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Whats your favourite climbing / mountaineering book?

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 Big Steve 27 Jan 2004
mine is The Death Zone by Matt Dickinson, one of the first I read. I'm halfway through Chris Bonnington's I chose To Climb which is rather good. Has anybody else got any favourites / reccomendations?
GFoz 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

Fave: Landranger Series, No. 41
2nd: Mountaineering in Scotland by Bill Murray.
 Adders 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: there was a really good thread about this last week. search for it Steve.
Alan 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: I would recommend ALL of Joe Simpsons books.Start with "touching the void" ( you may find one or two posts on it on this site)

Then "This game of ghosts" ,"dark shadows falling" "the beckoning silence"

I could not put them down!!!
In reply to Alan:

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakeuer is pretty gripping. Anything by Joe Simpson.

Spose I have to say Rum Doodle.

Next on the list is Xmas pressie Herzog's Annapurna. Any good?
 Glen 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan: Some of Joe Simpson's stuff is a bit depessing.
I'll definitely go with GFoz and vote for Mountaineering in Scotland by Bill Murray - fantastic.
In reply to Big Steve:

also White Spider - Heinrich Harrer, great history of the N face of the Eiger.

Mooncat at work 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Glen:

Feeding the Rat by Al Alvarez, the life story of Mo Anthoine, not your normal mountaineering book, but an essential read.
Kirk Sadler 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: Fall of the Phantom Lord by Andrew Todhunter
 helix 27 Jan 2004
Left For Dead, by Beck Weathers

not really. Annapurna is an awesome book. makes by toes tingle just thinking about it.
 Frank4short 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: I can't believe no ones mentioned Paul Pritchard. In my opinion one of the few truly inspiring climbing authors. He talks about passion and emotion and being scared shitless trying to go for moves. As opposed to the classic climbing book line "I was scared but i went for the move and i made it" obviously to peppared to some specialist lingo of the type of climbing the author is talking about. I find this to be the case with most climbing authors and despite the achievements accomplished by many of them i don't think they should write or if they do they should get themselves ghost authors with a better command of English.
OP Big Steve 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan: I enjoyed touching the void and this game of ghosts, but i found the beckoning silence a bit miserable
 Alan Stark 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

I was first turned on to climbing over 30 years ago by reading Lionel Terray's "Conquistadors of the Useless". A classic of its time, and still a good read today. The accounts of early ascents of the classic alpine North Faces, and the Fitzroy in Patagonia, put him among the alpine greats.

A book I can recommend to anyone locky enough to be able to lay their hands on a copy.

And

W.E Bowman's "Ascent of Rum Doodle", of course. Many non climbers have also experienced bladder control problems whilst laughing at that one.
 Alan Stark 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan Stark:

Or lucky even -- the disluxik queybrd stryks agenn
Removed User 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan:

Nobody seems to mention The Water People by Joe Simpson.

Good book but doesn't half leave you feeling hollow....check it out.
 BelleVedere 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: I really liked gwen moffats autobiography. Think its called the ground/space beneath my feet. The climbings not massivly hard, but her achievements were.
Anonymous 27 Jan 2004
In reply to helix:
>
>
> Annapurna is an awesome book. makes by toes tingle just thinking about it.

The last sentence of all is the best in any mountaineering book - "There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men".

 John Alcock 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan Stark:
Always A Little Further by Alistair Borthwick
The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer
Almost anything by John Long or John Sherman
One Man's Mountains by Tom Patey
The Last Blue Mountain by ??
Annapurna by Maurice Herzog
and what was that fantastic styory about the first ascent of Hummingbird Ridge? Was it just an article in Ascent or a whole book? My memory's gone blank.
Anonymous 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan Stark:
> I was first turned on to climbing over 30 years ago by reading Lionel Terray's "Conquistadors of the Useless".

A walk in the park compared with Desmaison's "Total Alpinism".
sewing machine 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Humphrey Jungle: Sorry, can't agree. I don't know if it's the translation from German but most of the prose is turgid. The only chapters which come alive are his own ascent(naturally) and the Tragedy of Toni Kurtz.

