Switchback

by David Alexander

"Hollywood was betting a lot on this movie being a hit. It had a big budget and an A-list cast including Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid in the lead roles. To help insure it worked they wanted an author whom a studio chief called “Mr. Action” to rewrite a knotty script and novelize the movie. I, Dave, the “Mr. Action” in question, viewed the movie’s concept as a kind of serious “Twin Peaks” and part of a lineage of mountaineering thrillers dating back to the 1909 Where Snow is A Romance of the Glaciers. The script I got was titled “Going West in America.” I changed the title to ""Switchback,"" owing to the culminating scenes in the high passes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains which I thought were symbolic. I kept most of the characters’ names, however some of these were changed in the movie; Frank Albergotti became Frank LaCrosse and Bob Goodman became Bob Goodall, to give two examples. I've retained the original names here, in this ebook edition of Switchback."

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

David Alexander began writing early in life and began writing uncoaxed and spontaneously. His fledgling appearance in print dates to a sonnet published in a New York City daily newspaper when David was in elementary school in Brooklyn. Between then and today, he has written and published in virtually every literary category, including novels, novelettes, short fiction, poetry, essays and film scripts. He received his early education via the New York City public school system. He later attended Columbia University in New York City and Sorbonne University in Paris, France.

In addition to fiction and creative nonfiction, Alexander has written technical papers as a defense analyst for some of the world's most prestigious international defense publications on high-technology combat systems and their strategic and tactical applications. He is as conversant with the global corporate and civilian defense sector as he is with the military side. Few can justly claim the scope and breadth of his knowledge of and familiarity with the international defense community, ranging from weapon systems to global strategic policy.

As an author, Alexander can justly claim to have pulled himself up by his own bootstraps. Never has he benefited from anybody's patronage. There have been no wealthy relatives with connections, no connections by marriage; no favors traded in secret, no hooked-up friends to fast-track his career. Nor has anybody but David Alexander penned the titles published over David Alexander's byline. Alexander is a resident of Brooklyn Heights, where he has lived and written for many years.

Reviews

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, written from a movie script. I have seen the movie but thanks to old age and a poor memory couldn't remember a thing about it. I found the book to basically be just a description of what happened on the screen and I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read. Recommended.

[E. Kaye · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star is generous. This is drivel written in cliche. I finished through skimming the second half, only because I wanted to make sure my conclusions were correct about the major players. Don't waste your time, watch the movie instead.