Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #156230 in Books
• Published on: 2000-12
• Original language: French
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Customer Reviews

The best book on climbing ever.
This is a superb translation of a fantastic climbing autobiography. As well as climbing the hardest routes of the day, Terray also quotes Nietzsche and philosophises on the unconscious motivations that drive climbers. It is by turns humorous and gripping. I strongly recommend anyone at all interested in climbing to read it.

Fantastic book not just about climbing
This book details the life of the great French mountaineer and guide, Lionel Terray, who died tragically in a rockfall in 1965. The first chapter deals with his early years, and his fight to counter the prejudice of the man on the street against climbing. The second chapter (off the top of my head) is about early climbs. The third chapter concentrates on his role as a mountaineer in fighting the German occupiers in France. In the fourth chapter, we find Lionel tacking some of the hardest alpine faces, such as the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses. The fifth chapter details his successful attempt, with his great friend Louis Lachenal, on the north face of the Eiger, preceded by a description of the (mainly) tragic early attempts on the mountain, and followed by the jinxed rescue mission on the mountain in 1957. The next chapter describes the succesful French expedition to Annapurna in 1950, and the amazing escape from the mountain in dreadful weather after it had been climbed. It was the first ascent of an 8000 meter peak. This is followed by a chapter which includes his description of his work as a ski instructor in Canada (Terray was also an expert skier). Finally, the book closes with a description of his later climbs in the Himalayas and the Andes.

I first read this book when I was twelve, after having watched a documentary aboout an ascent of the Eiger on the TV. It immediately sent me into another world (not literally!). I have read this book seven times at various stages in my life, and like to compare my thoughts on life with Terray's, because this book is not just a description of climbs, but a muse on climbing philosophy, and an insight into society and life in general.

I last read this book nine years ago, and that was for the seventh time. Next read is overdue, I think. Marvellous!