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I was in a library yesterday and that face glared at me from a book stand. I couldn't resist. I'm already halfway through this and it's a cracking read. Bear isn't a gifted writer by any means, but his very honest, simple prose suits the story being told. I already knew a bit about Bear, as the army is a fairly tight-knit organisation. I knew he'd been to Eton, that he was in the SAS(R) and that he was a committed Christian, and of course I've watched most of his shows. But what's been fascinati I was in a library yesterday and that face glared at me from a book stand. I couldn't resist. I'm already halfway through this and it's a cracking read. Bear isn't a gifted writer by any means, but his very honest, simple prose suits the story being told. I already knew a bit about Bear, as the army is a fairly tight-knit organisation. I knew he'd been to Eton, that he was in the SAS(R) and that he was a committed Christian, and of course I've watched most of his shows. But what's been fascinating about this book is that the Bear you want to exist..a very humble, very fun guy who never boasts about anything in his life but has an unbelievable inner core strength, actually exists. What you see is what you get. I loved the early parts in this book about Bear's great-grandfather, a writer who--along with Kipling--pretty much defined what is it to be a gentleman, a man. I'll update when I've finished but so far I'd class this as mandatory reading for all men.
Finished.
I feel the need to read a biography of Bear now, if one exists. This guy is so incredibly modest that you don't actually get the full impact of his life and achievements until you close the last page, then you open it again and go...WTF? On top of being in the SAS(R), climbing Everest, Bear glosses quickly over crossing the frozen North Atlantic Arctic Ocean, going through training for the Legion, a global audience for his shows of 1.2 billion, writing 11 books (two best sellers), launching a global business, becoming a Lt Cdr in the RN, leading expeditions to the Antarctic, raising millions of pounds for charity and becoming the Chief Scout.
Bear...kudos, man.
I defy anyone to read this autobiography and not come away inspired to be just a slightly better man. No, I can't go back and pass SAS selection. I can't climb Everest. The Arctic is out. Similarly the southern cold place. Best-selling books...still working on that one. But I don't feel defeated at all by these inadequacies after reading this book. Bear's just that kind of guy.
Compulsory read. ...more

Bear Grylls, the famous adventurer, will never cease to impress. My expectations, which were very high, were fulfilled and exceeded far beyond any limit.

The most humble, modest man doesn't seem at all changed from his new role as a celebrity. He tends to shun away from any kind of publicity and declined the offer to be the main star of "Man vs Wild" three times, before finally accepting to shoot a pilot, something he hasn't regretted, I'm sure. The thing with people like Bear is that you really get to know him during reading because he opens up totally.
The most important thing is that he is honest. He tells the reader everything, not only the good, innocent parts.

This book is funny, sad and thrilling:

It's funny because he seems such a mischevious, smiling guy that always stands up for his friends and family. Hence, he has got many friends. Not a single time in the entire book has he written something negative about someone. He sees the good in people, and emphasizes it. For that matter, he might not agree with everyone. He has a strong self-respect and never diverge from his morals and values in life.

It's sad because he has lost people he loves and he honours them beautifully. The kind of life he has chosen has small marginals, a balance between life and death. He cried on at least ten places in the book, either from grief or from the risk of never seeing his family again.

It's tremendously thrilling. His training and the SAS selection was exciting, since it's often considered so secretive. (He didn't reveal anything he shouldn't, and left out the details I had so looked forward to read. But he had to run it by the SAS for approval, and it couldn't involve anything confidential.) What a horrifying experience, people have died of plain exhaustion, trying to get in!

I couldn't stop reading when the nutcase decided to climb Mount Everest only months after breaking his back in three places in a parachute accident. I mean, come on! Enough is enough!

His constant expeditions seem to serve as encouragement, fuel, to his ever present love for challenges. And at the end of every adventure, he acknowledges the lessons needed to be learned and wisely reinforces his knowledge.

This is a great inspiration! Grylls is proof that you can achieve anything with perseverance and a strong mind. The sky has no limit.

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Jun 12, 2012 Steve rated it liked it

At first, it came across as being poorly written technically. But as the book wore on, I realized that he intended the book to come across as if he were speaking to an audience, not writing a book. Once I recognized his style, I appreciated the book for what it was and thoroughly liked it. Plenty of stories which add color to Bear and what made him who he is today. His values come through strongly. Amazing to think of what he accomplished. I wish he gave more details on his SAS qualification but At first, it came across as being poorly written technically. But as the book wore on, I realized that he intended the book to come across as if he were speaking to an audience, not writing a book. Once I recognized his style, I appreciated the book for what it was and thoroughly liked it. Plenty of stories which add color to Bear and what made him who he is today. His values come through strongly. Amazing to think of what he accomplished. I wish he gave more details on his SAS qualification but secrecy prevents that. Story of his climb on Everest is very gripping. Gives a very logical explanation at the end regarding Man vs Wild and its philosophy against the recent criticism of it.

The chapters are extremely short and there's a ton of them (100+) to make up a 300-400 page book. Font is large and pages aren't completely filled so the book takes up a lot more paper and space than it needs to. Nevertheless, quality book. Recommended for those who enjoy adventure, especially for those who enjoy the outdoors. May take a little to get used to the writing style.

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Mar 20, 2015 L rated it it was amazing

Life's journey and path isn't always easy.
It is that inner strength shining within the most unremarkable people that never fails to amaze. Bear Grylls' candid autobiography exposes the man behind the celebrity façade; a man of immeasurable heart and soul.
He is not perfect, flawless or fearless nor is he 'taken in' (like so many have been) by status and wealth. His Christian faith is what keeps him humbly grounded, alongside his perspective on life that's ultimately broadened his horizons. I am Life's journey and path isn't always easy.
It is that inner strength shining within the most unremarkable people that never fails to amaze. Bear Grylls' candid autobiography exposes the man behind the celebrity façade; a man of immeasurable heart and soul.
He is not perfect, flawless or fearless nor is he 'taken in' (like so many have been) by status and wealth. His Christian faith is what keeps him humbly grounded, alongside his perspective on life that's ultimately broadened his horizons. I am in awe of his astonishing, courageous feats of extreme danger and wonder including the adventure of a lifetime: scaling Mount Everest. Yet, in reading this profoundly poignant narrative I am touched by those words of wisdom that strike a chord within.

Dare to dream…be BOLD and live life to the full!

I honestly believe that we all can take something from Bear's empowering, sensational story, regardless of who we are. The unmistakable clarity within holds such truth – in that we can all achieve great things if there is the determination, drive and sincerity. It doesn't matter if you aren't the wealthiest person, the smartest or physically strongest person on the planet. Even if your goals/ aspirations seem to some completely nonsensical and unobtainable, it really doesn't matter because life is what you make of it and unless you try you never know what could happen…

Here is a man on a mission, who never gives up even when the going gets tough and he looks death in the eye. From a young, laddish, gung-ho guy to a hardened SAS soldier, Bear Grylls is a remarkable individual who never ceases to amaze throughout his many adventures and escapades. Mud, sweat and tears is a recommended read for both adrenaline junkies and armchair adventurers alike; equally seeking something sensational that will leave them with lingering curiosity and impacting implication.

