“We want to dedicate this post to the recently deceased mountaineer in Peñalara Eduardo del Blanco Adán and his family, and to the speedy recovery of Carlos Lorenzo.”
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A new “explosive cyclogenesis” threatens to lock you up at home for another week… the hours seem endless, the walls fall on you and there’s nothing on TV.
Here are four of the best books ever written about the mountains, four true stories written by their protagonists:
“Annapurna, first 8000m: the great adventure" of Maurice Herzog (1950). Publisher: Desnivel.
Summary from La casa del Libro: On June 3, 1950, Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal reached the summit of Annapurna, becoming the first human beings to summit a mountain over eight thousand meters high, miraculously escaping death. In the following months, while he was recovering in the hospital from his terrible amputations (which would leave him without fingers and toes), Herzog dictated Annapurna the First Eight Thousand, one of the greatest works of mountain expedition literature. Let us enjoy the richest source of inspiration we can imagine: the footprints of these adventurers who left us a true story of courage and camaraderie. Of exploration and passion for adventure.
“The conquerors of the useless" of Lionel Terray (1963). Publisher: Desnivel.
Summary from La casa del Libro: we have recovered for our collection one of the most widely read mountain books of all time, The Conquerors of the Useless. Its author, Lionel Terray (1921-1965), was described by Messner as “one of the most outstanding figures in the history of mountaineering”. And this is undoubtedly the case as the first first ascent of Fitz Roy, Chacraraju, Jannu, Makalu and Mont Huntington. His work in the Alps includes the first repetition of the North Face of the Eiger and the Cassin on Piz Badile in seven and a half hours, both with Louis Lachenal. In 1950 he took part in the French expedition to Annapurna, in which he gave up the summit to ensure the descent of Herzog and Lachenal. He died at the age of 44 in a climbing accident. His risk-taking character and the immense passion with which he lived each of his ascents made him an extraordinary writer. That is why “Conquistadores” as we call his book familiarly, is and will be a classic of mountain literature, essential for those who, in addition to climbing mountains, like to dream about them.
“k2 the infinite knot" of Kurt Diemberger (2004). Publisher: Desnivel.
Summary from La casa del Libro: “K2 the infinite knot” is one of the great classics of mountain literature. We live the story of a powerful fascination that forever links the destiny of two people to a beautiful and inaccessible mountain. In 1957, young Kurt sees K2 for the first time from the base of Broad Peak. From then on, his whole life revolves around the magic of Chogori. After several failed attempts, he returns in 1986 together with Julie Tullis in the hope of finally reaching the summit. But 1986 is a tragic year on K2. An unexpected storm traps seven people at eight thousand meters of altitude for several days. Kurt and Julie, after fulfilling their dream of reaching the summit that they had longed for for years, fight for their lives in an unequal battle against the forces of nature.After a tragic descent, only two people, Kurt and Willy Bauer, reach base camp, amazingly managing to survive the wrath of the mountain.
Nobody better than Kurt Diemberger to tell you about his experience in a dignified Spanish/Italian:
“Altitude sickness: a personal account of the great tragedy of Everest” of Jon Krakauer (1996). Publisher: Desnivel.
Summary of The House of Books: Altitude Sickness has become a must-read for any lover of mountain, adventure or travel literature. An international best-seller both for the quality of the story and for the accuracy with which its author, Jon Krakauer, tells us what happened. What more can be said about a tragedy that shook the mountain world, even transcending it… perhaps only that it is worth soaking up the intensity of the words and the graphic style of the author that manage to capture the reader and take us on this literary journey to the very heart of the inevitable. Altitude Sickness reads like a good novel, but it is not fiction. Jon Krakauer set off for the Himalayas in 1996 to write a report on the growing commercial exploitation of Everest. His intention was to analyze the reasons why so many people are willing to submit to risks previously reserved for professional mountaineers. After reaching the highest peak on Earth, Krakauer began the dangerous descent, but not everyone succeeded; there were deaths, there were injuries and much controversy. This work aroused so much controversy that Krakauer was forced to write a reply postscript, included in this edition. Time stands still as Krakauer outlines and movingly recounts what happened.
If you are fluent in English you can also watch this conference Ken Kamler “Inside the 1996 Everest Disaster”:
