The first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa teammate Tenzing Norgay is a familiar saga, but less well known are the tales of many other adventurers who also came to test their skills and courage against the world's highest and most dangerous mountains. In this lively and generously illustrated book, historians Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver present the first comprehensive history of Himalayan mountaineering in fifty years. They offer detailed, original accounts of the most significant climbs since the 1890s, and they compellingly evoke the social and cultural worlds that gave rise to those expeditions. The book recounts the adventures of such figures as Martin Conway, who led the first authentic Himalayan climbing expedition in 1892; Fanny Bullock Workman, the pioneer explorer of the Karakoram range; George Mallory, the romantic martyr of Mount Everest fame; Charlie Houston, who led American expeditions to K2 in the 1930s and 1950s; Ang Tharkay, the legendary Sherpa, and many others. Throughout, the authors discuss the effects of political and social change on the world of mountaineering, and they offer a penetrating analysis of a culture that once emphasized teamwork and fellowship among climbers, but now has been eclipsed by a scramble for individual fame and glory.
Fallen Giants
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'Heroism, death, and drama abound. . . . The authors' thoroughness and range make this hefty volume nearly encyclopedic in scope; the details on the 'how' of climbing, the no-margin-for-error experience, and the bonus of Vittorio Sella's unmatched photographs make for a great book.' - Foreward Magazine (Outstanding University Press Books 2008) --Foreward Magazine
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"The first comprehensive account of Himalayan mountaineering in fifty years."
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is indeed (as per the New York Times Book Review) a great work of both history and storytelling. The authors are academic historians, and deliver the quality of research and analysis that we may expect from them, but they also make the history come alive. There's balance and nuance here, and plenty of witty humour.
Obviously, space is limited in such an overall history, so if you want to read more about particular climbs, you'll need to reach for e.g. Ed Viesturs' 'K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain' if you want more on the '38, '39, '53 and '54 K2 climbs. This book is much better written though.
A note for book lovers like me: this is a splendid edition. Don't be misled by the ugly shading effect of the title words on the front cover, aside from that the book is very well designed overall (set in Garamond), has a nicely large format (26x18cm, that's 10.2"x7.1" for you Brits) and well-printed reproductions of vintage B&W photographs (including pictures by the incomparable Vittorio Sella) and Dee Molenaar's sketches (including one of the legendary 'Miracle Belay' by Pete Schoening that Molenaar owed his own life to).
Highly recommended.
Obviously, space is limited in such an overall history, so if you want to read more about particular climbs, you'll need to reach for e.g. Ed Viesturs' 'K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain' if you want more on the '38, '39, '53 and '54 K2 climbs. This book is much better written though.
A note for book lovers like me: this is a splendid edition. Don't be misled by the ugly shading effect of the title words on the front cover, aside from that the book is very well designed overall (set in Garamond), has a nicely large format (26x18cm, that's 10.2"x7.1" for you Brits) and well-printed reproductions of vintage B&W photographs (including pictures by the incomparable Vittorio Sella) and Dee Molenaar's sketches (including one of the legendary 'Miracle Belay' by Pete Schoening that Molenaar owed his own life to).
Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fallen Giants - A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes.
11 April 2009
By Kelp Molten
Format:Hardcover
A very readable summary of the major mountaineering explorations of the Himalayas. The authors display a very dry sense of humour, they pick out some excellent quotes I have not read before, The North Col - "The night brought a violent storm that continued into the morning, but rather than retreat, the three men chose to wait it out. They passed the time with hot tea, oxygen, and cigarettes (which Finch throught improved respiration at high altitude)!" Page 113.
An excellent bibliography and notes section added to my enjoyment.
An excellent bibliography and notes section added to my enjoyment.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mark Horrell
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver are two professors of history from American universities who clearly have a great love of the Himalayas. They have produced a monumental book which has to be the Himalayan history to end all Himalayan histories. But far from being a dry academic work, it's a rip-roaring layman's read rich in quirky anecdote and humorous interludes. The copious footnotes and Herculean bibliography alone will keep lovers of mountain literature happy for a lifetime, and I'll certainly be referring back to them again. What a fantastic read!
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