'The possibilities ARE endless!'

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Jul 12, 2021 David Lucero rated it it was amazing

An Inspiring Journey in the Life of One of the Most Inspiring Persons in Our Generation.

Bear Grylls comes clean from childhoold to manhood. Readers learn about his childhood, family life and values, his time in the elite Special Air Service (SAS), expeditions into the wild and unknown, his love life, education, you name it. I do not normally read autobiography, but my son and his family bought this book for me because they know I enjoy reading and like Bear Grylls.

I learned about him pretty much

An Inspiring Journey in the Life of One of the Most Inspiring Persons in Our Generation.

I learned about him pretty much the same way we all did.... watching Man vs. Wild. My wife and I religiously watched his show every week, season after season. I even picked it up again on Netflix, disappointed when they removed it. As a veteran, I appreciate his experiences through military training. I'm an outdoor enthusiast and enjoy biking (both city and mountain biking), but I'm not one to push the limit for the sake of pushing the limit. That ended when I left the army in 1984. I figured after 49 jumps in the 82nd Airborne, white water rafting in the California rivers, I'd pretty much had enough of proving myself how far I can go.

Readers will find Bear's book a very enjoyable read. Much of his experiences are the same we all go through. I think that's always a bit of a surprise when we learn more about people we admire from celebrity status. We tend to think they are above us a certain degree because they are famous. In truth, as he even admits in his book, he's like the rest of us. He appreciates his family time, personal life and experiences, his good fortunes, and above all his faith in God. This is an enjoyable book I am glad to have in my personal collection, and so will you.

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Sep 03, 2011 Gillian rated it it was amazing

This book is amazing. I picked it up from the library because I assumed that an autobiography of Bear would be pretty easy holiday reading. I was right, in so far as I whipped through this book in three days of reading on planes and before bed, but it's not a particularly light and fluffy book. I was amazed at the physicality of the things that Bear has done, but I was also shocked by how self-reflective and well spoken Bear Grylls is. This book is not a piece of high literary style, but it's ho This book is amazing. I picked it up from the library because I assumed that an autobiography of Bear would be pretty easy holiday reading. I was right, in so far as I whipped through this book in three days of reading on planes and before bed, but it's not a particularly light and fluffy book. I was amazed at the physicality of the things that Bear has done, but I was also shocked by how self-reflective and well spoken Bear Grylls is. This book is not a piece of high literary style, but it's honest and gripping. You can hear Bear's personality through it and despite the fact that everything in the book could bring someone down or be a place to complain about conditions, Bear's enthusiasm and sheer force of happiness shows through. It made me want to go out and train for the SAS and climb Everest even though I'm not a particularly outdoorsy person. He made the trials in his life seem...rather nonchalant and focused on the experiences of all of them instead of the pain of breaking his back, or the hardship that the SAS makes recruits endure. A really amazing book from a really amazing person. Go Bear! ...more

Sep 27, 2017 Umut rated it really liked it

I love Bear Grylls' TV shows, that's why I was interested in reading his biography. I listened to it on Audible actually, which was a really good performance. Definitely recommended.
I loved the book, as it sheds light to how he became who he is now. It was fun to read with a good pace, and without unnecessary details.
I would recommend it. I love Bear Grylls' TV shows, that's why I was interested in reading his biography. I listened to it on Audible actually, which was a really good performance. Definitely recommended.
I loved the book, as it sheds light to how he became who he is now. It was fun to read with a good pace, and without unnecessary details.
I would recommend it. ...more

"Life continues to be an adventure, and in many ways more so than ever. I have had to learn to prioritize clearly in my life: to be safe, get home fast, and keep it fun - the rest is detail."

In Mud, Sweat and Tears: The Autobiography of Bear Grylls, I was inspired to pick this one up after reading a short article in Guideposts magazine about the life of the man we all know from his television show, Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. Is all this staged? Where did his training come from? Why w

"Life continues to be an adventure, and in many ways more so than ever. I have had to learn to prioritize clearly in my life: to be safe, get home fast, and keep it fun - the rest is detail."

This is where you will find yourself as you experience what it was like growing up as Bear Grylls. Being a born adventurer as a child, he often joined his father in expeditions that involved mountain climbing, romps through the mud and most of all a lesson in unconditional love and perseverance modeled through his eyes by his own father.

Bear struggled in school academically but was a huge lover of extreme sports, often found scaling the chapels on his school grounds at Eton College. He grew up and had a deep desire for adventure and soon found himself talking his best friend, Trucker into joining him at signing up for the Special Air Service or SAS, an elite group of what is known as the British Special Forces unit. The amount of challenges he would face there, would provide him with the additional support and love of adventure that would carry him through all of life's struggles.

He would later be called to put that mental and emotional training into affect, when during a parachuting accident, he would break his back in three places. It was one of many wake up calls where Bear would put his faith in God to the ultimate test, to see if he would ever walk again. He was almost lost to severe depression but realized without any goals to push for, he wouldn't likely recover. His next dream, to climb Mt. Everest at 23 years old. He remembered that from small acorns grow big oaks.

He would later on film almost six seasons of Man vs. Wild, Worst-Case Scenario, and a whole series on what it is like to go through basic training inside the French Foreign Legion; he would lead countless expeditions to Antarctica, the Himalayas, and the Arctic, raising more than 2.5 million dollars for children's charities around the world; he is considered the most admired person by the middle classes, second only to the Queen in the UK among many other things that have made him successful.

His words of advice after it's all said and done, "Every day is the most wonderful of blessings, and a gift that I never take for granted. Oh, and as for the scars, broken bones, aching limbs, and sore back? I consider them just gentle reminders that life is precious - and that maybe, just maybe, I am more fragile than I dare to admit" (pg 401).

I received Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography of Bear Grylls compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. The one them that remains a constant in this book is that through hard work and perseverance, you can achieve whatever you want in life. His goal in writing this was to show his roots: the early, bigger missions that shaped him, and the even earlier, smaller moments that steered him to become the man, husband and father, he is today. He wrote this book as a way of passing down the life lessons he has learned to his three younger sons, and there are so many great quotes and take aways from this book. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and really admire the circumstances that he had to endure during his life that makes Bear Grylls, the man he is today.

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Sep 25, 2012 Jack Pringle rated it really liked it

I chose to read this book because I am a big fan of Bear Grylls's show Man vs Wild and I thought it would be very interesting to read this book. It fills in the 'autobiography' box on the bingo board.

My favourite quote in his book is: "I learnt another valuable lesson that night: listen to the quiet voice inside. Intuition is the noise of the mind." This is a very wise quote coming from a man who sets himself to do stupid things. This quote teaches people that your instincts are what you can tr

Bear Grylls is the obvious main and favourite character as it is an autobiography but my favourite setting was when he came here to New Zealand and tried to eat a Weta. He claimed that the Weta was one of the only things he couldn't eat from the wild because it was too big and tough to eat.

