Home	Table of Contents	Introduction	Overviews & Commentaries	Book List
Periodicals	Annotated Bibliography	Time-Line	Dramatis Personae	Lexicon

Books on History and Exploration, with a focus on:

Central Asia: the territories of and around the Greater Himalaya, Tibet, Afghanistan, India, Pamirs, Hindu-Kush, & High Tartary
The History of Climbing and Mountaineering: especially in the Himalaya and Karakoram Ranges
Exploration and the Fur Trade in Canada

Bill Buxton

Last updated July 3rd

Essays, overviews and book lists, covering aspects of the literature that are of particular interest to me, and/or list books on a particular topic. The essays are works in progress, and are revised constantly as I read and learn more. The topics of the overviews, can be found in the Table of Contents. Clicking on any entry will take you to the indicated section.
List of Books in my collection, sorted by author
Annotated bibliography of those same books, also sorted by author, including cross links to related books.

Besides simply helping me organize my own thoughts, my hope is that this document will be of interest and a guide to others who share my passion for the topics covered.

I have also constructed two companion pages. The first is, The Greater Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamirs, Hindu-Kush, Tibet & High Tartary: Dramatis Personae. As its name suggests, this page is a directory to the main characters who played roles in the history covered in my book collection. In order to keep it manageable, this "dramatis personae" covers only those active prior to the first Everest expedition, which took place in 1921. The second is, The Greater Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamirs, Hindu-Kush, Tibet & High Tartary: Historical Time-line. Again, as its name suggests, this is an attempt to build up a time-line of significant events in the history and exploration of the indicated areas. I am attempting to construct cross-links among entries in the various pages such that, for example, clicking on a name in the time-line will take you to the biographical note in the Dramatis Personae, and clicking on a reference title on that page will take you to the appropriate bibliographic reference on this page. Again, all of this is a work in progress, and should be considered "open source". That is, contributions, suggestions and corrections by interested parties are solicited.

It is only correct that I acknowledge my friend Piers Handling, who has had a great influence on both my reading and, through our discussions, the formation of my thoughts on much of what is written below. I also want to thank Daren Fawkes, of Melbourne, who invested a significant effort in proof reading, correcting and improving what I have written.

Those interested in the mountaineering literature are referred to Neate's, Mountaineering and Its Literature, which is a fairly comprehensive annotated biography. As well, see the Alpine Club Library Catalogue 1982, Vol. 1: Books and Periodicals. Another good bibliographic source is Baume's Sivalaya, which chronicles the history of the fourteen 8,000 metre peaks in the Himalaya, with an extensive bibliography. The definitive bibliography on Everest is the too little known Climbing Mount Everest: The Bibliography (Salkeld & Boyle, 1993)

For primary sources, the interested reader is directed to the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London / Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, which are on-line at:

jstor.org/journals/0266626X.html

The good news that the full text of every issue, dating right back to the first in 1879, is on-line. While there is a charge to access the journal from the web site above, most good university research libraries have a license with JSTOR and provide access to the site for free, if you have a card for that library. Highly recommended.

To those interested in acquiring any of the books cited in those references, or mentioned below (including 1st or early editions and those that are hard to find or out of print), I have had a very good experience with:

abebooks.com

biblio.com

If you are interested in first person accounts of early explorers in Central Asia, India, the Himalaya, etc., but can't find or afford the original out-of-print books, Vedams has an outstanding collection of modern reprints at very reasonable prices:

http://www.vedamsbooks.com/his-travel.htm

Next, I would be remiss if I did not provide pointers to information on the mountains in my own country:

· The Alpine Club of Canada: A great source for information about climbing in Canada.

· Yamnuska: an alpine guiding and instructional organization who will give you a safe and great introduction to the mountains of western Canada

· The Banff Centre for Mountain Culture: Home of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Book Festival, and all things alpine. A national and international treasure.

· Alan Kane's Peakbagger Page is a great illustrated source for information on climbing, scrambling and ski touring routes in the Rockies.

Finally, I welcome comments and suggestions about this page, the literature, etc.

Contact me via email.

II. Overviews / Commentaries

Early Exploration of Tibet, Nepal, Tartary, the Himalaya, Karakoram, ...

Introduction

Rather than provide a comprehensive history of the area or its discovery and exploration by the west, the main purpose of this section is to provide an overview that ties together my books and reading on these topics. It is as much for my own benefit as for any third party reader. It is a guide which is hopefully easier to navigate than a list of book titles.

If you want to go deeper into the history of exporation in China and Tibet, then I highly recommend the complementary pages of Matthias Claus on "Reisen und Abenteuer in China und Tibet." One page is a comprehensive annotated chronology of exploration of China and Tibet from 1243 - 1949, and the other covers the same material, but is organized alphabetically, by person. These pages are in German.

Since the topic is so broad, it is difficult to recommend any single book that covers the literature or the scope of my interests. One notable exception, however, is Cameron's 1984 volume, produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society: Mountains of the Gods: The Himalaya and the Mountains of Central Asia. If you only buy one book to cover what follows (and it is affordable), this might be it.

Chinese Travelers

More than a thousand years before Younghusband made his famous overland trip from Beijing, over the Karakoram to India, Chinese travelers had made the trip, often with far fewer resources and knowledge. In the process, they laid the foundation for what was called by the German orientalist, Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen, "the Silk Road." These include Zhang Qian (Chang Ch'ien), who between 138-125 BC traveled west at the request of the Han emperor in search of allies against the invading Huns. His travel established the first link between India and China. In 68 AD, Cai Yin traveled to India at the request of the Han Emperor, Mingdi. He reputedly dreamt of a golden god in the west, and dispatched Cai Yin, who returned 3 years later with images of the Buddha. Through this process Buddhism was introduced to China.

In 399 AD the Buddhist pilgrim, Faxian (Fa-hsien) traveled across to the Pamir Plateau, and through India. He returned by sea, via Ceylon and Sumatra, reaching China in 413. Another great Chinese traveler was Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsiang, Hsuan-tsang). He was a Buddhist monk who in 629 went on a 10,000 mile pilgrimage from central China to India in order to study Buddhist manuscripts in their original form. He traveled through Kyrgistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, returning in 645. His trip is covered in books by Grousset and Wriggins.

Shortly after, the diplomat Wang Xuan-ce traveled to India and Nepal, and established for the first time, the shorter but more difficult route of the passes into Nepal, rather than the longer route through the Pamirs. And, on a larger scale, in 747 the Chinese general Gao Xianzhi (Kao Hsien-chih) led an army from China into Yasin and Gilgit, where he defeated the Tibetans and checked the spread of Islam over the passes of the Pamirs.

One book which covers the culture and history of Buddhism in the 7th century is Grousset's, In the Footsteps of the Buddha. Another source for the history of the Silk Road, and travel from China, along the Silk Road, can be found in the various books by, and about, the archeaological explorations of the region. One overview of this is Hopkirk's,Foreign Devils on the Silk Road. Perhaps the best known archaeologist working in this area was Sir Aurial Stein. While I do not yet have any of his books, a list of some of the key ones can be found in the entry for him on my Dramatis Personae page. As well, his activities are well covered in the two biographies of him that I have, one by Mirsky, the other by Walker.