I'd go for Rum Doodle
johncoxmysteriously1 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

I'm tempted to say anything that ISN'T by Joe Simpson. Certainly a good general rule. But as it is:-

Only a Little Further - Alastair Borthwick
One Man's Mountains - Tom Patey
Rope Boy - Dennis Gray
Mountaineering in Scotland - Bill Murray

The first of these is the best.
 Lizard 27 Jan 2004
I know this is terrible but I actually found Annapurna quite heavy going and didn't bother to finish the last chapter. A bit too flowery. I think I might have to read it again because I haven't met anyone else who didn't enjoy it.

However- the bits about him getting injections into his frostbitten fingers were horrific.
GFoz 27 Jan 2004
In reply to johncoxmysteriously1:
>
> The first of these is the best.

Agreed. If any piece of writing ever fired me up to get on a route it was Borthwick writing about the Chasm.

Ever wonder what happened to the folks in the book?
 TobyA 27 Jan 2004
In reply to johncoxmysteriously1: Has anyone else read Mountains of the Mind yet by Robert Macfarlane? I got within 20 pages of finishing it having got it as a christmas pressie then went and left it on the plane when I came home after Xmas. This was most upsetting as it is a very interesting book as well as being a gift from my parents, and the useless airline couldn't find it (I reckon the pilot nicked it!).

Anyways - my Dad being a diamond geezer has bought me another copy so I look forward to reading the last bit when I get it. It was the book the Perrin was wetting himself in excitement about back in the autumn - "the greatest book ever written on our sport" or some such. I was a bit let down, as the idea weren't completely fresh to me, but still it is very interesting and accessible for what is in effect a book on the history of ideas.
johncoxmysteriously1 27 Jan 2004
In reply to GFoz: AB himself became a respected body in some (public service I think) field and died recently, didn’t he? Hamish Hamilton I don’t know anything about. Midge – someone posted the answer to this a while back when AB died. I remember thinking it was interesting. I have an idea she might have died young. Either that or married someone one has heard of.

Yes – the Chasm. Marvellous. What chance do you think you’d stand today if you went down to the Glencoe road round about midnight and asked passersby to walk up the Buachaille with you and haul up a couple of mates stuck half-way up a rock climb? Would make an entertaining Candid Camera-style programme, but I wouldn’t like your prospects much.
 Alan Stark 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Anonymous:

Maybe so, but many of the earlier epics in the book predate Desmaison --Terray was showing the way.
GFoz 27 Jan 2004
In reply to johncoxmysteriously1:

>>Yes – the Chasm. Marvellous.

been up?

I remember that someone came on RT a while back asking about Hamilton - he was a descendant of some sort.
Anonymous 27 Jan 2004
In reply to johncoxmysteriously1:
> Only a Little Further - Alastair Borthwick

You may be interested in AB's wartime experiences from Egypt to Germany in "Batallion" (Baton Wicks).
 Alan Stark 27 Jan 2004
In reply to John Alcock:

Have read and enjoyed most of them.

Peter Gillman's ? "Mountain Midsummer" about the early climbing exploration of South Island in New Zealand in the 40's and 50's is also a good read.
 Doug 27 Jan 2004
In reply to TobyA:
there was quite a heated thread somewhere (here ?) about that book, with the author joining in. Not read it yet (is it in paper back yet ?) but I think the main argument against it was that most of what he was saying wasn't new and that his motivations for climbing were a bit different from most mountaineers. Several folk made the point that Phil Bartlett had covered much the same terain several years ago & made a better job of it, likewise much of MacFarlanes book overlaps with Simon Scharma's landscape & memory, both of which I'd recommend if you haven't already read them.

My favourite, depending on mood would either be Tom Patey's One Mans Mountains or Terray's Les conquerants de l'inutile.