I learnt a lot of things form this autobiography of Bear Grylls. Many of these things are just tips on how to survive mentally and phydsically in the wild. Never give up is one of the best things I've learnt.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if they are a fan of Man vs Wild.

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I've "met" Grylls throughout my children. They love watching Man vs. Nature and I had the pleasure to see some scenes. I am not a fan, by surely my kids are.
About the book: I must say that I admire the desire, the drive and the will. I find the style a bit cold, robotic, an army style if I may. Not a wonder since the suthor is a military... The first 200 and so pages, I think it's just a lot of unuseful, redundant information - because of the secrecy the author couldn't say much but he just kept I've "met" Grylls throughout my children. They love watching Man vs. Nature and I had the pleasure to see some scenes. I am not a fan, by surely my kids are.
About the book: I must say that I admire the desire, the drive and the will. I find the style a bit cold, robotic, an army style if I may. Not a wonder since the suthor is a military... The first 200 and so pages, I think it's just a lot of unuseful, redundant information - because of the secrecy the author couldn't say much but he just kept giving little information and just repeting himself. Just some pages would be more than enaugh for what he really had to say.
But I really liked the Everest experience and the little information he gave about his family.
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Information:

One of my owned books

Read this for my Challenge video: Tackling my pile of shame video

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Review:

This was very good. Not what I expected, because it isn't really about his experiences with the tv shows. It's about his life before that.

Full review on my website/blog: My Reading Challenge
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---------------------------------------------
Information:

One of my owned books

Read this for my Challenge video: Tackling my pile of shame video

---------------------------------------------
Review:

This was very good. Not what I expected, because it isn't really about his experiences with the tv shows. It's about his life before that.

Full review on my website/blog: My Reading Challenge
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Jan 02, 2017 Mark Jones rated it it was amazing

I rarely leave reviews, but I feel I must for one of my favorite books of all time.

My first time reading a book by Bear Grylls was his Survival Guide For Life, which lays out a variety of rules Bear gives to try and follow in your day to day life. Each one would be followed by some story from his own life, and these tales of wild adventures climbing mountains and piloting boats through storms were all reflections of what I'd always imagined a life well lived to look like. What was more, each sto

I rarely leave reviews, but I feel I must for one of my favorite books of all time.

Mud, Sweat and Tears has all the inspiration and sincerity found in A Survival Guide For Life, but it's instead presented in an engaging narrative. Bear Grylls runs the reader through his career from the time he was born until the very beginning of his TV career, with particular attention on his SAS selection and Everest expedition. Every success, and every setback, too, is discussed in a conversational, gently encouraging tone. For myself, a teen thinking far too much about what he'll make of his life, every chapter held some gem of information which had me dreaming bigger, reaching higher. My audiobook became something of a cure-all for whenever I felt down or uninspired; usually, I had only to listen for fifteen minutes and I'd be a good way to getting back on my feet. In going back to read the book a second time a few months down the road, the magic had not dissipated in the slightest.

Many have said how Bear Grylls is not the best of writers, but I don't know that I agree. In my mind, a writer's only true job is to convey his message in as powerful and engaging a way as possible, and here Bear Grylls has done just that. The book tells its readers to not back down, to face their challenges head-on, and to never give up, and it delivers these messages in such an earnest voice that you can't help but listen and agree. It's simple yet brilliant. You won't regret giving Mud, Sweat and Tears a try.

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Jun 03, 2012 Craig rated it really liked it

Wow. I learned so much through reading this book. Edward (Bear) Grylls is one of my new heros.

This book is basically about the man before "Man vs. Wild." He talks about his time at boarding school. His very intense SAS training, breaking his back after parachuting. His expedition to climb mount Everest. Meeting his wife and ultimately becoming the global scout master. What I loved about this book was his continuing steadfast faith that he used to help himself through some of the toughest of times. His positive outlook on life is truly inspirational. The fact that even though he has become one of the most known individuals in the world and has remained humble and true to himself is simply astouding. As he says in his book "I am ordinary, but I am determined."

I think that I will choose to lead a more Bear Grylls life. Not one that is filled with insane adventure situations, but one with true determination to succeed.

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2015 reading challenge - a memoir

While no one would mistake Bear Grylls for a professional author, his writing is honest and down-to-Earth, just what this book needs.

2015 reading challenge - a memoir

While no one would mistake Bear Grylls for a professional author, his writing is honest and down-to-Earth, just what this book needs.

When picking this book up in the library, I had a vague idea it would be like reading one of this shows, if that makes any sense. I expected to read about his adventures in Arctic or Sahara, but instead, it was an autobiography that spoke of so much more. We got to know his family and early years and then began the part that truly amazed me - the SAS Selection and the Mount Everest climb. His sheer physical achievements left me speechless. I soon got out of my daze, though, and started to shower any unsuspecting soul with fun facts and details about Grylls' life.

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Dec 01, 2014 Danny Tyran rated it really liked it

I stopped reading this book (at 64%) for days because I had enough of Bear's bragging and his "tough guy nonsense", as he called it himself. Oh, he doesn't boast about all his own great qualities, not directly. He doesn't say: "I am strong, enduring and tenacious". No, but he says by speaking about those who make what he is doing: "It takes strong, tough and resilient men to go through it". But since he is one of them and he went through it all, doesn't it mean that he believes that he has the s I stopped reading this book (at 64%) for days because I had enough of Bear's bragging and his "tough guy nonsense", as he called it himself. Oh, he doesn't boast about all his own great qualities, not directly. He doesn't say: "I am strong, enduring and tenacious". No, but he says by speaking about those who make what he is doing: "It takes strong, tough and resilient men to go through it". But since he is one of them and he went through it all, doesn't it mean that he believes that he has the same qualities? Thus, I was fed up with it and I decided to take a break.

During this break, I wondered what differentiated a masochistic submissive of a guy climbing Everest. After all, to get to the summit, it is necessary to be ready to suffer. The sub's master imposes him/her tests which the sub has to go through. The Dom makes him/her suffer physically and sometimes psychologically. Those who climb up to the summit live all the same difficulties. They live humiliation when, having to try a passage which they considered easy, they almost die on the spot. And pain... Yes, the climbers know it too and repeatedly. There is even some of them, if they survive, who lose limbs because of the freezing weather.

But the climbers decide to live it for their own pleasure only. They don't suffer for the pleasure or the happiness of their masters. Their masters, if they have one, is themselves. It's an extremely egocentric and even narcissistic decision, because they want to be able to say for example: "I am the youngest climber who reached Everest's summit". At least, the subs, if they act partially for their own pleasure and happiness, they act also for somebody else's good; they are more selfless. And generally, their pleasure and happiness are proportionate to their master's.

