Wolownick is often asked if she's comfortable with how her son, Alex Honnold, makes a living as the world's premier climber. Her response: learn to climb, get to know the culture, and the fear will dissipate (or at least be more manageable). Her journey of becoming a climber is interspersed with chapters revealing details about her life, including a challenging marriage. Raised in an immigrant household, Wolownick was expected to fulfill traditional gender roles. However, her love of languages, music, and travel led her to pursue a different life. This did not stop her from a successful writing career, founding the West Sacramento Community Orchestra or encouraging her children to be fearless. Her children inspired Wolownick to start running and climbing at an age when others were giving these sports up. In her 50s, Wolownick ran her first of many marathons and also learned to climb. VERDICT Honnold fans who enjoyed his memoir Alone on the Wall or saw the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo will appreciate Wolownick's intimate stories. Others will find inspiration in her record as the oldest woman to climb El Capitan.—Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville Lib., IN