La linea invisibile

"The invisible line" is the new book by the great climber Maurizio Oviglia. It is not a climbing guide, although it contains descriptions of 64 climbs, distributed across four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America). It is rather a guide to the sensations, emotions and reflections of the author during his long sporting career: the evolutions of the technique and ethics of climbing, the search for the most difficult, spectacular and exciting climbs, in a sort of challenge towards himself and his own abilities; and again: the enchantment of extraordinary landscapes seen from the exclusive perspective of the climber, the effort of hours, but also of days (and nights) spent on the wall and the sensations of the feat accomplished, once the goal has been reached. But above all the relationship with the mountains and with others: "Mountaineering - writes Oviglia - is often a violent act of selfishness towards society, an escape, a gesture of narcissism. 'Opening' a way for others can, on the contrary , to be a gesture of altruism, a possibility, an open door that allows us to establish an emotional bond with our neighbor. I have therefore fully experienced the contradiction of every mountaineer, eager to live their day as a lion in solitude but then eager to to be able to tell it to others and therefore be understood, praised and shared". In this book, Oviglia confirms himself as a true writer, worth reading both for his ideas and his style.