I had already watched several of Bear's successful TV programs. I saw him eating insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions among other beasts and even drinking his own urine. When I drank my master's piss, it wasn't MY urine. And I did it in a will of submission and communion with my master. It wasn't just a show of how resilient I am. All right, Bear's programs has, he says, a mission to inform people of what they should do if they were in deep shit. But after having watched several episodes of his series, I wouldn't pretend that I'd be able to survive if I found myself in a difficult situation, e.g. lost in a desert or far in a vast forest.

Nevertheless, I liked this book because it allows us to know better this uncommon man and because at the end, he finally stopped gazing his own navel and put gestures to help poor or sick children. He also became UK's chief scout.

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Feb 19, 2012 Robin rated it really liked it

In this memoir Bear tells the story of his life and death-defying adventures. It turns out that not only he a tough guy in mind and body, but he also has a sensitive side and a heart. A fun read if you are a Man vs Wild fan. My only criticism is that he spends a little too much time on the details of his SAS training and Everest adventure--don't get me wrong, they are both riveting and amazing stories but it got a little repetitive after a while.

He also confesses his real first name and mentions

He also confesses his real first name and mentions how he became "Bear."

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May 31, 2016 Donna rated it really liked it

This is my second book by Bear Grylls. When I listened to the first one, I went and bought 5 copies of it for my children. This is perfect for them all. He is an all around great guy. Clean. Faithful. Honest. Great example. Hard worker. Inspirational. Positive. Dedicated. Driven. Family Man.

He quotes others a lot and uses cliches, but he does it to inspire and to drive his point home. So 4 stars. Maybe I should up this to 5.

May 31, 2017 I Contain rated it really liked it

What a thrill to read! Loved this adventure story from a man who earned the right to join an elite military squad and climbed Everest. Hard to put down and very inspiring.

Jun 03, 2012 Corien rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book.

It starts with Bear's childhood and goes all the way up to I guess current time.
It's full of adventure and endurance, self-discipline, extremely hard training and the willingness to go against fear and take (somewhat crazy, but lessons learned) risks. He really has done a lot of living and traveling in his life! Not to mention climb a lot of rooftops and trees while at Eaton - I was really surprised about that.

A fighting spirit and faith seem to sum Bear up nicely, b

I really enjoyed this book.

A fighting spirit and faith seem to sum Bear up nicely, but above all he seems to be a good family man who happened to get offered a job he really loves on TV (which he seems to love a bit less, and declined a few times, but it comes with the deal and it is a great way to reach and inspire a lot of people).

There are a lot of short chapters which makes for a fast and easy read, especially since there never is a dull moment and there are plenty of perilous ones. I feel like I've traveled and trained along with him a little bit. The book also gives you a lot to think about though, it definitely is not 'mindless' reading, there are some good lessons in there too.

I liked how little the TV show was mentioned. Even though I like the show, I've seen most of the episodes; all the content in the book was new to me.

And I finally learned how he got the nickname 'Bear'.. not because of his outdoorsyness, but from his sister when he was a baby! I guess it's more teddy bear than grizzly bear since she was always dragging him around, but I'm not sure about that? His real name is also mentioned in the book, and like he said it doesn't fit him as well as Bear. I have to admit I always thought he'd given himself that nickname (for being outdoorsy, or for fighting one, god knows) which I thought was a bit pompous. Turns out that is not the case, and even worse - for me for thinking it - pompous and Bear Grylls don't belong in one sentence at all.

I read the Kindle edition on a Kindle Touch. No issues, well laid out, good navigation.
There are chapter links at the start, index with keywords at the end, followed by a few nice photographs. And I learned a lot UK 'slang' words, or at least words I'd never heard of before.

I will definitely read more of his books.

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Sep 10, 2015 N. rated it really liked it

An enjoyable memoir. At the beginning, Grylls describes his family and that part comes the closest to sounding egotistical, like a typical star memoir, although I think his objective was to give credit to those who made him what he is, rather than to say, "Here's how I turned out so awesome."

From his early history, the book goes into great detail about his time in the SAS. He glosses over his broken back and recovery (although that was clearly one of the most emotionally difficult experiences of his life), then the next in-depth portion describes his determination to climb to the top of Mt. Everest. During this time, he met the woman who would become his wife.

I think what I wanted most out of this book was to learn about how Bear Grylls became the famous person we know, today. What convinced him to join the SAS? How did he recover from that widely-publicized parachuting disaster? How did he end up hosting several TV series? I got some of what I wanted out of the book, but perhaps he thought some of those bits I was most interested in were either too painful or too boring. He also mentions a list of near-death experiences he's had (he stopped at 50) but doesn't actually tell what happened in a single one of those events. I would have loved to hear about those, but he does admit he doesn't like to think about them. His objective is not to come close to death but to challenge himself, enjoy life, and keep living.

In general, the writing is very good and you can't help but appreciate his love of family and life and his firm but quiet dedication to his faith.

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Once you get over the informal writing style, this book will be a pageturner.

It is impossible to rate somebody's life story, no matter how remarkable, so I am just revising the storytelling here - I didn't get used to the style but the book was quite gripping nevertheless. Most of the narrative was vague (I am not talking about confidential SAS material here) and repetitive (it was hard to move forward, always hard.. to... move... forward... Yeah, ok, that is what you'd expect from a military tr

Once you get over the informal writing style, this book will be a pageturner.

E.g. Bears mentioned he hurt his elbow on the way up to the Mt Everest summit but never mentions how that affected him onward. We only hear again and again that it was... hard. I feel he could have shared a million interesting details, vividly illustrating the experiences. This way, everything felt kind of 'flat'. Also his random accounts of mishaps with his friends left me wondering about times, places and people involved. The shortness of chapters and jumping from topic to topic made a somewhat scrambled impression. Maybe intentionally, but I think it was just editor not doing his/her job.

Or the goal was the feel of listening to a guy-next-door's recollections over a drink, discovering the seemingly unremarkable bloke turned his life into a remarkable adventure.

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Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls Who dares wins, being scared shitless frequently, way to go Bear, actually learnt his name is Edward, bear is what his older sister called him, wow here I thought he had cool parents, but they were cool. His Dad's mantra love people in your life with your whole heart.

Mount Everest last count has killed 295 mountaineers since 1924, what's amazing he climbed it to get over retiring from the SAS 3 years in, after surviving a broken back from skydiving. He then f

Mount Everest last count has killed 295 mountaineers since 1924, what's amazing he climbed it to get over retiring from the SAS 3 years in, after surviving a broken back from skydiving. He then fell into making TV shows almost by accident and became world famous.

Shucks that's cool. Risky yes, but now with 3 young son's he says he's more careful, take him for his word. Can't wait to see what you get up to next Bear, or what your boys may do in the future, he is the royalty of dangerous activities, would I do any of it probably not, only in my mind yes, completely.

