Books: Climbing Free: My Life in the Vertical World by Lynn Hill Lynn Hill was the first great woman climber and at one point was one of the best climbers in the world (male or female). Her book will inspire you to climb harder, smarter and bolder. If you are a tall guy, you will be humbled by this five foot woman's ability; if you are a small chick, you will take pride in her amazing accomplishments. Not only does she share valuable tips for climbing with mental toughness and lucidity, but she also throws in tons of entertaining stories from the early greats (Royal Robbins, Yvan Chouinard, Warren Harding) and from wild Camp 4 during the 1970s in Yosemite. Are you a climber? READ THIS BOOK.
Climbing Anchors by John Long John Long was there in the early Joshua Tree and Yosemite days. He put up many legendary routes, and has seen climbing protection transform from pitons to spring loaded camming devices. He gives easy-to-understand descriptions of how to use traditional climbing gear, uses pretty good instructional photos, and keeps you entertained with wild stories from the golden days of climbing. If you want to learn how to protect your own climbs and free yourself from the bolt, then this is the book for you!
Space Below My Feet by Gwen Moffat The top ten list of lady bad asses should definitely include Gwen Moffat. She was leading big wall routes before women could vote. Unlike other famous female climbers from the same era, men followed her up routes. This book is an auto-biography about her wild, gypsy lifestyle in Europe after quitting her job as an Army truck driver during WWII.