Critic reviews

"The twisting mix of sadness and wit are blended together with perfection." (Mountain Rescue Magazine)

"Makes Touching the Void seem like a pretty routine day on the hill." (Iain Macwhirter, The Sunday Herald)

Like reading a statistic!

I know the book is older and that can be an excuse for what I don’t like about it.
On the other side I read a lot of older mountaineer books and have no issues with it.
The writer has no empathy, none.
It’s interesting to learn about the rescue organization but his storytelling about the rescues is deeply disturbing.
He overused the word causalities in a way that’s absolutely annoying.
Lost and deceased people, they are all causalities including children.
Like reading from a statistic.
Maybe you develop a form of protection if you do this kind of work but we reader don’t have that.
Also his writing about accidents often resulting in deaths is nothing that I like and really want to read.
Example: Pressure and low temperature would quickly finish them.
Sorry! Not acceptable doesn’t matter how old the book is.

His story gave me the feeling of a guy who is above human weakness and knows it all.

If you lose empathy it is time to change your profession if you work with humans.
Never was it so true than for the author of this book!
I don’t recommend!