There's something special about books. It's not just the written word, but something about the feel of, and from, the physical objects themselves. Delting a file on a computer is easy and can be done with hardly a second thought, but to bin a book seems somehow sacriligeous. Mountaineering books, in particular, hold a special place for the outdoors addict, bringing a mix of compelling storyline, insight into the minds of our top performers and a sense of familiarity from descriptions of places you can connect with.

 

Much of my youth was spent forsaking the latest best seller, or magazines, in favour of winter nights hunched over a torch lit copy of Herzog's Annapurna, Wilf Noyce's South Col and the mandatory Ascent of Everest by Sir John Hunt. Over the years they fell apart bit by bit, and only Hunt's mammoth volume got replaced but the images from all of them were burned into my mind to be revisited later either spiritually or occassionally geographically.The White Spider joined the list of essentials later, its graphic tale inspiring me to accept the Alps as a worthwhile destination and not just a poor man's Himalaya. In a world where change seems a constant, with the objects that clutter our homes now being the themes of "science fiction" even 35 years ago, the mountains are a sanctuary of  consistancy and the descriptions as valid now as they were even before I was born. There's an amazing feeling of almost deja vue when you visit some remote location and the sight in front of you is a a visualisation of the words you've read so many times. To visit first and read later is equally stimulating, transporting you back to not just a place but to feelings, experiences and a time in your life when you shared a similar dream to an author.

 

Over the years I've built up a fair collection of books on mountain themes, and though many remain on the shelves in near pristine condition after just a single read it only takes a single glance at the spines to refresh the mind of the contents of adventure, adversity and a shared love.  Now it's time for me to continue the cycle with my own children, of passing on the value of these diaries of exploration, and in the process to differentiate those that have exceptional qualities from the run of the mill offerings. In doing this I felt it also worthwhile to pass this analysis to a wider audience with a series of reviews. So I begin a list of my favopurite mountain books.

 

 

There's thousands of books on our planet's highest mountains, and distilling these to a few essentials is a hard task - and is perhaps the only list for which I'd specify an order of reading. Some may find it strange that the name Chris Bonnington is missing considering the vast number of published titles from Britain's best known living mountaineer, but ths is down to a personal appreciation of writing styles rather than any feeling on the achievements of a man who has done so much for the average person's perception of mountaineering. For me his writing is very much in keeping with his style of leadership - highly organised and almost scientific as opposed to free flowing and filled with feeling.

 

THE classic book on Everest. Written in 1953 this is the definitive acoount of the first acsent of the highest mountain in the world. It's not exactly the most readable book, in many ways taking the style expected by an army officer giving a report, but the chapter describing the final triumph as Hillary and Tenzing made their way to the summit and then their descent to rejoin the rest of the party is a timeless classic. It's still hard, years after the first reading, to revisit this description without getting swept up with the emotion of two young men literally at the pinnacle of a nations hopes.

 

Recounting one man's version of the tragic events of 1996 where a killer storm hit climbers above the South Col this book has spawned both controversy and a film. As a story the narrative is gripping, written by an accomplished writer and journalist in a style that lends itself to the Hollywood treatment. It's recommended, however, not for its factual assessment of a tragic event but for the way in which a story can get twisted to suit a purpose.Whilst an essential read this should be consumed in combination with the following book to make atrue analysis of events.

 

An essential read for anyone who's lapped up the story of Into Thin Air. This is the account of Anatoli Boukreev,  one of the true heroes of twentieth century mountaineering during the storm of 1996. Vilified in Krakauer's account this well researched volume gives a more factual account of how one man's exceptional actions saved the lives of several mountaineers above the South Col in devastating conditions. Backed up with transcripts and supporting evidence it sets the record straight in such a way that no matter how readable the quality of Krakauer's writing I can never be persuaded to pick up another book by a man I now feel to be discredited and unreliable. Also worth a mention here are Beck Wethers and Matt Dickinson, both who have written on the events of 1996.

 

An omnibus of the combined works of two of Briatain's finest writers, comprising Savage Arena (Tasker), The Shining Mountain (Boardman), Sacred Summits (Boardman) and Everest The Cruel Way (Tasker). This single collection covers a golden age of British Himalayan mountaineering from the mid 70's to the early 80's. For inspiration combined with a frightening sense of realism there is nothing to compare with this collection. The death of this dynamic duo on the North East Ridge of Mount Everest in 1982 not only robbed climbing of one of it's foremost pairings but robbed the world opf mountain literature of two of its finest ever writers.

 

INspired by the likes of Boardman and Tasker, Andy Cave is the climbing Billy Elliot of the once proud coal mining industry. This book goes beyond a simple telling of a decade of mountain life, but gives an insight of a person fighting to find a way from the dark recesses of South Yorkshire coal mining in the Thatcher years to the heights of Changabang and the feelings of freedom found on the end of a rope. Compulsive reading this is a book that once started it's hard to put down.

 

More to come......