Early European Travelers

Perhaps the first record of a European reaching this region is Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), who reached Central Asia and India between 343-323 BC. The next great travelers, of whom a record exists, came from the East, not Europe.

After Alexander, the next European who left a record of traveling through the area, that I am aware of, is Marco Polo, whose The Adventures of Marco Polo, was first published in 1298. While some have questioned whether this book was history or fiction, or a combination of the two, what is clear is that his account was standard reading for those who followed, right through the 19th century.

Travel to Tibet

The next European to travel in Tibet, and perhaps reach Lhasa (although this is disputed, and there are no written accounts), was Oderico of Pordenone, a Franciscan friar who journeyed overland from Beijing, through Tibet in 1327. Two other early European visitors to Tibet were the Portuguese Fathers Antonio de Andrada (Andrade) and Marques, who reached Tsaparang in South West Tibet in 1624. Father Andrada returned with colleagues in 1625 and established a mission there which lasted until 1630 (along with a second one in Rudok, 150 miles further north). Two other Jesuit priests who were early travelers in Tibet were Fathers John Grueber and Albert d'Orville. In 1661 they traveled overland from Beijing to Rome. Depending on the legitimacy of the claims by Oderico of Pordenone, they were either the first or second Europeans to reach Lhasa. Regardless, there was a Capuchin mission resident in Lhasa 1707-1711, 1716-1733 and 1741-1745 (Petech, 1949). A good summary of many of these, and other, early travels can be found in, Early Jesuit Travellers in Central Asia, 1603-1721, by Wessels.

One of the travelers covered by Wessels is another early Jesuit priest, Father Desideri. He traveled into Tibet via Delhi, Kashmir, Ladakh between 1712-1727, and was inLhasabetween 1716-1721. An edited first person account of his travels can be found in, An Account of Tibet. As well, brief summary of the history of Catholic travelers and missions in Tibet can be found on-line in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Most of my reading on Tibet has to do with the early British contact and exploration. (What follows in this overview is by no means comprehensive.) This began in the 18th century, and was centred around the experiences of three men: George Bogle, who was in Tibet in 1774-5, Samuel Turner who was there in 1783-4 and Thomas Manning, who went in 1811-12. (Only Manning reached Lhasa, which is ironic, since he didn't really want to be there, he wanted to go to Beijing.) The history around these visits is covered in Woodcock's Into Tibet: The Early British Explorers, Lamb's British India and Tibet 1766-1910, and Cammann's Trade Through the Himalayas - The Early British Attempts to Open Tibet. To varying degrees, each of these books includes a general history of Tibet, however, the book by Cammann is especially well researched and concise. It also covers the Gurkha invasion of Tibet which led to Kirkpatrick's 1793 mission to Nepal. The account of this mission by Kirkpatrick, An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul ..., is an important source on the history of that country.

The next Europeans to reach Lhasa, after Manning, were the French Lazarist missionaries, Evariste Régis Huc and Joseph Gabet, who traveled to Tibet from the north, starting north of Beijing, and passing through Mongolia, arriving in Lhasa in January 1846. Their trip is described in Huc's classic 1852 narrative, Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China.

Other early British contact with Tibet included an expedition to South Western Tibet by Col. Henry Strachey in 1846 and by Col. Edmund Smyth in 1862. Much of the exploration of Western Tibet in this period, including that of Smyth, is covered in Allen's excellentA Mountain in Tibet. The American, Woodville Rockhill made two remarkable journeys into Tibet, both in disguise, in 1888 and 1889, which are described in five articles that he published in Century Magazine, as well as another article, Explorations in Mongolia and Tibet. While he did not reach Lhasa, he made a lasting contribution by his scholarship, in his written observations of the people, culture, and surveying.

Another expedition of interest is that of the Littledales in 1894-5, in which they came within 49 miles of Lhasa, before being turned away. (See the article by the Littledales as well as the recent biography by Elizabeth and Nicholas Clinch.) But one of my favorite characters from this period is Henry Savage Landor whose exaggerated account of his experiences in Tibet in 1897, In the Forbidden Land, wins the prize for Victorian Age tabloid journalism.

It was a Japanese Buddhist monk, Ekai Kawaguchi, who wrote the next significant chronicle of travels in Tibet and about its culture. He was in Tibet for about three years, beginning in early 1899. He spoke and read Tibetan, and spent much of his time in Lhasa in the Sera Monastery. His account of his travels and Tibetan life are rich, and can be found in his classic, Three Years in Tibet.

The Great Game

A backdrop to much of the activity in the 19th century was what Kipling called "The Great Game." This was the jockeying for power between Russia and Britain in Central Asia. This period led to a significant amount of exploration and travel, especially in the regions of the Karakoram, Hindu-Kush, Pamirs, and Turkestan. Some excellent histories that lay a foundation for understanding the nature of this "game" are Keay's two books, When Men and Mountains Meet, and The Gilgit Game, Hopkirk's, The Great Game: On Secret Service in High Asia, and Meyer & Brysac's, Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. One account of travels in Turkistan can be found in MacLean's, A Person From England. And Other Travellers To Turkestan. However, the two travellers who were among the main British players of this "game" were Ney Elias and Francis Younghusband. Elias wrote little himself, but his life is covered in Morgan's biography,Ney Elias. Explorer and envoy extraordinary in High Asia. Younghusband, on the other hand, was a prolific writer, and his early travels and participation in the game are especially covered in his, The Heart of a Continent.

Insofar as Tibet was concerned, the Great Game came to a head when Britain, mainly in the person of Curzon, the Viceroy of India, believed that Russia was gaining undue influence in Tibet with the intention of gaining influence over, or access to, India. This fear was largely fueled by the activities of a Russian Buddhist lama, Aagvan Dorjiev, who was an advisor to the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, and who traveled a number of times to St. Petersburg. As a result of his fears, 1903 Curzon sent Younghusband with a military force, into Tibet in order to negotiate a treaty which would counter the (as it turned out, imagined) Russian influence, and increase the security of India's northern frontier. Younghusband's account of these events are found in his bookIndia and Tibet. There are also two first person accounts from journalists who were with Younghusband. One is The Unveiling of Lhasa, by Edmund Candler, who was the corresponded for the Daily Mail. The other is The Opening of Tibet, by the Times correspondent, Perceval Landon. The Younghusband mission opened up the opportunity to survey parts of Tibet, and hence included a cartographer Captain C.G. Rawling whose experiences are captured in his book, The Great Plateau. An excellent overall history of this episode is provided in Fleming's Bayonets to Lhasa. It is also covered in the three biographies of Younghusband, by Seaver. Verrier, and the most recent one by French.

Younghusband was a fascinating man. His pioneering experiences in the Himalaya, such as described in The Heart of a Continent, and Wonders of the Himalaya, as well as his later involvement (as head of the Royal Geographical Society) in the early Everest expeditions, alone, would establish an important place for him in the history of the region.