The only expedition books I've really enjoyed were the two by Andrew Greig.
john H 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

Read South Col by Wilfrid Noyce, best everst 53 book, has a sense of feeling and emotion, whereas the official book seems sterile.
Victor Llorente 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: "Bajo la mirada de las chovas" Samivel. (Under the "black birds of the mountain" looking) Sorry for this crapslation, the book is.... how could I say this? like if you melt Mr. Bean and Jaques Tati in a mountain movie. "Mountain is my kingdom" and the preface of "Les cent plus belles ascenssions des Alps" G. Rebuffat. "Mountains of a life" W. Bonatti and the most impressive to me (Don't know if it's in english) " Eh! Petrel" by Julio Villar.
 Clare 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

I really like Paul Pritchard's writing style; he's written two books, 'Deep Play' and 'Totem Pole', both of which won the Boardman Tasker award.
Alan 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Humphrey Jungle: Hey there Humph'...bought Rum doodle last week....i've read the first 2 chapters and there are some funny bits in it,but im not inspired by it.Should i persevere with it?
Alan 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: He seems to have lost that madnes that was so evident in his other books,although i did enjoy it immensely.
He leaves the door invitingly open as to what he's going to do next though?
Alison Bond 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

I've just finished reading Bear Gryllis' book (forget what it's called, it's about him climbing Everest) Although it didn't tell me anything new about the mountain or about what happens at altitude, i did like the way he talked about the practicalites of life on the mountain, like how do you go for a poo, or what happens if you spill you bottle of wee on your sleeping back.

I like Joe Simpson's stuff too, i prefer his more philosophical bent like Game of Ghosts or Storm of Silence than Touching the Void.

I've read Pritchard's Totem Pole and thought it a good, if gory story, but not the sort of thing I would read over and over again.

And I'm looking forward to getting my bottom in geat to buy the Macfarlain, Mountains of the Mind.

I've got the story of Alison Hargreaves on my shelf waiting to be read, but I can't bring myself to do it at the moment.

Ali xxx
Timbo 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: The White Spider deffo... Even if it was written by a Nazi !
 tony 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Mooncat at work:> (In reply to Glen)
>
> Feeding the Rat by Al Alvarez, the life story of Mo Anthoine, not your normal mountaineering book, but an essential read.

Seconded. Nice to read something by someone who can actually write.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mountains of the Mind. Again, an author who can actually write. The criticism that he covers old ground doesn't hold too much water with me as I haven't read the things he's supposed to be rehashing.

I'd also agree with whoever said anything but Joe Simpson - they're all basically the same - angst, do something daft, bad weather, good weather, great days, someone dies, JS falls off something big, he lived morosely ever after.

In fact, I've decided that most expedition books are a bit boring, so I'm giving up on them.

Alan 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: Another two i can recommend are "K2 savage mountain" by that well known high altitude climer Jim curran LOL

Its the history of K2(obvoiusly)

..and "high exposure" by David breashears.
 helix 27 Jan 2004
yeah theyre good.

also i liked the first two in the boardman/tasker omnibus
 Alan Stark 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

Julie Tullis' book, Clouds From Both Sides ( or something similar) is also an excellent read. There aren't a lot of books by the ladies, but even this typical hairy arsed male climber, was almost moved to tears at one point.
wcdave 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: 'Creagh Dhu Climber, The Life and Times of John Cunningham'.

Fantastic book.
Slugain Howff 27 Jan 2004
In reply to wcdave:
> (In reply to Big Steve) 'Creagh Dhu Climber, The Life and Times of John Cunningham'.
>
> Fantastic book.

Liked it too - captured the era very well. It got a bit of a bashing by the critics though.
Like Hastons "In High Places" and Patey's "One mans mountains" too.
AE Borthwick's "Always a little further" is also spot on for capturing a Scottish pioneeering era.
O Mighty Tim 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: Tom Patey - One Man's Mountains.
Rhum Doodle.
Joe Simpson - Touching the Void
Bonnington's I Chose to Climb, for his years with Patey and Whillans...

