Kara Richardson Whitely knew that she could reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. She had done it once before. That's why, when she failed in a second attempt, it brought her so low. As she struggled with food addiction and looked for ways to cope with feelings of failure and shame, Kara's weight shot to more than 300 pounds. Deep in her personal gorge, Kara realized that the only way out was up. She resolved to climb the mountain again—and this time, she would reach the summit without waiting for her plus-sized status to disappear.
Gorge: My Journey up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds is the raw story of Kara's ascent from the depths of self-doubt to the top of the world. Her difficult but inspiring trek speaks to every woman who has struggled with her self-image or felt that food was controlling her life. Honest and unforgettable, Kara's journey is one of intense passion, endurance, and self-acceptance.
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“In Gorge, Kara Richardson Whitely takes us where few have dared to go before: thrillingly up to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and profoundly down to the darkest depths of food addiction. Kara is fearlessly honest and powerfully intelligent. I was moved and inspired by every page of this beautiful book.”
— Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
The author' story is immediately engaging, as she chronicles her initial Kilimanjaro triumph and her follow-up failure with wit, energy and color.
— Kirkus“This detailed account of [Kara Richardson Whitely’s] travails will give confidence not only to hesitant would-be mountaineers but to those, like her, whose biggest hurdle is ‘to learn to be O.K. with who I was.’”
— New York Times“Kara Richardson Whitely wasn’t about to let her weight stop her from conquering the roof of Africa. Her triumph as a plus-sized hiker is as inspiring as it is refreshing.”
— Backpacker Magazine“Gorge reminds us of just how strong the human spirit is, and how resilience and determination can, in fact, triumph over despair.”
— Ann Hood, author of ComfortBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Kara Richardson Whitely has hiked Mount Kilimanjaro three times while weighing as much as 300 pounds. She is a motivational public speaker, and has written for Self, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and Runner’s World magazines. She lives in Summit, New Jersey, with her husband and two daughters.