The British were not the only ones exploring the region, however. In the period between 1893-1935 the Swede, Sven Hedin, made four trips to Tibet. In his inappropriately named book, A Conquest of Tibet, (not even Younghusband claimed to have done that!), he especially concentrates on his expeditions of 1899-1902 and 1905-1908. During the latter, he claims to have "discovered" things seen years earlier by Strachey and Smyth (see Longstaff, for example). Allen provides a good discussion of this controversy and its background.

Two other accounts of interest date from 1923. One is significant only because of the wonderful writing, Easton's An Unfrequented Highway. The other is the account by McGovern of his covert trip to Lhasa, To Lhasa in Disguise. The two are related, since Easton and McGovern met each other in Tibet on the latter's return trip to India.

Perhaps the best overall history of Tibet and description of its culture, up to the early 1900's, is give by Bell. who spoke Tibetan, lived there and in the region for years. He had a close relationship with the 13th Dalai Lama, and was a passionate student of the country, its people, culture and religion. A very different type of cultural study is offered in Schell's Virtual Tibet, which is an exceptionally well presented commentary on the West's perception of, and fascination with, Tibet. And, just for balance, perhaps the worst history of Tibet that I have read is Feigon's Demystifying Tibet.

There are two books that do a fairly good job of capturing Tibet and Lhasa in the late 1940's, just before it was changed forever by the Chinese invasion. The first is Harrer's well known Seven Years in Tibet. The second is the account of the trip in 1950 by the American broadcaster Thomas Lowell and his son Thomas. Jr., Out of this World: Across the Himalayas to Forbidden Tibet, written by Thomas Jr. The Lowells were only in Tibet for a very short time, so the depth of their understanding must be somewhat limited compared to Harrer, their book is very well researched, and is wonderfully illustrated, with over 100 photographs, 32 of which are in colour.

Finally, for a recent informed and balanced discussion of the "Tibet Question", see Goldstein's, The Snow Lion and the Dragon, Grunfeld's, The Making of Modern Tibet, Smith's, Tibetan Nation, and Shakya's, The Dragon in the Land of Snows, the last of these being a comprehensive history of Tibet since WW II. One other book that may be of interest, in this context, is Panikar's India and China.

The Rest of the Northern Frontier: Afghanistan, Chitral, Hunza, Turkestan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Kashmir ...
As any of the above-mentioned general histories of the Great Game make clear, this was not only about Tibet. The "game" was being played across all of Central Asia. A number of my books deal with the history and exploration of these other regions. One of the classic overviews is Grey's 1929, European Adventurers of Northern India, 1785-1849.

Two more recent and better researched books covering exploration in the same regions are Keay's (already mentioned), When Men and Mountains Meet - The Explorers of the Western Himalayas 1820-75 and The Gilgit Game. These are outstanding well-researched sources.

Mapping and Surveying

Much of our detailed understanding of the mountains bordering the top of the Indian sub-continent came from the great survey of India, which was begun in 1800, and carried on for about 100 years. The story of the first 50 years of the survey is told in Keay's, The Great Arc. This includes the measuring of Nanda Devi, Makalu, Kangchenjunga, and Everest. Later activities of the survey, especially in the western Himalaya and Karakoram regions, are covered in Keay's, When Men and Mountains Meet. However, perhaps the best and most accessible account of the Great Trigonometric Survey (GTS) of India is Edney's, Mapping an Empire. It does not cover the later period of the survey, such as the survey of the Karakoram or Kashmir, but is an extremely well researched scholarly book on the survey, its execution, its implications and significance. Finally, there is also The Forbidden Frontiers: The Survey of India from 1765-1949 by Styles, which while of interest, is not especially good.

Mountaineering History

For an overall history of early exploration and mountaineering in the Himalaya and surrounding mountains,Mason's, Abode of Snow, and the two volumes of Kurz's, Chronique Himalayenne are the main sources.

In terms of first person accounts of early mountaineering in the Himalaya and Karakoram, the main descriptions that I have are Conway's Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Himalayas, the Workmans' In the Ice World of the Himalaya, and the previously mentioned The Heart of a Continent and Wonders of the Himalaya by Younghusband. These are all accounts by pioneer explorers who were active around in the late 1800's. For two excellent sources chronicling the history of the 8000 metre peaks, see Baume's, Sivalaya and Sale & Clear's, Climbing the World's 14 Highest Mountains. Each includes the climbing history of these mountains, although the former has an outstanding bibliography, while the latter is much better illustrated.

One of the key mountaineer explorers in the first part of the 1900's was Tom Longstaff, whose expeditions are documented in his book This is my Voyage. Two other key players who were kindred spirits with Longstaff, and who built upon his exploration of Nanda Devi in the Garhwal, were Tilman and Shipton. Their collective expeditions are models for all to follow and envy. Both wrote extensively. The primary sources for Shipton are compiled in the The Six Mountain Travel Books, an anthology of his writings. Of these books, I also have the original editions of Blank on the Map, (1943), Upon that Mountain, (1952), and The Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition, 1951 (1952). As for his frequent partner, Tilman, there is also an anthology, The Seven Mountain Travel Books. Of Tilman's books, I also have the original editions ofThe Ascent of Nanda Devi, (1937), Mount Everest 1938, (1948), andNepal Himalaya, (1952 ). While Tilman is often described as dry and somewhat cold, his writing is anything but. He is one of the best writers that I have read in any genre, and his dry sense of humour and gift for pointed understatement is great. These are must-read books for anyone interested in the era, the geography, or the culture of the Himalaya in the first half of the 1900's. The reader is also directed to the biography, Eric Shipton - Everest and Beyond, by Steele. This provides a good overview and provides context for both Shipton's books, and the background to his not leading the 1953 British expedition to Everest. There are two biographies of Tilman. The first is Anderson's High Mountains & Cold Seas. The second, which has recently appeared, is by Madge, The Last Hero -- Bill Tilman: A Biography of the Explorer.

There are a number of other first hand accounts documenting the early climbing expeditions, that include detailed accounts of the marches in and the reconnoitering of the mountain and its surroundings. These I discuss under other topics, and they appear in the annotated bibliography, below. For overviews, Unsworth's Everest - The Mountaineering History, is especially good. On a smaller scale is Curran's wonderfully written,K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain. This provides not just a history of K2, but also a review of the early exploration of the Karakoram region.

Most of the climbing books, which are written by westerners, are fairly one-sided in their treatment of the Sherpa and porters, who more often than not are treated as anonymous smiling happy people who carried equipment, set up tents, and brought tea. Morris, who was a journalist for the Times covering the 1953 British expedition to Everest, is an exception. He seemed as interested in painting a portrait of the the people and their culture as in describing Hillary's ascent of Everest. The Sherpa were key players in these expeditions, and yet the treatment of them frequently did not reflect this. For example, Unsworth describes some of the problems that occurred at the start of the 1953 British expedition due to their being treated like second class members of the expedition. The topic of the interaction of Sherpa with foreign climbers, and the impact on Sherpa culture is discussed wonderfully by Ortner in her anthropological study, Life and Death on Mt. Everest : Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering. Another related study is Fisher's Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal. And, there is von Fürer-Haimendorf, The Sherpas of Nepal, which is important as the first (but not most readable or most recommended) anthropological study of the Sherpa. Finally, in this vein, in order to get a first hand perspective from the other side, the reader is directed to the two autobiographies of Tenzing Norgay, Tiger of the Snow, and After Everest, and that of Ang Tharkay (if you can find it). These are the only three written accounts by Sherpa that I am aware of, other than,Touching My Father's Soul. the account by Tenzing's son about the 1996 Everest IMAX expedition [Coburn, Breashears], and Tashi Tenzing's Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest.

