Product Description

The ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1970 marked the beginning of Reinhold Messner's remarkable career in Himalayan climbing. But this expedition has always been shrouded in controversy and mystery; his brother Gunther, who accompanied him, met his death on the mountain. Now, over thirty years later, a bitter quarrel has broken out between Messner and the other participants in the Himalayan expedition. Is Messner to blame for his brother's death? Or was it the team that let the two of them down? In The Naked Mountain Messner gives his side of the story in full for the first time. This most personal account is a story of death and survival...and for those who want to understand what is the force that drives Messner on, this book is the key. Extensively reviewed in the German media, this book is sure to arouse enormous interest in the UK climbing fraternity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #199847 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Reinhold Messner is the world's greatest mountaineer. After serving his apprenticeship in the Alps and Dolomites, he climbed in the Andes, North America and New Guinea before starting on his quest to climb all the world's 8,000-metre peaks, a feat which he completed in 1986. He has since completed a traverse of the Antarctic and now lectures throughout the world on his exploits.

Customer Reviews

An inspirational book
Reinhold Messner is a legendary alpinist of mammoth proportions.The first man to summit all fourteen of the 8000m peaks on this planet,the first solo ascent of Everest without oxygen,the completion of the seven summits and a traverse of the Greenland ice cap to name just a few of his many extraordinary achievements.this book is dedicated to his first attempt on Nanga Parbat,8125m high with a notorious 5000m south face this "king of mountains" is a much more daunting prospect than Mount Everest itself.

Messner and his younger brother completed an audacious summit bid,but tragically Gunther perished in an avalanche during the treacherous descent.This well written book takes us through Messners amazing fight for survival in the harshest of environments,the starvation the hallucinations and the unbelievable hospitality of the local people.Messner gives an insightful account into his own Himalayan tragedy,the deep chasm of hurt left by the death of his brother and the sense of injustice following the release of the official expedition statement.

This book gives us a glimpse into the world of a mountaineering legend,what drives him, his torment and ambition.The photography is breathtaking and contributes to the story in no small part.Definitely one for the avid armchair adventurer.

A great feat of couage and reasoning
Reinhold Messner is one of the greatest climbers alive today. This book is both a narrative of his ascent of Nanga Parbat and also an emotional tale of his brother's death. I have read no other book like this one , well worth reading for anyone interested in mountaneering or anyone interested in a tale of great compassion.