There's been a lot of un-inspiring weather here so we haven't been to the mountains this weekend. But that gave me some time to finish this most remarkable history of mountaineering. Euan kindly gave me a copy of Robert MacFarlanes "Mountains of the Mind" at Christmas and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this slowly, until today when I had to zip through the last gripping chapter on the ultimate mountain challenge of Everest. I never realised that Mallory was so good looking, neither did I know he was married to a Ruth, most comparisons end there!
Although I referred to this book as a history of mountaineering, it doesn't read like a chronological account of mountain conquering at all.
Firstly it is written with a wonderful empathetic style that flows as well as Tolstoy. Secondly Robert Macfarlane, as well as being a Cambridge English don, has climbed many mountains and brings many personal anecdotes to the story.
At the start I thought I was going to dislike Macfarlane with his presumptiousness about Herzog that he "had chosen wisely in going for the top, despite the costs" but not at all.
This book on mountains lies at the top of my list on a par with "Touching the void" but you don't have to read it so quickly.
Although I referred to this book as a history of mountaineering, it doesn't read like a chronological account of mountain conquering at all.
Firstly it is written with a wonderful empathetic style that flows as well as Tolstoy. Secondly Robert Macfarlane, as well as being a Cambridge English don, has climbed many mountains and brings many personal anecdotes to the story.
At the start I thought I was going to dislike Macfarlane with his presumptiousness about Herzog that he "had chosen wisely in going for the top, despite the costs" but not at all.
This book on mountains lies at the top of my list on a par with "Touching the void" but you don't have to read it so quickly.