The Tenzing and Tharkay autobiographies are worth searching out.

Different countries seem to have adopted or claimed different mountains. For example, while the British had Everest, the Germans had Nanga Parbat and Kangchenjunga (see Buhl, and Messner and Hofler for an account of Buhl's first ascent of Nanga Parbat). To a lesser degree, K2 is associated with Italy. The first reconnaissance of the mountain was by the Italian Roberto Lerco in 1890, and some of the key surveying and photographing of the mountain was undertaken in 1909 by an unsuccessful expedition to climb the mountain led by the Duke of Abruzzi. For a wonderful sample of these and other photographs, see the little volume edited by Audisio, Alpinismo Italiano in Karakoram / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram.) For background on the Duke of Abruzzi, see Tenderini and Shandrick's biography, The Duke of Abruzzi: An Explorer's Life. See also Clark's The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella. Finally, the Italian association with K2 was consolidated by the first successful summit in 1954 by an Italian team led by Ardito Desio. Two contrasting accounts of this controversial climb can be found in Bonatti's, The Mountains of my Life and the official version, Ascent of K2: Second Highest Peak In the World, by the leader, Prof. Desio.

Finally, to help understand much of the above in the context of the times, a good general history of India is James's, Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India.

Everest General

For an overview of the literature on Everest from first sighting until first summit, see my essay, From First Sight to Summit: A Guide to the Literature on Everest up to the 1953 Ascent.

For the student of Everest, the "Bible" is unquestionably Unsworth's Everest - The Mountaineering History (Third Edition). This is a monumental piece of well documented research. But what is most refreshing is how well it reads. It is a book that flows from cover to cover. I only wish that the authors of my history books in school had the same combination of passion, command of material and written language. This is a master work.

Another great history of Everest can be found in the collection of photographs, maps and first person accounts edited by Peter Gillman. This is a wonderful book covering the history of the mountain from its first "discovery" by Europeans up to the time of writing, 1992. If one wanted an overview of the mountain, and was going to buy only two books, I suspect that Unsworth and Gillman might be the best choices. They complement each other beautifully.

In order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1st summit, National Geographic Magazine put out a special edition in May 2003. This issue is of interest less for the articles, than for the excellent large format map of Everest, showing the key routes. What is of additional value is that this map is available on-line, as is an interactive 3D relief map of the Mountain and surrounding region, and a 360 degrees interactive panorama view from the summit. Click here to access the site. Both the physical copy of the magazine and the online resources will likely be of interest to students of the mountain.

While I have a general interest in Everest, my focus has been mainly on the expeditions leading up to the first ascent in 1953 by Hillary and Tenzing. My collection covering this period is complete (famous last words!). See From First Sight to Summit: A Guide to the Literature on Everest up to the 1953 Ascent. (Buxton, 2005). A key part of this document is the table at the end of this section.

The European exploration of the Everest region is rooted in map making. From many perspectives, there can be no empire without maps, and Britain at the time was certainly an empire. Mapping India was no small feat. Keep in mind that from the southern tip of India to the Himalaya is about the same distance as from the southern tip of Florida to Hudson’s Bay. The mapping of India, especially with the precision at which it was done, counts as one of the great achievements of the era. It is an accomplishment which is described in a number of books, including Edney's Mapping an Empire - The Geographical Construction of British India, 1765-1843, and the Keay's briefer, more approachable The Great Arc: The Dramatic Tale of How India was Mapped and Everest was Named.

But then, Britain was not the only empire in the region. To the north, there was China, and as Michael Ward’s wonderful recent book points out, Everest was marked on maps by (Jesuit trained) Chinese cartographers as early as 1708 and 1718!

The Chinese cartographers, however, were not climbers. Not so the British. They did much of the early climbing in the Himalaya. However, the British cartographers didn’t think of themselves so much as mountaineers. They were simply (?) men doing a job. But the latter 1800’s did see a number of, mainly British, people in the Himalaya for the ostensibly sole purpose of climbing (ostensibly, since many were British officers on leave, and this is generally interpreted as meaning that they were also doing intelligence work). Some of the early pioneers included W.W. Graham (see essays in Macleod and in Thompson et. al), W.M. Conway, Charles Bruce, and Tom Longstaff.

As early as 1885, Clinton Dent, the then president of the Alpine Club of Great Britain, wrote that he believed that Everest could be climbed. Then, in early 1893, during a mission to bestow British recognition to the new Mehtar of Chitral, the first proposal to explore Everest was probably made. Bruce claims that Younghusband made it to him, and Younghusband claims that the idea came from Bruce. The first hint of a follow-through came in 1904, when as part of the Younghusband mission to Tibet in 1904-5, Captain C G. Rawling was dispatched to map parts of Tibet, including territory as close as 60 miles from the north side of the mountain.

While Viceroy of India, (1899-1905), Curzon attempted to initiate a joint expedition to the mountain through Nepal, by the Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society; however, he was not able to get approval to enter Nepal (Younghusband, 1936). In 1907, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Alpine Club, there was another attempt to organize a reconnaissance expedition, this time through Tibet; however, again permission to enter the country was denied – this time by the British government, which was afraid of upsetting ongoing negotiations with Russia (Longstaff, 1950).

To this point, most of the discussion had been more about exploring the mountain, and making a reconnaissance, not climbing it. But the article, "A Consideration of the Possibility of Ascending the Loftier Himalaya, by the climber and physician", Dr. A.M. Kellas (1916), was one of the key catalysts that started shifting mountaineers thinking about the big peaks. However, the initiative for the Alpine Club and Royal Geographical Society to form the Mount Everest Committee, and launch the first expedition grew out of the discussion following a talk to the Alpine Club in 1916 by J.B.L. Noel (Noel, 1927; Younghusband, 1926, 1936).

For a good summary of the first three British expeditions to the mountain, see Younghusband's The Epic of Everest. It is a contemporary description of the expeditions of 1921, 1922 and 1924, and can be easily found since it has recently been reissued in paperback. The full text and photographs are also available on line. This book is as interesting for its style as for its content. The language is old fashioned but Younghusband's perspective on the use of oxygen and "fair means" is modern, even today. Reading this early account brings one far closer to understanding the frame of mind and attitude of the protagonists than is obtained by reading about the events in more recent second-hand accounts, such as Unsworth's, (which is not a slight on Unsworth's writing or research). In 1936 Younghusband wrote another book, Everest: The Challenge, the second edition of which summarized the Everest expeditions up to 1936. It also presented his views on high altitude mountaineering and the Himalaya. It makes for interesting reading to see how his views grew, changed, and/or remained consistent between these two volumes. Finally, for two other books that synthesize the early climbs, see Murray's The Story of Everest 1921-1952, and Shipton's, Men Against Everest (originally published in the UK as The True Book About Everest).

