Ragged Edge: Exploring Physical, Psychological, Emotional and Spiritual Limits

Steve De Maio is a lifetime adventurer and risk-taker. In this collection of essays, he chronicles elements from his 40+ year journey toward, at, and beyond "The Ragged Edge" of his capacity. We experience dizzying rock climbs, wilderness mountain trails, and savage oceans. We feel as though we are alongside Steve De Maio or are inside his mind as he faces significant adversity. The essays trace Steve De Maio's journey from when he was a young man, literally learning the ropes and exploring his physical and psychological limits, to a period where, alongside those, he additionally probes his emotional and spiritual capacity. There are mentors and learnings all along the way. While the "ragged edge" can be a place of fear, anxiety, and very real physical danger, De Maio learns it can also be a rewarding place of harmony, bliss, meditation, and induce flow-like states. As a lifetime adventurer, Steve De Maio learns that while physical capacity diminishes with advancing age, psychological, emotional, and spiritual limits can wax, and their exploration can be equally rewarding.

What readers are saying:

Steve De Maio's honest and immersive storytelling takes readers deep into his mind as he faces many trials. The blend of technical knowledge and deeply personal introspection makes this a compelling read for anyone who has ever longed to push their limits. Steve De Maio's journey is inspiring and humbling, proving that true adventure is as much about the inner battle as the external one. His stories are not just about surviving the elements, but about the internal battles of fear, doubt, and determination that come with adventure.

Steve De Maio is brutally honest about his struggles, from long falls, mechanical failures, to the sheer terror of oncoming storms. Yet, he balances these moments with breathtaking descriptions of some of the best experiences of his life. His philosophical musings on intuition and decision-making add a deeply introspective layer to these tales. This book is a fantastic read for anyone who loves adventure or simply well-told stories of resilience.

While Steve De Maio's first book, The Rage, Reflections on Risk, is a collection of essays written by De Maio between 1985 and 2005, this book, The Ragged Edge, Exploring Physical, Psychological, Emotional, and Spiritual Limits, is a collection of his stories written between 2005 and 2025.

Steve De Maio is an award-winning author and has published five other books: The Rage, Reflections on Risk, Suicide Wall, Ephets and the Magic Seeds, Phosej and the Magic Gloves, and The Passion, Love, Life, Loss. Versions of these essays have been published in the Canadian Alpine Journal, Running Magazine, Gripped Magazine, or are also available separately on Amazon.