Dear costumer, Years ago when I first started climbing I bought this biography and was inspired as a result. Buhl was was not only one of the best climbers of his era, but had a style of climbing that shocked the establishment, often climbing at super fast speeds, solo, and even at night. His 1953 Oxygenless ascent of Nanga Parbat a day or so after the British reached the top of Everest with supplemental oxygen was argueably a far greater accomplishment. Yet it was overshadowed by the British accomplishment, possibly because it was not a British news story, who knows? Think how much praise the British accomplishment recieved, great though it undoubted was. Yet some way off in another area of the himalaya Buhl resolutely forced himself to the top of Nanga Parbat, not only without oxygen but also solo for the final sections of the climb. He then endured amasing hardship during his descent, spending a night in the open high in the death zone, without food and with temperatures that were extremely low even for that area of the world. Buy this book and be inspired by this great climber who pushed back so many physical and psychological barriers. There are many stories of his early life, his training routines, and his early breakthroughs. My original book was sadly damaged during a mountainering trip, and many years of searching failed to produce a replacement to keep on my bookshelf. I did see a copy once in a second hand bookshop, the owner knowing it was out of print at the time had put its second hand price at £94.00 As the original cost me only £4.99 I was somewhat shocked and sadly as a mature student this fee was beyond the powers of my finances. I have now placed an order for this new copy via <Amazson.co.uk> and hope all you first time buyers whether active or armchair climbers enjoy the book as much as I did.