The primary sources for the Everest expeditions are the official accounts. Concerning the pre-war expeditions to the north side of the mountain, there are Howard-Bury's Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance, 1921, Bruce's The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922, Norton's The Fight for Everest: 1924, Ruttledge's Everest 1933, Ruttledge's Everest: The Unfinished Adventure which is the account of the 1936 expedition led by Ruttledge, and Tilman's Mount Everest 1938, an account of the last pre-war expedition, and the last in this series to the North side. The account of the 1935 reconnaissance expedition led by Shipton did not appear in book form, except almost as an aside in Ruttledge's Everest: The Unfinished Adventure. However, Shipton did publish an account of the expedition "The Mount Everest Reconnaissance, 1935", in the Himalayan Journal, in 1936. However, Tony Astill, Tony has recently published the definitive book on the expedition, Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance 1935.

The 1938 expedition led by Tilman is especially interesting in how it broke tradition with all of the previous ones, in its relatively "light weight" approach. It cost about 1/4 of any of the previous attempts. While the weather dictated that no serious assault on the summit could be made, this expedition paved the way for the even smaller expeditions that Tilman and Shipton were famous for, and led to the alpine-type approaches more common today. Again, this was essentially an expedition that did not use supplemental oxygen.

There are also first person accounts from members of these expeditions. For example,Finch, and Longstaff each include chapters that document their respective participation in the 1922 expedition. A favorite of mine is Smythe's account of the 4th British expedition in 1933, Camp Six. This is an exceptionally descriptiveaccount of both the walk in through Tibet and the climb itself. As with the earlier British expeditions, the 1933 effort got tantalizingly close. Three climbers in two assaults (Wyn Harris and Wagner in the first, and Smythe in the second) matched or exceeded Norton's 1924 high point of 8,600 metres, and did so without supplemental oxygen, and despite being plagued by bad weather. Yet another account of this 1933 expedition can be found in Shipton's early autobiography, Upon that Mountain, which also covers his experience with the expeditions of 1935, '36 and '38.

While the books that being discussed have to do with climbing the mountain, one footnote of interest is the first flight over the mountain in 1933, described by Fellowes, et. al in First over Everest, and Clydesdale & McIntyre in, The Pilots' Book of Everest. See also Etherton's The Last Strongholds andAll Over the World, as well as Douglas-Hamilton's, Roof of the World: Man's First Flight over Everest. This flight was a logistical and engineering tour de force, and resulted in the first aerial photographs of the mountain and its surroundings, which are reproduced in the books. Another interesting early flight was that of Robert Scott. In his book, God Is My Co-Pilot, he describes how he flew a P-43A in 1942, along the Brahmaputra River, into Tibet, over Lhasa (which he photographed in colour), on to Kangchenjunga, which he circled, then over Makalu and Everest.

In addition to the officially sanctioned expeditions, there was also one extraordinary 1934 covert attempt on the mountain by the EnglishmanMaurice Wilson. Wilson believed that his faith in God, and his diet, would see him to the summit, despite his complete lack of mountaineering experience. His expected success would thenprovide the world an example of the power of faith. While one cannot help but admire his spirit and determination, his judgment was lacking, and the result was that he died in his attempt. An account of his story, based largely on his extensive diaries, can be found in Roberts' I'll Climb Mount Everest Alone.

With the exception of another illicit "solo" expedition from the north, that in 1947 by the eccentric Canadian Earl Denman,the activity after W.W. II moved to the south side of the mountain - from Tibet to Nepal.

Tilman and Houston made a preliminary expedition to the Everest region in Nepal in 1950, which is one of the expeditions described in Tilman's, Nepal Himalaya. Then in 1951 Shipton led a reconnaissance expedition to the mountain, described in his Mt. Everest Reconnaissance Expedition 1951, which is also discussed by Hillary (who was part of the team) in both, High Adventure and View from the Summit. They made it through the Khumbu Ice Fall to the Western Cwm, thereby establishing that the mountain would "go" from the south side.

Then it was the turn of the Swiss. This was the first time that an official expedition had been mounted to Everest by anyone but the British, who thought of the mountain as "theirs." The Swiss made two attempts from the south in 1952, both of which are covered in Forerunners to Everest, by Dittert, Chevalley and Lambert, as well as captured photographically in,Everest: The Swiss Expeditions in Photographs, compiled by the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research. Tenzing Norgay, along with the Swiss climber Lambert, came very close to reaching the summit. Tenzing's account of the expedition can be found in his first autobiography, Tiger of the Snow. Two other books on the Swiss expeditions are, a collection of essays editted by Kurz, The Mountain World: Everest 1952, and Roch's beautiful book of photos and essays, Everest 1952.

The British, watched these expeditions with great anxiety. With the hope that the Swiss would not succeed, they made plans for an attempt in 1953. In order to be better prepared for this attempt, while the Swiss were active on Everest, the British (under Shipton) set out on a training expedition to Cho Oyo, which is described by Hillary in High Adventure.

While they came very close, the Swiss expeditions did fail, so the British had their chance in 1953 - a chance which they were well aware was likley to be their last before the mountain would be scaled. This expedition was led by Hunt, whose official account in, The Ascent of Everest, is dry, but nevertheless compelling. (In the USA the book was titled, The Conquest of Everest. I always find this term offensive. The concept of "conquering" a mountain is absurd, and is contrary to mountaineering as I think of it. However, given the military approach and siege tactics used, this title is not surprising.)

Hunt's book includes a chapter written by Hillary describing the final summit bid with Tenzing. It is extremelyinteresting to compare Hillary's account here with his more recent one in his View from the Summit. The latter describes things in a far more subjective and candid manner. Tenzing's account of the climb is covered in his first autobiography, Tiger of the Snow. One of the classic books on this expedition, and one of my favorites overall, is Noyce's South Col. In my opinion, this is one of the best "climber's eye view" in the literature. Another book worth reading is by Morris who was the correspondent for The Times assigned to the expedition. Rather than a description of the climb, it more a portrait of Nepal and the Sherpa people in the early 50's. It is a portrait such as I have not read elsewhere. A small book, but wonderful to read. While the Times had an exclusive on the story of the expedition, that didn't stop their competitor, The Daily Mail, from dispatching a correspondent to Everest. The story of the interloper, Ralph Izzard, (who was no mountaineer) is told in his, An Innocent on Everest.

For collections of photographs of the 1953 expedition, see Alfred Gregory's Everest, and Our Everest Adventure. I also think that Charles Evans' sketch book, Eye on Everest, is well worth seeking out, for its humour, as well as its sketches and cartoons. Other books relating to this climb are referenced in the table below. One thing worth noting, however, is that the feature-length documentary, The Conquest of Everest, shot by Tom Stobart, is available on the DVD, Into the Thin Air of Everest: Mountain of Dreams, Mountain of Doom, Goldhill DVD.