TTG
Li'l Zé 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

GJF Dutton's 'The Ridiculous Mountains' and 'Nothing So Simple As Climbing'.
 Simon Caldwell 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
Has no-one mentioned Bell's Progress in Mountaineering?
yamabushi 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
Rock jocks wall rats etc - John Long
Eiger wall of death - Arthur Roth (in my opinion way better than white spider)
Epic ascent of everest - Francis Younghusband (well written account of early attempts on everest)
would also add any joe simpson books plus really enjoyed Anderl Heckmair's autobiography
 DougG 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
If I had to pick one it would be Conquistadors of the Useless by Lionel Terray.

Or Mountaineering in Scotland by WH Murray.

I know, that's two.
OP Big Steve 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Alison Bond: Bear Ghylls book is Facing Up I think, its a good read too
Humphry Jungle 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
I've always been gagging to go look for the Cave in Borthwicks book but always ended up on the hill when I've been up at Arrochar. In the opening chapter he describes Arrochar as a heaving Blackpool of a place - time change eh.
Richard Doyle 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

Have a few favourites.

The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer
Touching the Void and This Game of Ghosts by Joe Simpson
Savage Arena by Joe Tasker
The Shining Mountain by Peter Boardman
Marra 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Richard Doyle: My Life ,Anderl Heckmair,the man that led most of the 38 ascent of the Eiger.
 gwilym 27 Jan 2004
Kiss or Kill by Mark Twight, a bit weird in places but an excellent read
Rob 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
I am really getting into Mummery, the guy was out of this world.
Ed Stevens 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve: I liked, 'into thin air' by Jon Krakauer. It is a good book, powerful. Its a personal account of an Everest disaster. How the f##k did Beck manage to survive? Read it, I can't believe it?!
Ed Stevens 27 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
In reply to Alan: I enjoyed touching the void and this game of ghosts, but i found the beckoning silence a bit miserable

I agree the Beckoning silence is only a few pages through after 2 attempts!
Anonymous 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Lizard:
> I actually found Annapurna quite heavy going and didn't bother to finish the last chapter. A bit too flowery.

Yes a florid self-serving book.

Read David Robert's "True Summit" to discover the undercurrents of the expedition and the misgivings of Lachenal, Rebuffat and Terray. In particular he portrays Lachenal in true guide tradition in that he would have turned back on the summit day because of the danger of frostbite but stayed with Herzog ( who was carried away with the glory of France etc.) out of concern for his welfare. Roberts maintains Lachenal lived the remainder of his short span to regret the conduct of the expedition as avoidable frostbite injuries put paid to a spectacular climbing career.

Roberts comments on Rebuffat's bitterness with the French climbing establishment post the expedition which establishment in turn prevented him from playing any part in future expeditions. Terray emerges in his book as a man with a heart of gold who put it all behind him and continued to push the boundaries.
 Doug 28 Jan 2004
In reply to whoever wrote
"I actually found Annapurna quite heavy going and didn't bother to finish the last chapter. A bit too flowery. "

anything written in french will seem flowery to those used to typical english prose, its just the way they write -even french scientific papers tend to be florid
Daryl 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
Deep play by Paul Prichard and the climb by Anatoli Boukreev
 TobyA 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Doug: Read the old Macfarlane thread with great interest. I thought much of the criticism seemed rather silly - the idea of a climbing community is just silly. The vast vast majority of climber don't 'live the life' they have other jobs and interests. It just happens that Macfarlane has a job which has some connection to his hobby and he wrote a jolly good book connecting the two. Other people could do similar relating climbing to various other aspects of their lives if they wanted to...

I do agree though that the Everest fascination has escaped me. When I was young I read vast amounts of expedition books - and that lit the spark (Bonnington's The South Face of Annapurna made me want to be a climber). But in recent years I've gone right off it as an entire genre - I got bored with Brown's "The Hard Years" and didn't finish it, same with Simpsons latest (beckoning silence?) although I did like the discription of climbing Bridal Veil falls at the start. I've had that book about Mallory that won various prizes on my bookshelf for a couple of years now and still haven't got round to it. Mountain of the Mind I found very readable and interesting perhaps because it wasn't so much of a climbing book?
 Doug 28 Jan 2004
In reply to TobyA:
So have you read the Andrew Greig mountaineering books ? his description of Andy Nisbet (can't remember the phrase exactly but beard, orange & marzipan all feature) always makes me smile (& reminds me of days on the hill with him). Guess a poet should be abble to write better than Joe Bloggs, alpiniste.

