The six shortlisted books in the 2021 Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature have been announced. This year there were 41 entries, from Great Britain, Canada, Ireland, France, Norway and the USA.
The Boardman Tasker Award was established in 1983 to commemorate the lives of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker – outstanding mountaineers and accomplished authors – who disappeared together high on Everest in 1982. The £3,000 prize is presented annually to the author or co-authors of an original work that has made an outstanding contribution to mountain literature
The final Award will be announced at the Boardman Tasker Shortlisted Authors and Awards event at the Kendal Mountain Festival Online, at 7-9 p.m. (UK time) on Saturday 20th November 2021.
The judges for 2021 are David Canning (Chair) Natalie Berry and Marni Jackson. They have selected the following 6 books for this year's shortlist:
© Boardman Tasker
Ed Caesar The Moth and The Mountain: A True Story of Love, War and Everest Viking - (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Caesar's account of Maurice Wilson's attempt to fy to and climb Mount Everest is an often tragic and pathetic story but never judgmental. Wilson could be the woefully unprepared climber we'd all like to despise but Caesar helps us to develop a warm attachment to him; Wilson frankly deserved better in death and this book is a ftting tribute to his amazing journey.
Ed Douglas Himalaya: A Human History - Penguin Random House
An extensively researched book exploring the human histories of the Himalaya and how the mountains and their geological and imagined boundaries have shaped people and place. Douglas breaks down the romanticised Western stereotypes of Sherpas and other native peoples in the region and explores the exchanges, exploits and exploitations that have occurred on the 'roof of the world'.
Stephen Fabes Signs of Life: To the Ends of the World with a Doctor - Profile books: Pursuit Books
Engaging, heartwarming, and often very funny, Fabes' accounts of his journeys around the world on a bicycle, and the people he meets along the way, are culturally sympathetic, mature, and poignant.
Helen Mort Never Leave the Dog Behind - Vertebrate Publishing
Explores the deep bond that exists between people, their dogs, and the mountains with delightful prose and poetry. The dogs that feature are often the main characters in Mort's storytelling, but she also manages to expertly weave in personal elements.
Élisabeth Revol To Live: Fighting for Life on the Killer Mountain - Vertebrate Publishing
The compelling account of Revol's survival on Nanga Parbat in winter, of survivor's guilt and the need to tell her story as an act of healing. The writing is visceral and honest, and Revol speaks a universal truth about mountaineering that needs to be heard.
David Smart Emilio Comici: Angel of the Dolomites - Rocky Mountain Books
A very impressive biography, well written and researched, of one of Italy's foremost climbers, who put up some of the first big wall climbs and developed new climbing styles and techniques.
View the 2021 submissions list here.
Comments
I've just had a quick scan at all the entries and the one that instantly appeals to me is
"Emilio Comici: Angel of the Dolomites by David Smart".
He was obviously an interesting character, about whom I know so little.
Some fascinating books. I wonder though why a cycling book is included in a competition for mountain literature. A cycling book even won recently.
Is Natalie allowed to vote for Elisabeth Revol?
I abstained from voting on To Live.
Sean check out the Emilio Comici Hut if your up South Tyrol areas, it’s full of amazing info of his climbs, 200+ first ascents around Europe.