Another source of interest is Steele's book on Shipton, which gives a good second hand account of the expeditions immediately leading up to the 1953 expedition, and the controversy surrounding Hunt's appointment as leader over Shipton, who did not take part in the expedition (but continued to provide advice. This is an issue completely avoided in Hunt's book.

A link between the earlier and recent expeditions is found in three different books, each of which gives an account of the 1999 expedition that went out in search of the bodies of Mallory and Irvine: Ghosts of Everest - The Search for Mallory and Irvine, by Hemmleb, Johnson and Simonson, Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine, by Firstbrook, and The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest, by Anker & Roberts. (How this expedition justifies three books, I have no idea. Why I have all three is even a bigger mystery.) They aspire to be as much detective as climbing books, but this aspiration is somewhat diminished due to the rather shallow research that was conducted.

One of the key pieces of the puzzle that helped guide the search was the ice axe of Irvine. This had been found by Wyn Harris near the ridge, just below the First Step, during the 1933 expedition. Its discovery is described in the official account by Ruttledge, as well as in Smythe's, Camp Six. Significantly, Smythe's book includes an appendix specifically on the discovery of this axe, and what he believed it signified with respect to the fate of Mallory and Irvine. As it turns out, through the discoveries of the 1999 expedition, Smythe's conclusions appear to have been correct insofar as Mallory's body was found where he had predicted in this appendix. That Mallory died of exposure after a fall is now clear. What caused the fall and how Irvine died, are still unsolved, and almost certainly unsolvable questions. It is virtually certain that they did not get to the summit, and fell below the First Step (as suggested by Smythe). But the discovery of Mallory is an amazing story that further supports Smythe's judgment and understanding of mountaineering.

Those interested in more information on Mallory and Irvine, might look at Carr's little book, The Irvine Diaries: Andrew Irvine and the enigma of Everest 1924, as well as Peter and Leni Gillman's recent biography of Mallory, The Wildest Dream. If I was to recommend one book on Mallory it would probably be Last Climb, by Breashears and Salkeld. It is well written, researched, and beautifully produced.

Coming back to Ghosts of Everest, The Lost Explorer, and Lost on Everest, while the expedition and its findings were interesting, they warrant criticism for a number of reasons. Anyone trying to uncover the "mysteries" of the Mallory and Irvine should reasonably be expected to read everything from the 1933 expedition available, such as Shipton's Upon that Mountain, and especially the appendix in Smythe's Camp Six. After all, these were the first climbers on the ridge since the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine, they were climbers familiar with both Mallory and his approach to climbing, and the only people alive at the time who had first hand knowledge of the location and context. From the perspective of history and scholarship, my view is that the specific issues (analyses, conjectures, theories, etc.) made in the 1933 expedition report, and especially Smythe's appendix must be directly addressed. Yet, the only account that I found which cites, much less discusses, Smythe's Appendix, for example, is Breashears and Salkeld's Last Climb. Furthermore, my sense is that any serious analysis needs to reflect a balanced analysis of the various interpretations or possibilities that might be drawn from the data. Sadly, enthusiasm trumps analysis in books such as Ghosts of Everest and Detectives on Everest This is too bad, since - as I said earlier - some of the findings in these expeditions are interesting. However, in my opinion, they are worthy of a more serious analysis and presentation.

This general failure of most books on the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine suggests that, their efforts are often more of a treasure hunt, than scholarship or serious history. Hence, I have almost no interest in this huge, and growing, volume of books speculating on, and romanticizing, Mallory and Irvine. "Romantic musings," rather than "research," is generally the most appropriate description for them, and there is too much worthy literature to read to waste time on this topic, as trendy as it may be.

Now, if one does wants to find controversy, then a much better place to find it is in the American expedition of 1963, which is covered in Ullman's Americans on Everest. The ascent during that expedition of Everest's West Ridge by Willi Unsoeld and Tom Hornbein is covered in Hornbein's Everest : The West Ridge, and in the biography of Unsoeld by Leamer. The story of the other half of this expedition, the ascent via the easier South Col route (which resulted in the first American ascent by Jim Whittaker ) is described in Whittaker's autobiography, a disappointing book which sheds little light on the climb, and glosses over many of the the issues around it.

For something completely different, there is Miura and Perlman's account of Miura's 1970 attempt to ski straight down the Lhoste face. He fell most of the way, and yet lived to tell about it. Even in 1978, in The Man Who Skied Down Everest, this farce is described in some heroic context of ancient Samurai. To me, this expedition, and the resulting book and film constitute some kind of bizarre cultural artifact that just makes me shake my head in bewilderment. In some ways the book is worth reading just to have it reaffirmed that truth is stranger than fiction.

A note on the following table: all of the book references below with hyperlinks are books in my collection. Clicking on the link will take you to the full citation and a summary. The format that I have followed is based on Neate (1978).

