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"SAVAGE SUMMIT fills an interesting and neglected place in mountaineering literature."--American Alpine Club Magazine
Product Description
Here is narrative nonfiction at its most gripping. Journalist Jennifer Jordan chronicled the individual stories of the five courageous women who have climbed K2, the most fearsome mountain in the world. Climbers call K2 "The Savage Mountain." It is not quite as tall as Everest, but it is far more dangerous, located at the border of China and Pakistan, in the deadly Karakoram range, which has the harshest climbing conditions and weather of any place in the world. Ninety women have climbed Everest, but only five female climbers have ever reached the summit of K2 alive. Three of these women died on the way back down the mountain, and the other two have died since their climb. Because, these five women, who defeated the most ferocious of all mountains, have lost their own voices, "Savage Summit" told their tragic and compelling stories. The terror and triumph of K2 was revealed through the stories of the few women who have succeeded in climbing it. The women in these stories are forced to deal with harsh conditions from the mountain, and from the men climbing around them, often being treated unfairly or discriminated against in their struggle to get to the summit. "Savage Summit" also attempted to answer tough questions: do female climbers rely too much on their male climbing partners? Are women prepared for the physiological and emotional rigors of K2? Are female climbers, because of the publicity and sponsorship opportunities afforded them, climbing the mountain without the proper training, endangering their own lives and the lives of those who climb with them? And, if women are as capable of men of climbing this most deadly peak, who will be next to attempt the long trek to the summit?
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
K2 is one of the most dangerous places on Earth, everything here can kill you from the climate to the environment and possibly the most insidious killer of all, the altitude. Unlike Everest which has become little more than a difficult guided tour, K2 has no tourist climbers, no Walter Mitty types, it's a technical and logistical nightmare that attracts the cream of the mountaineering elite which quintessentially is thought to be male.
Jennifer Jordan sets the record straight with a collection of biographies on the first five women to summit K2. Tragically none of these woman survive today, three having died on K2 during the descent and the other two losing their lives on other climbs. Incidentally there is only one woman alive today who can claim to have set foot on the worlds second highest mountain.
Wanda Rutkiewicz ( 1943-1992 ) was an extraordinary polish climber who summited K2 in 1986 but tragically fell to her death on the slopes of Kangchenjunga. Liliane Barrard ( 1948-1986 ) and Julie Tullis ( 1939-1986 ) both perished on the descent after a superhuman effort and a successful summit bid. The controversial and troubled French climber Chantal Mauduit ( 1964-1998 ) summited in 1992 but her luck finally ran out on Dhaulagiri when an avalanche killed her and a Sherpa. Possibly the most emotive story is that of Alison Hargreaves ( 1962-1995 ) she died during her descent of K2 leaving behind two young children. Alison had stood up to the criticisms of a male dominated sport and even put many of her denigrators to shame on the slopes.
All of these women were treated with contempt, were verbally and even sexually assaulted. Each one wanted to climb and be treated with equality, and each one went about achieving that in their own way.These women had to conquer attitude as well as altitude and sometimes it was difficult to ascertain which was more difficult. I enjoyed this book it's written in an engaging manner and the meticulous research is evident throughout, It's a welcome change from the macho " I stared death in the face " type books that abound in this particular genre and the stereotype of the typical climber is well and truly blown off the mountain. If you enjoy adventure stories but are bored with the relentless machismo, then this book might prove to be a refreshing change.
Jennifer Jordan sets the record straight with a collection of biographies on the first five women to summit K2. Tragically none of these woman survive today, three having died on K2 during the descent and the other two losing their lives on other climbs. Incidentally there is only one woman alive today who can claim to have set foot on the worlds second highest mountain.
Wanda Rutkiewicz ( 1943-1992 ) was an extraordinary polish climber who summited K2 in 1986 but tragically fell to her death on the slopes of Kangchenjunga. Liliane Barrard ( 1948-1986 ) and Julie Tullis ( 1939-1986 ) both perished on the descent after a superhuman effort and a successful summit bid. The controversial and troubled French climber Chantal Mauduit ( 1964-1998 ) summited in 1992 but her luck finally ran out on Dhaulagiri when an avalanche killed her and a Sherpa. Possibly the most emotive story is that of Alison Hargreaves ( 1962-1995 ) she died during her descent of K2 leaving behind two young children. Alison had stood up to the criticisms of a male dominated sport and even put many of her denigrators to shame on the slopes.
All of these women were treated with contempt, were verbally and even sexually assaulted. Each one wanted to climb and be treated with equality, and each one went about achieving that in their own way.These women had to conquer attitude as well as altitude and sometimes it was difficult to ascertain which was more difficult. I enjoyed this book it's written in an engaging manner and the meticulous research is evident throughout, It's a welcome change from the macho " I stared death in the face " type books that abound in this particular genre and the stereotype of the typical climber is well and truly blown off the mountain. If you enjoy adventure stories but are bored with the relentless machismo, then this book might prove to be a refreshing change.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The amazing stories of the first five woman to climb K2. These are not normal people. A normal sane person does not think "Hmm... I'm several months pregnant so maybe it's too dangerous to climb at 8000m in the Himalayas. So I'll just solo the North face of the Eiger instead."
The problem is that the author tends to let her own views leak onto the page and they eventually become a distraction. There is a distinct feminist angle, little comments about global warming and a few stories which don't seem physically credible and various reports of ghosts and paranormal experiences. The prose is workmanlike but it can drag a bit and doesn't deliver the impact that the material deserves. I read it on Kindle and the book would really benefit from a few maps and photographs; I'm not sure if the paper version has them.
This is a good book and definitely worth reading, but it is not a classic and that is a pity because the material is there for something better.
The problem is that the author tends to let her own views leak onto the page and they eventually become a distraction. There is a distinct feminist angle, little comments about global warming and a few stories which don't seem physically credible and various reports of ghosts and paranormal experiences. The prose is workmanlike but it can drag a bit and doesn't deliver the impact that the material deserves. I read it on Kindle and the book would really benefit from a few maps and photographs; I'm not sure if the paper version has them.
This is a good book and definitely worth reading, but it is not a classic and that is a pity because the material is there for something better.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having recently read the Clint Willis book 'The Boys Of Everest' I saw 'Savage Summit' on the Amazon mountaineering book list and thought that this would help to give me an insight into Himalayan climbing from a woman's point of view. I wasn't disappointed and I found 'Savage Summit' to be a very readable and interesting account of the lives and climbs of the five main women featured in the book.
My only real criticism of the book is that I would have found it helpful to have had a good photograph or diagram of K2 with the climbing routes marked on it. I had to look elsewhere for this information. Nevertheless I do recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about life and death in the high mountains of the Himalayas.The Boys of Everest: The Tragic Story of Climbing's Greatest Generation
My only real criticism of the book is that I would have found it helpful to have had a good photograph or diagram of K2 with the climbing routes marked on it. I had to look elsewhere for this information. Nevertheless I do recommend this book to anyone who likes reading about life and death in the high mountains of the Himalayas.The Boys of Everest: The Tragic Story of Climbing's Greatest Generation
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A fantastic read, a proper page turner.
Lucky I was on a long haul flight because I found this book hard to put down. As an armchair mountaineer I've read quite a number books on the subject covering triumphs and... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Beck
A deserved acceptance of female achievement
This is john cooke writing so i am not a campaigner for female rights or whatever. I found this book a refreshing account of female achievement in the mountains . Read more
Published 14 months ago by zoom
Courage
A very well written book about the lives of some of the women who have made their living by climbing. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Smiffy
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