THE IMPOSSIBLE FIRST

Colin O'Brady may be physically and mentally superhuman. He holds speed records for astonishing feats--climbing the highest peaks in all 50 U.S. states and completing the Explorers Grand Slam of climbing the highest mountain on each continent, plus reaching the North and South Pole. In this memoir, he recounts being the first to traverse Antarctica alone and unsupported. Sadly, O'Brady's narration is a little over-the-top, blunting the impact of his amazing story. Notes of melodrama constantly creep in, bringing to mind the motivational talks he gives to children. It's also a pity that he makes his wife, Jenna, sound more like an inspirational cipher than a real person. Still, O'Brady's sincerity is never in doubt, and the image of him dancing on the ice to Paul Simon's "Graceland" is sure to generate a smile. A.B. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]