Product Description

On 20 August 1980 Reinhold Messner reached the summit of Everest - alone and without the use of oxygen. This is an account of his extraordinary achievement. Messner describes his journey through Tibet and identifies with mountaineers who went before him, such as Mallory, Irvine and Wilson.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25607 in Books
• Published on: 1998-07-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 324 pages

Customer Reviews

Descriptive if wandering narrative
This book describes in detail not only Messner's first solo ascent of Mt. Everest but the trip through Tibet and the effects of Chinese rule on the countryside and peoples. Good points :- good background info on earlier solo attempts and British attempts in the 20's, nice b/w photo's of Tibetan people, interesting counterpoints by companion on his attitude to mountineering / other people. Bad points :- Too much self analysis and attempts to explain reason to be. In summary not as gung ho or exciting as other accounts of dramatic Everest ascents, but a nice counterpoint.

Much more than a book on alpinism
I found this book to be an enjoyable read. Reinhold Messner is a legend of mountaineering and has conquered more or less every peak on the planet worth climbing. But this book gives us much more than just another epic mountaineering tale, we get a look into the rich history of Tibet and its people and the struggle with China.

But the most amazing part of this book is the successful summit attempt itself, not only was it accomplished solo but without the use of supplemental oxygen. An unbelievable feat of human endurance and determination considering the support networks put in place by the commercial teams of today, some who boast at being able to put anyone on top of Everest.

The excerpts from Nenas diary give us a critical insight into Messner the man, the mood swings the dogmatism and the general supercilious nature of this climbing machine. Anyone interested in a no B.S. account of Himalayan climbing should definitely read this .

Deep, thoughtful and very impressive
This is a fascinating book which gives an insight into the character of a truly remarkable person. Messner is a complex phenomenon; he can be moody, introverted and morose but he can also show hightened euphoria and glee. He has a passion for the Hymalaya; a love of its history and also the mountaineers that in many ways have helped define it.
Then there is the account of the actual climb which is both rivetting and awe inspiring. This climb proved to be a defining moment in the history of mountaineering, resulting in a fundamental change in the philosophy towards climbing big mountains.