What happens when your husband dies in an avalanche and then you marry his best friend? It’s a fascinating question that artist and writer Jennifer Lowe-Anker set out to answer in her 2009 book Forget Me Not.
The Backstory
Jennifer Lowe-Anker was married to the famous climber, Alex Lowe, and they had three sons together. When Alex had another really early morning departure for a climb in the Himalayas, she was so used to his extended trips, she didn’t even get out of bed to say “good-bye.”
That climb ended up being Alex’s last. He was out for a reconnoiter of the route with his best friend and fellow climbing superstar, Conrad Anker, and a filmmaker on the trip. They heard the crack of an avalanche letting loose above them and Alex and the filmmaker ran one way for the trees, Conrad ran the other way. The avalanche caught and buried Alex and the filmmaker. Despite the best efforts of Conrad and the rest of the team, they weren’t able to rescue them.
Jennifer Lowe-Anker writes beautifully about her journey through guilt and grief. And then as she comes through the worst of it, she falls in love with Alex’s best friend and climbing partner, Conrad Anker. Conrad has gone through his own journey of grief and survivor’s guilt after the loss of his best friend. Jennifer and Conrad end up getting married, and Conrad helps to raise Alex and Jennifer’s sons.
The Results
It was published by Mountaineers Books with a forward by Jon Krakauer (author of Into Thin Air and Into The Wild). Jennifer is a recognized artist in her own right and her now husband, Conrad Anker, is about as big of a climbing celebrity as you can get. Conrad has been in climbing movies like Meru, and Imax films. He was one of the climbers that found George Mallory’s body on Mt. Everest 75 years after Mallory went missing and was presumed dead. Talk about the needle in a haystack, a very dangerous haystack in this case.
Why am I thinking about this book? I was reminded of it the other day and I wondered, given all the celebrity and support, how the book has done. I looked on Amazon – it has 86 reviews and 283 ratings. It’s ranked as #583 in mountain climbing books, and #7,094 in Women’s Biographies.
It was a good reminder to me that not every book climbs to the top of the Best Seller list – even ones that are well-written and lauded and do respectably well. But it doesn’t make it any less of a good book. It’s beautifully written and I imagine Jennifer Lowe-Anker finding the healing power of the re-telling of the story, the process we find so often when we write.
I’ve written more about what climbing has taught me about friendship on my personal blog: Friendship Brownies
I also post on Mondays at the Heart of the Matter blog, a great shared blog of personal storytelling with a podcast that features inspirational creatives. My book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.
You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @wynneleon
(featured photo from Pexels)
Most of the books I love never make bestseller lists! Great sentiments.
Exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for the comment, Shawnerly!
Love your observations…a reminder, perhaps, to read what we love and let the rest go. Maybe the same principle applies to writing…write what’s in your heart and give it gladly to the world. Thanks for the reminder about your dad’s twinkle and spark and for introducing us to him, Wynne. 🥰
YES!
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Exactly, Deb!
Oh, I love how you’ve extended this to writing, Vicki! Give it gladly – such a great way to put it!
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That’s the truth about so many things in life, Wynne. I often say there are many talented people who, for various reasons, never make it to the top of their game but it doesn’t make them any less talented. In fact, they may even be more talented than those who do make it to the top thanks to being in the right place at the right time, or knowing the right people.
Excellent perspective, Michelle! They might even have more talent – so true!
Wow! Amazing stories both in this post and in the one you linked to. I think my reading list just got a few books longer. 🤩 I also appreciate the thoughts about popular and well done not being the same thing.
Oh, I love how you put it, Todd – the distinction between popular and well done.
Friendship Brownies? I had forgotten all about that one! Is there no end to your blogging creativity? They just keep going on and on and on—kinda like the Energizer Bunny. Endless entertainment courtesy of the Great Wynne Writing Machine! Lucky readers!
Ha, ha, ha. You have me laughing, Julia!! Love you, my friend!
Thank you for sharing a useful perspective for authors to keep in mind, Wynne! 🙂
I’m just writing what I need to read, Cheryl. 🙂
It’s indeed a powerful story Wynne, thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Cristiana!
I agree — many books that don’t make any bestseller lists are quite good. 🙂
You said it perfectly, Dave!
Thank you for recommandation of this book, Wynne.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Parisa!
Wynne, I found myself thinking and writing about this very thing this week, not only the wonderful books that don’t make bestseller lists (how about West with Giraffes as an example?) but all the beautiful manuscripts that never get published. I do believe our stories are eternal and that changes the perspective for me. Thanks for the heads up on this book! Todd and I love good adventure stories and second chances at love!
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Great point about the ones that never get published, Deb! Yes, those as well. I love how you say “stories are eternal.” What a beautiful perspective!
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Well done
This is very encouraging. Thank you for sharing. I would want to read that book.