Having read a little french climbing literature, I wonder how much really good writing we miss by only reading english ? I'm sure there's lots in german, italian, etc thats never been translated (eg I read the biography of Gary Hemming in french years before it was available in english).
 TobyA 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Doug: I read Summit Fever maybe 15 years ago? god - can it really be that long ago? I remember the description of Mal Duff teaching him how to belay on the stairs in the close up to Duffs flat even now. The route they did is in the Glencoe guidebook, I remember looking for it. A great book.
nr 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
shining mountain and sacred summits - pete boardman, both excellent
savage arena - joe tasker, hardcore climbing
also the fictional books 'climbers' - mj harrison and 'the fall' -simon mawer(B-T winner this year) are excellent. sadly 'climbers' is apparently out of print
Anonymous 28 Jan 2004
In reply to TobyA:
>expedition books... in recent years I've gone right off it as an entire genre

Try "Fatal Mountaineer" featuring Willi Unsoeld and the dysfunctional Nanda Devi expedition. Frank, intelligent account with insight into the dynamics of the disparate characters.
 tony 28 Jan 2004
In reply to TobyA:
> Mountain of the Mind I found very readable and interesting perhaps because it wasn't so much of a climbing book?

Very much my feeling about it too. And I think some of the criticism missed the point - it's not supposed to be a climbing book. I did see it described as a 'landscape' book, in which the nature of the landscape sets a context for the ways in which we react to it and interract with it. To my mind it has more in common with Jonathan Raban's 'Bad Land' than with expedition books and tales of falling off things. It also has the benefit of an author who can write rather better prose than most climbers and mountaineers.
 francois 28 Jan 2004
I really like "Premier de Cordee" by Frison-Roche, and the sequels of it. He was the first guy not from Chamonix to become a mountain guide there. It gives a good idea of the heroic days where you climbed with hennep ropes, tricounis,etc...Definetely a classic!
Johnny Hall 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

My favourite mountaineering book is definitely In Monte Viso's Horizon by Will McLewin.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0948153091/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/20...

I highly recommend it if you can get hold of a copy. It won Boardman Tasker over a decade ago, and is a very inspirational book written by the first Briton to climb all of the 4000ers.
Jo Macleod 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

One Mans Mountains: Life and times of Tom Patey. My favourite all time book.

Walking on thin ice - David Hempleman-Adams: OK not strictly belonging in a 'vertical' book list but involves lots of snow and ice and its absolutely brilliant.

Creag Dhu Climber - LaT of John Cunningham. Essential reading.

The Edge: Anthology of climbing adventures (for 'adventures', read 'death' or 'fatal') - inc Herzog, Messner, Bonatti, Hilary, Krakauer and Boardman amongst others. Makes you think......its a compilation of bits (the 'adventures') from the stalwarts of climbing literature.

The Philosophy of Risk - Dougal Haston: Jeff Connor. Life and times of Dougal Haston. Quite difficult to get into but with perserverance (I wanted to, he was reason I got into climbing) it proved to be a great, great book.



tc 28 Jan 2004
In reply:
Most influential? Gotta be the Liverpool/ Holyhead Tide Tables!
Tod Alzirg 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

1 The Ordinary Route by Harold Drasdo - thoughtful and hilarious

2 The Undiscovered Country by Phil Bartlett is good too in a thoughtful and thoughtful kind of way

3 On and Off the Rocks by Jim Perrin for climbing journalism
Li'l Zé 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Jo Macleod:
> > The Philosophy of Risk - Dougal Haston: Jeff Connor. Life and times of Dougal Haston. Quite difficult to get into but with perserverance (I wanted to, he was reason I got into climbing) it proved to be a great, great book.