Year	Summary of Expeditions	Chief account	Other Accounts
1885	Dent suggests that man could climb Everest	Dent (1885)
1886	Debate over name "Everest"	Walker (1886a), Freshfield (1886), Walker (1886b)
1893	Bruce and Younghusband first suggest mounting expedition to explore Everest.	Bruce (1934), Younghusband (1926)
1904	Rawling leads survey of region north of Everest.	Rawling (1905)
1913	Noel's exploration of the Tibetan Approaches	Noel (1919, 1927)	Freshfield et al. (1919)
1916	Dr. A.M. Kellas publishes study on feasibility of climbing higher Himalayan peaks.	Kellas (1916)
1921	British Reconnaissance Expedition	Howard-Bury (1922); Howard-Bury & Mallory (1991)	Gillman & Gillman (2000), Green (1990), Green (2005), Hozel & Salkeld (1986), Morshead (1982), Pye (1927), Robertson (1969), Salkeld (2000), Styles (1967), Wollaston (1933), Wollaston (2003)
1922	British Climbing Expedition	Bruce (1923)	Bridges & Tiltman (1929), Bruce (1934), Finch (1922, 1924, 1925, 1930), Gillman & Gillman (2000), Green (1990), Green (2005), Hozel & Salkeld (1986), Longstaff (1950), Morris (1960), Morshead (1982), Noel (1927), Noel (2003), Pye (1927), Robertson (1969), Rodway (2008), Salkeld (2000), Somervell (1936, 1948), Styles (1967).
1924	British Climbing Expedition. Mallory & Irvine disappear	Norton (1925)	Bridges & Tiltman (1929), Carr (1979), Gillman & Gillman (2000), Green (1990), Green (2005), Hozel & Salkeld (1986), Nicholson (1975), Noel (1927), Noel (2003), Pye (1927), Robertson (1969), Salkeld (2000), Somervell (1936, 1948), Styles (1967), Summers (2000), Swinson (1971).
1921-24	Summary of first three expeditions	Younghusband (1926)
1933	British Climbing Expedition	Ruttledge (1934)	Boustead (1971), Greene (1974), Longland (1940), Shipton (1943, 1969, 1985), Smythe (1937, 1941, 1949), Tharkay (1954)
1933	First Flight Over Summit	Fellowes et al (1933)	Clydesdale & McIntyre (1936), Douglas-Hamilton (1983), Etherton (1934; 1946)
1934	Solo Attempt by Englishman Maurice Wilson	Roberts (1957)	Hanson (2008), Russell (n.d.), Salkeld (1993), Shipton (1943)
1935	British Reconnaissance Expedition	Shipton (1936), Astill(2005)	Bryant (1953), Norgay & Ullman (1955), Ruttledge (1937), Shipton (1943, 1969, 1985), Temple (1969), Tharkay (1954)
1936	British Climbing Expedition.	Ruttledge (1937)	Morris (1960), Norgay & Ullman (1955), Shipton (1943, 1969, 1985), Tharkay (1954)
1921-36	Analysis of British Expeditions to date	Younghusband (1936)
1938	British Light Climbing Expedition	Tilman (1948)	Norgay & Ullman (1955), Shipton (1943, 1969, 1985), Tharkay (1954),
1921-38	Summary of British Expeditions		Snaith (1938), Ullman (1947)
1942	Unauthorized US Flight over Mtn.	Scott (1943)	Hagen et al. (1963), Kurz (1959)
1945	Secret flight over mountain by New Zealander, C.G. Andrews of 684 Squadron, RAF	Andrews (1947)	Hagen et al. (1963), Kurz (1959), Ward (2003)
1947	Secret flight over mountain by K.D Neame, RAF	Neame (1955)	Hagen et al. (1963), Kurz (1959), Ward (2003)
1947	Solo Attempt by Canadian Earl Denman	Denman (1954)	Kurz (1959), Norgay & Ullman (1955)
1950	Anglo-American expedition, led by Oscar Houston. First approach from Nepal by C Houston & Tilman.		Cowles (1953), Tilman (1952)
1951	Solo Attempt by Dane, R.B. Larsen		Hagen et al. (1963), Kurz (1959), Kurz (1953a), Unsworth (2000)
1951	British Reconnaissance of Western Cwm	Shipton (1952)	Bryant (1953), Hillary (1955, 1975, 1999), Murray (1953, 2002), Shipton (1955, 1966, 1969, 1985), Temple (1969), Ward (2003), Tharkay (1954)
1952	Spring Swiss Expedition, led by E. Wyss-Dunant and Fall Swiss Expedition, led by G. Chevalley.	Dittert et al (1954)	Kurz (1953b), Norgay & Ullman (1955), Roch (1952), SFAR (1954)
1952	Unsubstantiated and suspect Russian attempt from the north in fall.		Gippenreiter (1994), Kurz (1959)
1921-52	Summary of Attempts from 1921-52		Murray (1953)
1953	British First Ascent	Hunt (1953)	Band (2003), Bryant (1953), Evans (1955), Goswami (1954), Gregory (1954, 1993, 2007), Hillary (1955, 1975, 1999), Hunt (1954, 1978a; 1978b), Izzard (1954), Lowe (1959), Morris (1958, 1974), Norgay & Ullman (1955), Norgay & Barnes (1977), Noyce (1954), Noyce & Taylor (1954), Stobart (1953, 1958a, 1958b), Temple (1969), Ward (1972, 2003)
1913-1999	An anthology of first person accounts.	Lewis (2003)
1921-53	Summary of Attempts		Band (2003), Shipton (1955), Venables (2003), Ward (2003)
1921-99	The Definitive History of Everest	Unsworth (2000)

In marked contrast, in terms of mountaineering, is Bonington's Everest the Hard Way, a wonderful book describing the 1975 British expedition that made the first ascent of the South West Face.

An account of the 1976 US Bicentennial expedition can be found in Ridgeway's, The Boldest Dream.

In terms of spectacular ascents of the mountain, few can compete with Messner's 1980 solo climb of the north face, without supplemental oxygen, described in The Crystal Horizon: Everest - The First Solo Ascent. This book is extremely wellwritten. It is also very well researched, in that it goes beyond the obvious, "we climbed it, and here's how" type of account. It gives a great deal of background on the mountain, as well as Tibet and the route in.

Another expedition that did the West Ridge (via the Hornbein Couloir), approached from the north side, was the Canadian Everest Light Expedition of 1986, described in Patterson's Canadians on Everest. This expedition was interesting for its light style, climbing without Sherpa support, not taking the standard route, and for getting the first North American woman, Sharon Wood to the summit.

Perhaps the most remarkable (verging on insane) expedition was the four climber oxygenless ascent of the East (Kangshung) Face in 1988, which is described by Venables in Everest Kangshung Face. This is also highly recommended. Another account of this climb, with fantastic photos, can be found in Webster's Snow in the Kingdom.

The following is a table covering the literature on Everest from the period leading up to the first British expedition in 1921, to the first ascent in 1953. The table is based on that in Neate's,Mountaineering and its Literature. I have added additional references to his, I now have all of the referenced books in my collection. I have followed Neate's format in making the table, except that I use the first author's name, rather than a number, as the reference. Clicking on the reference will take you to the full citation and annotation in my bibliography. Books associated with more than a single expediton are indicated by the entry in the "Year" column showing a range (e.g., "1921-36"), rather than single date.

Note that the definitive bibliography on Everest, up to 1993, is the little known, but extremely well prepared, Climbing Mount Everest: The Bibliography, by Salkeld and Boyle.

The following table carried on from the previous one. However, it is incomplete, and has the narrow intent of simply cataloguing the books in my collection by expedition, more-or-less following the table format used by Neate. Only post 1953 expeditions are included below.

Year	Summary of Expedition	Route	Accounts
1963	1st American Expedition,	South Col, West Ridge, 1st traverse	Ullman, Hornbein, Whittaker
1970	Japanese Ski Expedition	South Col	Miura
1971	International Expedition	South West Face	Haston
1975	British S.W. Face Expedition	South West Face	Bonington
1976	American Bicentennial Expedition	South Col	Ridgeway
1978	First Ascent w/o Bottled Oxygen	South Col	Habeler & Messner
1980	Polish Expedition	South Pillar	Kukuczka
1980	Solo Oxygenless Alpine	North Face	Messner
1982	Canadian National Expedition	South Col	Burgess, Patterson, Morrow
1982	American North Face Expedition	North Face	Wickwire
1986	Canadian Everest Light	West Ridge	Patterson
1987	Canadian Solo Attempt	North Face	Patterson
1988	International East Face	Kangshung Face	Venables, Webster
1988	Canadian Everest Express	North Face	Patterson
1990	International Peace Climb	North Col - N.E. Ridge	Whittaker
1996	Swedish Solo	South Col	Kropp
1996	IMAX	South Col	Coburn, Breashears, Norgay
1996	International Mountain Madness	South Col	Boukreev_1, Boukreev_2, Gammelgaard,
1996	International Adventure Consultants	South Col	Krakauer_1, Krakauer_2, Groom, Weathers
1996	International Alpine Ascents	South Col	Kamler
1996	British Himalayan Kingdoms Expedition	North Col - N.E. Ridge	Dickinson
1996	South African Expedition	South Col	O'Dowd_1, O'Dowd_2, Vernon
1999	Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition	North Col - N.E. Ridge	Hemmleb, Firstbrook, Anker

Everest, Spring 1996

Discussion about what happened on Everest in the spring of Everest has become almost as banal as it is tiresome. This is largely a result of the popularity of Krakauer's Into Thin Air. If only he wasn't such a good writer! The good news is that he draws so many people into the mountaineering literature. But then, that is also the bad news. Everyone is an expert and has an opinion, few have any practical mountaineering experience to back up their opinions, and many of these opinions are heavily biased due to Krakauer's compelling prose. My argument is not against armchair mountaineers, which would largely include myself. Rather, it is the lack of inquiry that seems to accompany this lack of on-mountain experience.