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Mar 30, 2015 Sam Lissaman rated it really liked it

I decided to read this book because it has been siting on my book shelf for a while but I have never got around to reading it. I heard it was a good read so I decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed this book. Bear Grylls wrote about each part of his life and explained all about his childhood, his SAS training and also how he is bringing up his own children to love the wilderness. From reading this book I learnt how amazing some places around the world are and how dangerous, beautiful and div I decided to read this book because it has been siting on my book shelf for a while but I have never got around to reading it. I heard it was a good read so I decided to give it a go. I really enjoyed this book. Bear Grylls wrote about each part of his life and explained all about his childhood, his SAS training and also how he is bringing up his own children to love the wilderness. From reading this book I learnt how amazing some places around the world are and how dangerous, beautiful and diverse the outdoors can be. A part of the book that was interesting for me was when Bear Grylls was talking about his childhood I liked this part because he went into a lot of detail and put a great picture in your head of his surroundings. ...more

This is an impressive book written by an impressive man. The book is easy to read and written in a very cool style that holds your attention throughout. Bear Grylls tells his story of his journey before he was famous and everything he overcame from boarding school days, SAS(R) training, breaking his back and climbing Mt. Everest. He is a true inspiration and a great example of how to overcome the odds through believe in yourself and your faith. He gives credit where it is due and also shares his This is an impressive book written by an impressive man. The book is easy to read and written in a very cool style that holds your attention throughout. Bear Grylls tells his story of his journey before he was famous and everything he overcame from boarding school days, SAS(R) training, breaking his back and climbing Mt. Everest. He is a true inspiration and a great example of how to overcome the odds through believe in yourself and your faith. He gives credit where it is due and also shares his interesting family history. Great read and I cannot believe this has been sitting on my shelf for 5 years, I have been missing out!! ...more

Feb 24, 2016 philip taua rated it it was amazing

i decided to read this book because i watched a lot of man vs wild on T.V.i wanted to learn why he chose this as a career working on a television show. i liked it a lot because it kept on the edge off my seat and made me want to read more and more.I learned that nothing is hard unless you make it hard for yourself.The story is based on bear gryls and why he chose this and how he grew up.Alps the in interesting thing is that he worked from a young age.

Apr 13, 2014 Ryan rated it liked it

Very interesting memoir that focuses on Bear's grueling selection process for Special Armed Services, his Everest expedition, and the beginnings of Man vs Wild. Two stars off for the little tiny words formed into little tiny sentences in little tiny chapters (well over 100 of them). On the other hand, I think my 8 year old could probably read this on his own, so it's not all bad. Very interesting memoir that focuses on Bear's grueling selection process for Special Armed Services, his Everest expedition, and the beginnings of Man vs Wild. Two stars off for the little tiny words formed into little tiny sentences in little tiny chapters (well over 100 of them). On the other hand, I think my 8 year old could probably read this on his own, so it's not all bad. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was so excited to read this. Didn't expect it to be so thick, but I was glad it was! I was excited to read a thick book. I haven't read one in so long!
I didn't like the present tense in the prologue& really hoped the rest of the book wasn't like that!! Thankfully it wasn't.
Very cool his great-grandfather wrote a self-help book, the first one.
His great-grandpa sounds like a great man: 'Whenever he was in the Dakota, flying over to Northern Ireland, he always asked for the front seat, joking tha I was so excited to read this. Didn't expect it to be so thick, but I was glad it was! I was excited to read a thick book. I haven't read one in so long!
I didn't like the present tense in the prologue& really hoped the rest of the book wasn't like that!! Thankfully it wasn't.
Very cool his great-grandfather wrote a self-help book, the first one.
His great-grandpa sounds like a great man: 'Whenever he was in the Dakota, flying over to Northern Ireland, he always asked for the front seat, joking that if it crashed then he wanted to die first.'
&then he wanted to get the women and children first.

'The roll of the drums called the soldiers to arms on the upper deck, and the men mustered as if on parade.'
'"All those that can swim, jump overboard and make for the boats."
But Captain Wright, of the 91st Highlanders, said, "No! If you do that, the boats with the women will be swamped." So the brave men stood motionless. Not a heart quailed; no one flinched from his duty.
"There was not a murmur, nor a cry among them," said Captain Wright, a survivor, "until the vessel made her final plunge."
Down went the ship, and down went the heroic band, firing a volley shot of joy as they sank beneath the waves.
Glory and honor to the gentle and the brave!
The examples of such men never die, but, like their memories, they are immortal.'

So terrible how his great-grandpa died. Very heroic of letting the women&children go on the lifeboats. And his wife died a year after him.
-Patsie had an affair and left Neville! How awful!
Wish it had started with his birth. Idk when he was born or his full name.
'Don't leave your children if they don't want you to.'
His mom had him after 3 miscarriages, and decided to stay bedridden while pregnant.
Chief scout to 28 million kids!! I had no idea!
Omg a dog attacked him! &he needed stitches from his nose to his mouth. &his mom took over the nurse's job!
'In short, when I was wet, muddy, and cold, I felt like a million dollars, and when I was with the lads, with everyone desperately trying to be "cool," I felt more awkward and unsure of myself.' 'Although I gave "cool" a brief, good go as a young teenager.' Haha!
-'Temporarily geographically challenged.' Hahah!
I wonder which boarding school he went to, before Eton.
'Conversely, those Sunday-night drives back to school were truly torturous. Give me SAS Selection any day…and that was bad, trust me.' Writing this review, after reading about SAS, that's saying a lot! That's sweet that his Dad was torn up about dropping him off at school, too!
'It has made me detest bullying in adult life. If I see it anywhere I go mad.' I don't like bullying either.
I can't believe that girl snuck into a boy's dormitory& asked to kiss one of them! How slutty! &at such a young age!
He went to Eton College (didn't know college was in the title!). that's where Princes William& Harry went! I had no idea you go when you're 13!
-Neighboring town of Windsor. OMG!!! It's so close to Windsor!
'Eton "toffs".' I love hearing these phrases!
Never heard of a 'scarper.'
That-glue sniffing psycho! Didn't the boys tell on him to a teacher? He should have been expelled!
That sounds nice being in Tokyo, walking down the mountain and bathing in the hot springs.
Glad the bullying stopped after he started training. Wonder if he beat that guy up!?
-OMG! A funny story turned into a tragedy. I can't believe Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal killed his family! &Bear used to train with him! oh boy!
Sir Ranulph Fiennes climbed the tower. Idk who that is, but it's cool that Bear got to add his initials with his.
Bear is a nickname!! His name's Edward! OMG. We're just now being told this!! Should have said that in the beginning.
That's so cool that Eton encourages students, whatever they're into. I wouldn't have imagined they would be so free and open like that.
'A stich in time saves nine.' Interesting saying.
How did that guy go temporarily blind from the apple cider?!
Omg he hooked up with Tatiana!! So disappointed! Lil while later he said they didn't sleep together. That's great they didn't end up doing anything!
'Despite all my friends thinking I was utterly mad, deep down I felt a determination to try to keep my virginity for my wife one day.' Wow, I wish more guys were like this. forget what your buddies think.
'My time at Eton did develop in me a character trait that is essentially, I guess, very English: the notion that it is best to be the sort of person who messed about and plays the fool but who, when it really matters, is tough to the core.' Interesting learning about English people.
He went to Calcutta! I hate he didn't get to meet Mother Teresa! Reminds me of Princess Diana. That's cool that he sent her a letter& she responded, though.
OMG them singing "This'll be the day that I die" at an old folk's home!
OMG he played guitar with Blunty aka James Blunt!! &Blunt was in the army. Wow!
-'I just didn't like being so unmotivated. It didn't feel good for the soul.'
Idk if this is a typo or not: 'I was stood on parade five minutes early, ready.'
-I can't believe they didn't get RTU'd for crossing the dam!! How could they not have seen that??
Poor Bear failed the course! I can't believe they invited him back!! But he got rolled back to day one!! I was wondering how he got back into the SAS.
OMG Trucker failed too! They were the only two to be invited back, that's awesome.
-I'm surprised they could wear their own hats& boots. 'The SAS want individuals, and they never try to discourage that spirit.'
Someone died on the Endurance trail! Had to use two 1:50,000 map sheets to cover the route. We used maps like that in forestry! I know that scale! How cool.
Trux broke two toes going up VW (Voluntary Withdrawal). Poor guy was saying scriptures as he walked up the mountain, because he was in terrible pain.
-That's nice of Matt to make Bear put more clothes on&gave him his water when Bear had reached his limit.
That's so amazing they were the first three of the 21 SAS recruits to finish Endurance.
When learning to be prepared for capture, 'we were told that this phase always claimed a few scalps.' Literally or figuratively??
'the WHO DARES WINS cap-badge and SAS beret.' That's interesting.