I disagree. It's appalingly written, and some of the obvious inaccuracies make you question the accuracy of the rest. I was disappointed - a character like Haston deserved a better biography.
 Doug 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Jo Macleod:
have you seen the Angry Corrie review of the Haston biog ? seemed well informed but not impressed. I bought it was was dissapointed.
Jo Macleod 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Doug:

Oh dear. I'm in the minority again. No havent read the review. Tried just now on TAC site but no luck - removed?

Ach well, I'll just be its only fan then
johncoxmysteriously1 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Tod Alzirg:

Good calls, sir.

("thoughtful AND thoughtful2, eh? My word, that IS, er, thoughtful.)
Ioan 28 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:
Interesting comparing 'Into Thin Air' by Jon Krakauer with 'The Climb' by Anatoli Bourkreev - two differing perspectives of the '96 Everest disaster.
Bear Grylls' 'Facing up' was also a good read - not so much for info on the mountain, but more for the emotions and pains involved in climbing Everest.
K Wilson 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan Stark:

Re Conqistadors. This was republished two years ago with additions from his later writings. It is still available
Tod Alzirg 29 Jan 2004
In reply to johncoxmysteriously1:
> (In reply to Tod Alzirg)
>
> Good calls, sir.
>
> ("thoughtful AND thoughtful2, eh? My word, that IS, er, thoughtful.)

Probably even 'Quiveringly thoughtful'
 Alan Stark 29 Jan 2004
In reply to K Wilson:

Ta! Must drop subtle hints, although my birthday's some time away. Could always buy it for the missus's birthday I suppose.

It's got to be over 30 years since I borrowed it from the Library, and would like to re-read it.
TB 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

It's got to be the great classic "Scrambles Amongst the Alps" from the Golden Age of Mountaineering, by Edward Whymper.

"Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a life time. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end" Written by Edward Whymper over 100 years ago.
Li'l Zé 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Tod Alzirg:

> 1 The Ordinary Route by Harold Drasdo - thoughtful and hilarious

I'm sure I've seen this vilified in a number of places. Not sure I understood why though. I enjoyed it.

> 3 On and Off the Rocks by Jim Perrin for climbing journalism

...and an interesting bit on hunting. Spirits of Place is also good, though not nearly AS good. But why is 'Yes, to Dance' no longer available? It's an injustice.

 stonewall 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

has david craig's native stones not been mentioned yet ? if not, why not ?
a wonderful book about climbing and so much more - to read and read again.
Anonymous 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

´The Mountains of My Life`, Walter Bonatti, Series Editor: Jon Krakauer. First ascent, North Face Direct, of the Matterhorn as a swan-song - awesome.
Anonymous 29 Jan 2004
In reply to Big Steve:

´The Mountains of My Life`, Walter Bonatti, Series Editor: Jon Krakauer. First ascent (solo), North Face Direct, of the Matterhorn as a swan-song - awesome.
Removed User 29 Jan 2004
In reply to TobyA:
> (In reply to johncoxmysteriously1) Has anyone else read Mountains of the Mind yet by Robert Macfarlane?

Tried it but got soooooooooo bored.

Same problem with Chasing Dragons (i think it was called)
John Stainforth 30 Jan 2004
In reply to TB:

I agree with a vast number of the choices mentioned from Terray to Bonatti, Herzog to Rebuffat, Bonington to Long, Pritchard to Krakauer, Harrer to Shipton, but I also agree with you that the greatest of all time is Whymper's Scrambles...
Anonymous 30 Jan 2004
In reply to several of the above:

The MacFarlane book: total bollocks from a wannabee. Who cares what this fake thinks?

Strongly recommend 'Total Alpinism' by Desmaison. The most gripping account of hard alpinism I have ever read. Unfortunately, hard to get hold of in the English translation. French readers should be okay.
Benjino 31 Jan 2004
In reply to Alan: Classic book I choose to climb by Chris Bonnington, Don't want to put anyone out but in my opinion The Beckoning Silence by Joe Simpson contains a lot of plagurism,
Just read Simon yates book Against the Wall which is a great book

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