c/o Ms. Gokturk

Paul D. Schreiber High School

101 Campus Drive

Port Washington, NY 11050

March 15, 2004

Mr. Joe Simpson

Author of Touching the Void

c/o HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

10 East 54th Street

New York, NY 10022

 

Dear Mr. Joe Simpson,

 

            Hi, my name is Dan Harnick and I am in 11^th grade in Schreiber High School in Port Washington, New York. As part of a biography project in English class I read your book, Touching the Void, which I enjoyed very much.

            I first discovered your book about a month ago while flipping through The New York Times. A picture of someone ice climbing caught my eye and I proceeded to read the article that followed, which was a review of the movie based on your book. When the time came to choose a book for English class, I remembered reading the movie review and that the movie was based on your book. I thought it would be an interesting book because I thought it would be more interesting than a plain and dull biography. I turned out to be correct in this assumption as I really enjoyed your book and I think that the story of your survival is absolutely amazing. Now after finishing the book, I can’t wait to see the movie. Were you and Simon involved in the making of the movie at all? How well do you think it represents what actually happened during that week on the mountain and what did you think of it?

            I know you have probably been asked this a thousand times, but what do you think of Simon’s decision to cut the rope? What it really the only option he had at that point? I have also been wondering, have you done any serious climbing since the accident? Thank you for taking your time to read my letter.