-'Real bullets, being fired at targets in the dark, while diving and scraping through ditches, are always unforgiving in such close proximity to one another.'

'You two toffs just keep your mouths shut--23 DS tend to hate recruits who've been to private school.' I thought he meant don't tell them they went to private school, but they already knew!
'The 23 DS are going to make sure that any 21 recruits get it the worst.' That's awful!
'where are the lads who speak like Prince Charles?" Aw!!

I was surprised how earlier they took the road, which they weren't supposed to do. Almost got caught! Walked on it for 30 mins!
What is a heli RV?
Returned to Everest ten years later to try out the first powered paraglider over the summit.
I hate the pics show things that haven't happened in the book yet!!
That's so funny they were both fast asleep& the DS gives him a thumbs-up, cause they did a good job.but he had no idea they'd been asleep! &Matt looks like he's been awake the whole time. Haha!
'Snoozing like babies in a pram.' Love these british sayings!
'dressed in blood-red balaclavas.' I had to look up that word!
I hate we can't hear his final night!!
Was it a real psychiatrist letting him know how he'd done?
OMG Matt didn't make it!! Poor guy. That's awful!
'Matt turned, looked at me, smiled,& walked out. I never saw him again.'
Gets the beret, all of sudden says 'Since I did Selection all those years ago.'
MOD: Ministry of defense. That reminded me of Harry Potter!
'The 3 years I served with my squadron.' I was surprised it was only 3 years and wondered why.
'I went through an even more in-depth capture initiation program as part of becoming a combat-survival instructor.'
That's so cool: they were living in town. Then would disappear for 3 weeks with their squadron.
I like reading how their military is similar to ours. Like "improvise-adapt-and-overcome.'
Poor Bear! Pulled the chute too early. 'I was crying as I lay there in the dust, waiting for my buddies to come& help.'
'If your canopy is uncontrollable, then you have to cut the chute away and release yourself from it. Then go back into free fall& pull your reserve.' That's nice of the colonel from the British military advisory team to check on Bear. 'We were in a country not known for its hospital niceties.' Whoa! I wonder what all that means!
'I had been stretchered across the Tarmac in the heat of the African sun, feeling desperate and alone. I couldn't stop crying whenever no one was looking.'
Broke the vertebra in the middle of the back, which are the hardest to break. Known as the "miracle kid."
"Bear, you are an idiot, but we love you anyway, forever and always." That meant the world to me& gave me back some of the confidence.' Haha!
Only 2 British soldiers made it up Everest, with frostbite and lost limbs. That's awful!
I wondered why he was only with the SAS for 3 years. Now I know why. An injury. I hate he had to leave like that.
'Earning a living and following your heart can so often pull you in different directions, and I knew I wasn't the first person to feel that strain.'
That's amazing that he decided to climb Everest, &gain sponsorship to do other expeditions.
His family called him 'selfish, unkind, and then stupid.' 'The condition that if I died then my mother would divorce my father, as he had been the man who had planted the "stupid idea" in my head in the first place, all those years earlier. Dad just smiled.'
Omg I thought 1 person died, not 4!!
I did not know that Everest was part of the Himalayas!
1953-first time ppl reached the summit.
Could pay up to $60,000 to climb it!! that's crazy!
Poor Rob Hall, that's awful! His last radio call to his wife.
Everest was scaled by a blind man, a man with prosthetic legs& a teenager.
Everest is called 'goddess of the sky.'
This is insane: it's 25,000 feet tall, with 150+ mph winds.
'I tried to think of an entrepreneur and adventurer that I admired, and I kept coming back to Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin.' OMG, Branson knew Princess Diana!! I read his part on Diana in Larry King's book!
I cant believe he didn't write back to Bear, after sending so many letters& the flowers!
Wow a random DLE business sponsors Bear. That's what the DLE flag was on top of Everest.
What is a 'marketing punt'?
That's so cool he was with Ginette Harrison.
Peter Habeler, the first man to get up Everest without oxygen. &Reinhold Messner.
I knew it was coming!! Kept wondering if it was this trip, that trip that he'd meet her on. Thought it might be the trip to the Himalayans. Felt it might be his tip to Sam's house. It was!
Aw that's so sweet! She was the only girl who didn't panic!
161 deaths on Everest. 101 were on the southeast ridge.
17,450 to the foot of the Khumbu icefall.
Sherpas live at 12,000 ft. Everest 25,000 feet!! That's insane to think about.
Ladders over crevices. That's so scary in that pic!
Heard him say he was 23 on tv in Shaq's episode when he went to Everest. That's how old I am!! So cool!
I had no idea Bear would have an accident! &on the first day, I assumed because he made it that everything went well. That's terrifying!
Amazing hearing them pull him up.
'I can feel small bits of bone floating around inside a swollen sack of fluid beneath it.' omg!
$3 a minute to use the phone!! That's crazy!
Permanent migraine, coughing all day, constant urge to vomit. Sounds awful
Ability to adapt to high altitude improves as you get into your 30s.
Peeing in a bottle, holding it for warmth. Crapping off the side of a mountain. Gross!
I'm surprised the weather reports for the mountain came from the UK, &were the most accurate anywhere in the world.
All of a sudden it was in Mick and Neil's perspective.
WTH!! Mick and Alan didn't have any oxygen!
Son of a dun! He said Alan only had 10 mins to live!
OMG Mike, Neil and Geoffrey left and didn't go back? I feel so bad! Especially Neil, he was so close& it was his second attempt! &I wanted him& Mick to do it together!
The longer you stay at altitude, the weaker your body gets. There's acclimatization and deterioration.
Dark brown pee. Huh.
The death zone. Remnants of old expeditions were there. OMG dead bodies. I can't believe that!!!
I wondered what they'd do with a dead body, but I didn't think it was leaving them there!! I thought they'd be carried back down.
Helicopters can barely land at the base camp, especially not up in the death zone. I wondered that.
That's great, Bernardo and the two Singapore climbed to the summit!
Wow being up that high robs you of "memory, of feeling, of power."
He was walking and the snow gave way beneath him&he looked through a hole in the ice and saw Tibet. How crazy!
OMG, Rob Hall's body, from 24 months earlier. Who had called his wife from the mountain. That's terrible!!
