The Impossible First

I treasure an author's truthfulness and ethics more than level of intrigue of the story. National Geographic's February 2020 story disputes fundamentals of Colin O'Brady's claims in his book. If you don't want to feel being cheated like I do, you might want to read NatGeo's investigative article first.

The jury is still out on how truthful some of this story is. Just from the standpoint of readability, I found the book generally boring. Not a lot about the his actual journey across Antarctica, but a whole lot about his feelings, emotions, and especially his perseverance. And a bit too much of his shameless self-promotion. I could barely finish the book, and couldn't wait to be done with it.

Colin O'Brady's Impossible First is an amazing story from start to finish - one part adventure story, one part love story, and one part inspirational story of how to reach high for your own goals. You will not be disappointed. O'Brady holds several world record's and the main focus of the book is telling the story of O'Brady's world record effort of being the first to cross Antarctica unsupported. It is an incredible story and the writing makes you feel like you are there every step of the way. You feel O'Brady's highs and lows, and hopes and worries. But the story is much more than the telling of this world record or his other world records, although he covers a number of major achievements such as breaking the record for the Explorer's Challenge (North+South Pole and the tallest mountains on each continent) - Impossible First also recounts the touching love story between Colin and his wife Jenna, without whom O'Brady admits he could not have achieved what he has - not just for critical emotional support, but also as an integral part of the genesis, planning, and logistics of O'Brady's adventures. The book also touchingly reflects on how people at different times of O'Brady's life have had an incredible impact on his own belief in himself - from his wife Jenna, to teachers, his loving (and unconventional) family, and even another explorer who was pursuing the goal at the same time. What makes this book transcend just a great story is that it leaves the reader with a hope and understanding that one's ability to achieve is well beyond their current perception of their limits. This was written for the non-adventurer, so don't think you need to be a hard core climber to appreciate the story - I am not, and loved it. This is a story about a person persevering over challenges - physical and mental - reach his goals. In the end, no matter one's background, we learn how to dream big and how to get from the whiteboard to reality.

It has recently come to light that at least some of the author's claims were unfounded and/or exaggerated. I will not be finishing the book.

I really wanted to like this book after seeing the review in the WSJ. There is no doubt that Colin is an incredibly athletic person who prefers to constantly, along with his wife Jenna, think of new ways to push his mental and physical limitations in the world of mountaineering and traversing barren landscapes in difficult conditions, but the book is a relatively watered down endeavor, a fact that takes absolutely nothing away from the accomplishment he is trying to find the words to describe. We hear more about how he is feeling than the technical or scientific information regarding his expedition that I was anticipating. He tends to show us more in flashbacks to other times in his life than rather than show us Antarctica. I'm not expecting Cormac McCarthy-esque landscapes, but nothing here has really stuck with me except for the nice pictures plugged into the middle of the book. I fear an issue here is that Colin is an athlete who has probably, like most athletes, spent much of his life training, not studying/reading literature or writing, so his guide-post is not, let's say, Truman Capote-like levels of detail, but instead relatively generic diary entries with generic self-help, motivational- style, REI-inspired cliches and even worse dialogue (again, mostly in flashbacks). I applaud the effort in trying to share what must have been an incredibly amazing experience with the rest of the world. I was just hoping for a better reading experience. In any case, again, wonderful accomplishment.

My husband was at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, the day that the legendary explorer Borge Ousland completed the first unsupported crossing of Antarctica in 1997. Colin O’Brady’s claims are false and self-aggrandizing. Though I don’t doubt his love for Antarctic adventure, he spent the latter half of his journey following the SPoT, a graded road that connects McMurdo station to the South Pole. Following a human-made road does count as support in a big way! Even Worsley avoided the road on his ill-fated expedition. O’Brady’s two claims — to have been the first and to have been unsupported — are born fraudulent in light of the facts. O’Brady’s admirable accomplishments will forever be tarnished by these lies. It’s unfortunate.

This will definitely be one of those books that will stay on my book shelf and be continuously read over and over when I need a heavy dose of inspiration. I couldn’t put the book down at all. I even bought a copy for a friend and highly recommend it to anyone who is into true tales of intense and pure adventure. I find the book so relatable, at times I’d have chills and even tears in my eyes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I am a couple of chapters into this remarkable true story and the author used a phrase that I have come to believe implicitly. "We are the stories we tell ourselves". Yes, how you think of yourself is how you are. It is the secret to growth and also to anchors that hold you back. When I was in the Marines, in Vietnam, an officer once told me that Marines are no different then anybody else except that they believe they are and in that belief they become. What do you believe you are?

A jaw-droppingly impossible task, so evocatively written about that you can feel the cold winds blowing and the ice biting as you read it.Considering the backdrop of ice and snow, he vividly describes his journey (and previous achievements) with impeccable detail and reality and inspires a sense of ability - even if on a lower scale than the actual goals he sets.A truly amazing read of an incredible adventure.

After the discovery of Colin on IG, I became a huge fan and follower. His book and attitude to life is essentially basic but inspirational!

This book is a 10 star. It’s not a how too or a diary of how cold it was. It’s 3 stories and more rolled into one. It will have you laughing aloud and tear eyed throughout. Thank you colon for this book!!

Hugely impressive and inspiring book.

Superb reading