UKC

I have been reading all the Mountain Literature Classics articles and wonder if somewhere I have missed this one.

Roger Hubank's 2001 novel Hazard's Way. 

The early years of rock climbing in Wasdale at the end of the 19th century, beginning of the 20th. With a background of social change and an unpopular war this could be  right up to date. It culminates in one of the key tragedies of early climbing. 

There is an early line I like: men for whom it was a moral duty to make something of their lives.

In a lifetime of reading this is one of the finest books I have read.

Not heard of it. I'll look out for it.

Thank you.

The excellent Hazard's Way is the only climbing novel to have achieved the distinction of winning both the Boardman-Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature and the Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize. Roger Hubank is one of only two authors to have won both prizes for their fiction, the other being Jeff Long, but this was for two different books, The Ascent (Boardman-Tasker) and The Wall (Banff). I'm in the process of writing mini-reviews of every climbing novel published since 1979, but I don't yet know in what form they'll appear. Keep an eye out! I don't remember seeing an article on Hazard's Way by Ronald, but if he hasn't done it yet I expect he'll also get round to it sooner or later.

Excellent to hear this when it's already in my pile! Thank you.

Already discussed on the other thread, but fwiw I'd also recommend Native Air.