Wonder why it's called the Hillary Step?
He'll be the 31st British climber.
I'm so glad Neil and Adam made it.
'Technology can put a man on the moon but not up here.' Wow. That really puts it into perspective!
They can see the curve of the earth!!
That's so cool, he took some snow. & christened his sons.
Wish we knew what he said to his family. &his dad. It was his dream too!
I'm glad Michael& Geoffrey were safe.
That's amazing. Because Bear was slow getting his stuff together, they left a few minutes later and the avalanche fell in front of them!
Transatlantic arctic voyage.
Dining room under a hot air balloon, received the Duke of Edinburgh awards!
French Foreign Legion pic.
Wish we had seen pics of the view from the top!
I saw pics of Bear with Kate Middleton, a scouting event.
Here he is with Prince Charles!
He's Chief Scout! Hands out the Queen's Scout Award at Windsor Castle every year. How cool!
'At 12:05 pm we unclipped from the last rope for the final time.' I bet that was emotional! It's cool he has the exact times of everything.
Haha opening the bag of his clothes that he'd worn for 90 days!
'At 17,450 feet we really were on the outer limits of where helicopters could fly.' Wow!
Bear putting a white cross on his jacket to look like a medic so he can fly from Everest in the helicopter!! Everybody joking he's pushing it. haha!!!
Kathmandu!!! I saw that place on Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates!
Typo: 'Raced out to where Neil was sat waiting.'
Omg Sergei and Francys, newly married, died on the mountain.
Roger Buick, New Zealand. Mark Jennings, from Britain.
Learn more of Bear. 'Down that dark crevasse, I also learned that sometimes we really need one another. &that is okay. We are not designed to be islands. We are made to be connected.'
'You don't have to be strong all the time. That was a big lesson to learn. When we show chinks it created bonds, &where there are bonds there is strength.'
Article on Bear! "What Makes a Scruffy 23-year-old Want to Risk It All for a View of Tibet?" that's cool he ended up in the paper.
Babu Chiri, who helped Mick with his oxygen died several years later. That's sad.
Geoffrey returned to the army. Neil to his business. Never gained feeling in his toes. That was sad to hear.
Thengba got a hearing aid by Henry. The deaf cook? Who's Henry? There were a lot of ppl, it got confusing with the names.
'Everest was nothing compared to seeing her.' Aw!!
'I had been warned by Henry at base camp not to rush into anything "silly" when I saw Shara again. he had told me it was a class mountaineers' error to propose as soon as you get home. High altitude apparently clouds people's good judgment, he had said.' Hahaha!
The car it outside their home!
Can't believe he proposed while they were naked!
Wish we had heard the reunion with his family after his trip.
"Be sincere, be brief, be seated."
'Ate bangers and mash.' I wonder what that is!
A ship called Shara!
Wish we could hear the best man speeches!
'Just how we had envisaged.' I thought that was a typo, until I found out it's a real word.
Rob Cranham who helped them fix their house, had narcolepsy and died in 2010. That's sad.
They both lost their fathers the 1st year of being married! That's awful. His dad died after an operation. I wondered how he died while reading the book.
A kid of the head of channel 4 said he should do a show. Discovery channel spots him after a deodorant commercial a few days after his dad died.
He turned down I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, and Survivor.
'Time and experience have since taught me that fame and money very rarely go to the worthy, by the way--hence we shouldn't ever be too impressed by either of those importers. Value folk for who they are, how they live, &what they give--that's a much better benchmark.'
Wish we had heard stories of each birth, how they found out they were pregnant &all that.
He turned down Man vs Wild 3 times!
Man vs Wild is more popular than Top Gear! Emmy nominated. Wow!
3 seasons in the UK, 6 in the U.S. but that's where he's from!!
'I do, though, like the fact that the country I am least well known in is the UK--it gives me breathing space and a degree of normality where it matters.'
'What it is like for us abroad is almost my family's little secret.' What does that mean?
There are critics of Man vs Wild. Losers.
He got flak for staying at a hotel with his family. Poor Bear! That reminds me of Steve Irwin getting attacked by the media. Read Terri Irwin's book earlier this year. Seems they attack everyone.
I wanna see Man vs Wild!
'The success is a good response to the critics.' You get em, Bear!
'Of course, there was often a safer, easier way down the waterfall or cliff face. But I rarely took it. That wasn't my aim. I wanted to show you how to survive when you have no safe options.' So that's what he does!
'There have been a multitude of near-death moments. None of which I am proud of. The list, though, is long. For old times' sake, I used to write them down. Then I gave up when I passed the 50th.' Whoa!
He did a series on training for the French Foreign Legion. '(Reminded me not to repeat that one). It has spawned a mini-industry.' What!
He's got 11 books. Ad campaigns. Dos Equis was one! I'd like to see that!
Lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy!!
Voted 30th most influential man in America. 7th coolest British man. Most admired person by the middle class, second to the Queen.
They host a scouting survival camp, special awards. Royal family attends.
Sometimes he gets scared of speaking& heights. Relatable!
One of the first North Atlantic Arctic Ocean expedition in the Prince's Trust. That explained the picture in the book!
French Foreign legion training in Sahara desert.
Venezuelan "Lost World" in search of gold.
Jet-skiing around Britain in aid of the UK lifeboats. Developed muscle in forearm!! Didn't know you could get muscle there! That's a lot of jet-skiing!
Dinner party under the balloon! Almost flipped the table over. Ate 3 courses, toasted the Queen! Potatoes and duck a l'orange! I'm glad that pic was explained! That is so funny!
Naked in a bathtub down the Thames! Had a run-in with an Australian crocodile.
Wish we had heard his family's voice after Everest. It petered out after that. & more of his story afterwards. It brushed over the events, his wedding& kids. &more stories about him& Shara.
I loved learning more about Bear, the funny/emotional stories, the adventures. The only thing was that the Everest expedition was sort of repetitive, and long. So was the SAS selection.
I wish there had been more about his family, marriage, kids after that.

*I had the paperback copy with orange lettering. not sure why that's not up there!!

