UKC

An interesting little atricle appeared in the "sports Section" of our local paper last week regarding the apparant rarity and value of the Don Whillans book, Portrait of a Mountaineer. The article featured the co-author Alick Ormerod who like Don is a local chap. Apparantly the book is still sought after, particulary by Yanks and is worth upwards of about £50.00, not bad for a book printed in 1971 costing a staggering 0.85p (2 dollars 50cents stateside.

In reply to Peter Cain:

It is a fantastic book though. I wish my copy was in better condition, wouldn't part with it though.

In reply to Guy: Just dug mine out, looking pretty tatty loose pages etc.BTW ala Adam Lincolns phote quiz, do you know what the route/crag is on the front cover?

In reply to Peter Cain: I've only got the paperback...but does anyone know what pinnacle Don's stood on on the cover?

In reply to Peter Cain: I will have to dig the book out at lunch and see if I recognise it. I can't remember off the top of my head.

In reply to Ian Hill: You may find this hard to believe but its at Widdop, below the butress containing the route in the Photo quix thread by Adam Lincoln.

In reply to Peter Cain:

Well seeing as I didn't have the answer to Adam's quiz then I guess I wouldn't have been able to answer this one. Thanks for putting my mind to rest so quickly!

In reply to Peter Cain: it looks like he's dressed for a day in the Alps! I still can't get hold of a copy of The Villain anywhere...online it's just "on order" and none of the shops in the real world have it...

In reply to Ian Hill:

Do you know who the publisher's supposed to be? I'd ring them up and check it's actually been published. My guess is it hasn't been: it's been in various catalogues for years on the basis that it's always about to be published.

In reply to Ian Hill: Amazon are accepting orders for it, which is a bit cheeky. They don't take the money till they dispatch though. Two weekends ago Jim Perrin said it was coming out in November this year. He also read out a brief excerpt - if it's all to the standard of the excerpt it will be well worth the wait.

In reply to Ian Hill:
I just don't see Don wearing snowgoggles on a route at Widdop, or twin ropes and a cag like that. It also looks like granite to me.
Definitely in the alps.

In reply to sutty: that's what I thought...it's a rare sky for Widdop too...

In reply to johncoxmysteriously: on Amazon and on BOL they quote a published Feb 2002 date...I know it's been in the offing for years but now at least they have a cover shot on there...I could believe it'd come out for Xmas this year though...

In reply to sutty:
Inside the rear flap it says 'Don on the summit of the Aiguille Poincenot, Patagonia'.
And I don't think there's much gritstone down there...

In reply to Mick Dewsbury:
...However, I also heard the tale that it was posed for the cover shot, at various UK crags - the most plausible being Commando Ridge near Bosigran.

In reply to Peter Cain: £50 is peanuts compared to a lot of American academic textbooks which are sometimes crap so maybe its a bargain?

In reply to Mick Dewsbury:
It does look cornish doesn't it, is that his fist he is waving or a cornet?

In reply to Mick Dewsbury: Going to have to have a look at it after all when I get home! Much scratching of the head anticipated.

In reply to Steve C:
£50 is peanuts! I noticed a hardback copy sold recently by a UK dealer for £150.

In reply to Mick Dewsbury: I got it out of the Library a couple of years ago, the only copy came on an inter-library loan from the Al Rouse Library in Sheffield!

In reply to Peter Cain:
The recent Jarvis (rare book) catalogue has one on offer for £120! I'd be interested to know if anyone has bought it yet. I got a copy 2 years ago in good condition for £20.

In reply to Chauvi:
If i had one and I knew a yank was after it id be charging £200!

In reply to Peterk:
I have a paperback copy signed by him and I am keeping it, along with a postcard from annapurna base camp.

In reply to John2:

Wonder if it will tell the truth about the man as well as the mountaineer?

In reply to Anonymous: The excerpt that he read out was very interesting, as well as very entertaining. He started out by telling all available versions of one of the famous Whillans stories, the one where he knocked a bus conductor off the platform of his bus when asked for an extra halfpenny for the fare. Several versions of this story were available, the most exaggerated coming from one of Dennis Gray's books. He then presented what he thought to be the most probable version, that told by Whillans' sister. Basically he was on holiday for a fortnight and in his absence his bus fare to work went up by a halfpenny. When asked for the higher fare he demanded to see the fare tables. The bus conductor initially refused, but acceded when the bus driver intervened. No punching or testicle grabbing occurred. The point of the exercise was to point out the way in which exaggerated legends grew up around the man.

This does seem to indicate that some care will be taken to discover the truth of Whillans' life rather than just to recount the hoary old tales.

In reply to John2:

Your right about Mr Grays tales Many are totally bogus..

In reply to Peter Cain: i recently GAVE a copy of this book to my mate paperback in good nick. he'll be laughing when i tell him. i'm not. how much would a 1956 copy of ed hilary and g lowe book be in hardback with dust jacket and signed by both authors???? how much for a hardback joe brown original too and henrich harrer hardback to carstenz. also a book on the dalai lama signed by him???

In reply to stuart from bolton:
Oh go on then, I'll take them all off you for a tenner...