Assessment:

Plot/Idea: This alluring memoir chronicles the experiences of 19 explorers who have conquered high peaks, caves, river voyages, and much more. Several maps and a list of terms prove most useful to readers.

Prose: Tagliapietra's prose is vivid and evocative. The short sections effectively capture both a sense of the locations being explored, as well as the potential danger faced by the individual subjects. 

Originality: While the presentation and format is not entirely novel, readers will likely be unfamiliar with a number of the adventurers Tagliapietra features. 

Character Development/Execution: As the individual passages are brief, readers will not gain an in-depth perspective on the subjects, but this work serves as a engaging resource for casual reading, and offers inspiration for readers seeking adventure themselves.

Date Submitted: November 15, 2021