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Sep 25, 2019 Jungmin Park rated it it was amazing

I will be reviewing Mud, Sweat, and Tears (2011) by Bear Grylls. The general focus of my book is building confidence. The author constantly tells about his identity and adds some lessons he got from each event at the end of every chapters. I found out that what the author genuinely wants to do through this book is emphasizing that no matter how we were messed up and rebellious against the world, we can finally achieve what you want and success as long as we have our confidence. Thanks to his tru I will be reviewing Mud, Sweat, and Tears (2011) by Bear Grylls. The general focus of my book is building confidence. The author constantly tells about his identity and adds some lessons he got from each event at the end of every chapters. I found out that what the author genuinely wants to do through this book is emphasizing that no matter how we were messed up and rebellious against the world, we can finally achieve what you want and success as long as we have our confidence. Thanks to his true stories and honest feelings, he succeeds to encourage people with the idea "You can do it".

The major theme of the text is focusing on yourself and try not to fall down, even the situation where you are in is really harsh and difficult. The major event that the author uses to show how he overcame his difficulties in his life is the time when he participated in England special forces selection, which is called SAS selection. He filled half of this book with his story in SAS training camp, and I enjoyed reading it because it gave a lot of lessons to me and the author's belief and values of his life. What I consider to be the central idea among the story of SAS is that if he starts something that he really desired to do, there is no other selections: The only thing he can and must do is to survive with constant endurance to the end. During the whole story of SAS, he continuously shows his repeated failure and overcome but at the end, he finally success to be part in the SAS.

While he repeats the failure and success on training and being exhausted, he thought: "I knew nothing good in life ever came from quitting." (210) All he got during the training was perseverance and endurance, and all he wanted to say through this book is also take a perseverance on everything you try. The general feature that this book is presenting is effort, and I think the author's use of this feature in the book because it is clear theme and strongly emphasize what the author wants to teach to us. Thus, I think the author uses this feature very successfully.

I liked this book so much, because I think it is very useful in terms of teaching lessons of endurance, growing identity and confidence. Its feature is very unique that it has rare theme which is different from other typical autobiographies. I think other readers may like this book because for people who want to learn how to be patient and to be stronger, this book is going to be very helpful to teach them all of those things. Therefore, I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Grylls, Bear. Mud, Sweat and Tears. London: Transworld Publishers, 2011. eBook.

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On my tbr list For. Ever. Started it years ago and got half way through before putting it down. Finished it yesterday. It earns 3-stars because I like Bear Grylls -- but the writing is only so-so. The Bear Grylls part is probably why the writing is also so-so. At one point in the book, he shares how he'd been asked to start speaking publicly and tried so hard to sound more academic or posh. He recognized that it became boring and those who listened to him wanted HIM -- not some put-upon accent o On my tbr list For. Ever. Started it years ago and got half way through before putting it down. Finished it yesterday. It earns 3-stars because I like Bear Grylls -- but the writing is only so-so. The Bear Grylls part is probably why the writing is also so-so. At one point in the book, he shares how he'd been asked to start speaking publicly and tried so hard to sound more academic or posh. He recognized that it became boring and those who listened to him wanted HIM -- not some put-upon accent or structured syntax (having said this: the man is Eton-educated... It's not like he doesn't know how to speak or write formally!). All of the asides started to really annoy me. Anyway... I still really like him and and am even more impressed: SAS, broken back, Everest. Wow. ...more

This is an inspirational book.

I have read a number of Autobiographies over the years, but this particular book has to be one of the most sincere, and heartfelt, that I have ever encountered. I haven't been a fan of Bear Grylls for particularly long. The book was bought as a gift by my Wife who saw the chance to buy a copy for an aggressively low price as a part of a High Street promotion.

Immediately prior to the purchase; I had watched a few episodes of "Born Survivor" on Discovery and I was p

This is an inspirational book.

Immediately prior to the purchase; I had watched a few episodes of "Born Survivor" on Discovery and I was pleased to be presented with the book, as I wasn't entirely sure as to the origins of Bear Grylls or what he stood for. I knew that he was "ex - Special Forces" and had appeared in "Man Vs Wild", but I had also heard that "Born Survivor" had been axed, and that Ray Mears was going to be "the new Bear" as a result of this. Therefore, the book was a timely intervention. I wanted to know more before everything changed.

Thankfully, Ray Mears is not "the new Bear" and a new series of "Born Survivor" has since commenced broadcast.

The book is an incredible journey from Childhood through to the present day. Each chapter is written in an open and honest style, and the writing style actively draws you into the heart of the matter and in turn, exposes the man behind the TV persona. Each chapter is a compelling read in it's own right. However when blended together; they present a compelling account of one man's life. The chapters on the SAS Test Week and his ascent of Everest are incredibly powerful testaments to one man's determination to achieve his goals. In addition, whilst "Faith" is mentioned during the various challenges that he overcame, it remains only a thread. It does not become overbearing or in any way contrived as can be the case in some personal treatise.

This is probably the reason as to why the book is so motivational and rewarding? It makes you realise that, he did not rely on "old friends" or "contacts" to achieve his goals, there was no sycophancy. Indeed, each chapter demonstrates how he actively pursued his goals and would not take "no" for an answer.

Having read the book; I now have a new found level of respect for this "average man". It has genuinely inspired me to take stock of my own position and actively seek more from it. It was a genuine revelation to read about how happy and fulfilled one man can be, without having to wade through chapter upon chapter of self-promoting; turgid and banal commentary. One man has achieved the perfect life balance, and all that he did was be himself. Above all, he remained kind; considerate and genuine. He did not distort himself. This is the key teaching that I have taken away from Bear Grylls.

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Bear Grylls has become known around the world as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. His journey to this acclaim started in the UK on the Isle of Wight, where his late father taught him to climb and sail. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Bear went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, serving with 21 SAS. It was here that he pe Bear Grylls has become known around the world as one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure. His journey to this acclaim started in the UK on the Isle of Wight, where his late father taught him to climb and sail. Trained from a young age in martial arts, Bear went on to spend three years as a soldier in the British Special Forces, serving with 21 SAS. It was here that he perfected many of the skills that his fans all over the world enjoy watching him pit against mother-nature. Despite a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa, where he broke his back in three places, and after enduring months in military rehabilitation, Bear went on to become one of the youngest ever climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Bear went on to star in Discovery Channel's Emmy nominated Man Vs Wild and Born Survivor TV series, which has become one of the most watched shows on the planet. Off screen, Bear has lead record-breaking expeditions, from Antarctica to the Arctic, which in turn have raised over £2.5million for children around the world. In recognition of his expertise and service, Bear was appointed as the youngest ever Chief Scout to 28 million Scouts worldwide, awarded an honorary commission as a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy, and has authored 10 books, including To My Sons. ...more

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"You can't become a decent horseman until you fall off and get up again, a good number of times.
There's life in a nutshell." — 677 likes

"Never depend on those luck moments – they are gifts – but instead always build your own back-up plan." — 49 likes

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