This leads to the other good news / bad news story. Partially due to the success of Krakauer's book, and partially due to the compelling nature of the events that took place, there are a number of other books that deal with the events of the spring of 1996, most of which were (like that of Krakauer) written by people who were there. The bad news is that none of them are written as well as his, so opinion is partially shaped by the best writing rather than by the best analysis (which may well be that of Krakauer, but it would be nice if this was due to a balanced evaluation of the content of the various stories rather than the form and style.)

To be fair to Krakauer, he is not only the best writer of the lot, he is also the most experienced journalist, so it is not just the quality of his prose that has given his version the weight that it has assumed.

Taken collectively, these books resemble Kurosawa's classic film Rashomon which examines the accounts of an event as recounted by a number of witnesses, each of whom has their own perspective and vested interest.

If there is a villain in Krakauer's version, it is Boukreev, the star guide on the Scott Fischer team. Hence, probably the best counterpoint to Into Thin Air is The Climb which was written by Boukreev & DeWalt. This is pretty compelling, and it is rare to see a book which is so pointedly directed at countering the opinions (real and imagined) articulated in another. And, just to make thing more interesting, the newer Illustrated Edition of Into Thin Air has a postscript that addresses some of the arguments made in The Climb. Having read both The Climb and Into Thin Air, one will be of a very different state of opinion than if one read just one or the other. Confused might be the most likely state, which is all the more reason to dig deeper. Why not? What could be better than when scholarship and one's interest merge?

Gammelgaard's book, while painful to read at times, in some ways is one of the best. Like Krakauer, Gammelgaard presents the view of one of the clients, and a relatively experienced one, at that. What I like about this book is its perspective on that seldom discussed concept: responsibility. Between the new age views, and all-too-sensitive diary entries, Gammelgaard actually addresses the issues at a reasonable level of abstraction. She is explicit in terms of articulating the philosophy of guiding as exemplified by Boukreev vs. Hall, and gives some pretty compelling arguments on the side of the Boukreev school of thought. Essentially, she is of the view that at this level, the role of the guide is to teach you to look after yourself, not to hold your hand. The underlying rationale is that when (not if) thing go wrong and you are on your own, if you are used to relying on your guide rather than yourself, you will be unprepared. From this perspective, an overly attentive guide is a danger not an asset (unless the guide can guarantee to be always there and able, which - of course - they cannot do.) In many ways, this analysis rings more true coming from a client and near-victim, than from Boukreev himself. He obviously had a more vested interest.

The story of another near-victim, Beck Weathers, as written up in the book by Weathers & Michaud, is also pretty compelling (but, as I say in the annotation to the book listing, if you are only going to do one thing, then get the IMAX Everest DVD and see the Weather's interview rather than read the book). It is pretty hard to discount the views of someone with the strength of spirit to survive despite being left for dead 3 times. A couple things are pretty interesting in this. One is the view that comes out in both the interview and the book, that there was a "them and us" thing going on on the mountain. That is, he seems to say in both the book and the DVD interview that the Fischer crew looked after their own, and left the Hall clients to their own devices (all of the Fischer team survived, other than Fischer himself). Nobody else suggests this, so it stood out pretty strongly to me. It is interesting, since as far as I can see, the behaviour of members of Hall's team towards Weathers after his first "resurrection" appears pretty shoddy, and this very much includes Krakauer, who was Weathers team-mate, and yet left him in a tent to die alone. But this is likely too simple of an analysis. However, the events around this incident alone should make it clear that Into Thin Air is "a" story, perhaps a "good" story, but not "the" story or the "only" story.

The Australian Mike Groom was one of the three guides for the Rob Hall team, and his experience is documented in a chapter of his climbing biography, Sheer Will. In some ways, Groom is self critical, especially in not having double checked on Andy Harris before descending from the South Summit. However, he seems to have handled things rather well on the mountain, in particular in terms of Beck Weathers and Yasuka Namba. He only talks about what he personally experienced, rather than trying to give the whole story. In some ways, he tells more in doing so. For example, from reading Krakauer, one might easily get the impression that the members of the Fischer and Hall teams knew each other. Reading Groom, it is clear that they did not. What Groom does not provide is any analysis or thoughts about the underlying decisions or actions on the climb. He states, for example, that the Hall and Fischer teams decided to team up on summit day to form a "powerful force trail breaking to the summit ...." without any comment on the wisdom of this decision. He states that "We planned to keep our eight climbers, three guides and five Sherpa within a distance of 100 metres from front to back" which, seems a surprising thing, given the individual differences in ability and fitness of the team, especially at that altitude. And he clearly states that the turn-around time was 1:00 pm, and yet makes no comment when he describes discussions with Hall who was still ascending at 2:00 pm. From the experience and perspective of a guide, one would hope for more insight. From a human being, I guess I understand.

Some perspective on all of this, from a bit of a distance, is found in Kropp & Lagercrantz's Ultimate High, and in Simpson's Dark Shadows Falling. While Simpson was not on Everest that spring, he has somewhat earned the right to comment on issues around the ethics of leaving people to die on mountains, given his own experience that he recounts in Touching the Void. His writing on these events is pretty interesting, (although, in my opinion, his perspective on events is perhaps too strongly shaped by Krakauer's account of things). He emphatically makes the point that even if you feel that you cannot do anything to keep someone alive, if you can, you should at least do your best so that they are not left to die alone.

Kropp, who was conducting his own expedition-of-one on the mountain while all of this was going on, represents the exact opposite of the guided "adventure tourist" represented by the Hall and Fischer groups. His philosophy of climbing reflects his extreme definition of "fair means" (which dictates that he must carry everything to and up the mountain himself, and accept no outside help). One could only wish that his talents as a writer matched the quality of his spirit and expedition.

For contrast, contempt, and another view from those on the mountain, the accounts of two other expeditions are pretty interesting. One is the account of the IMAX expedition, represented by the well-written and confident, High Exposure, by Breashears and the companion, Everest: Mountain Without Mercy, by Coburn. The other is that of the South African expedition, led by Ian Woodall. This expedition is described in two books, both hard to find. The first to appear, in 1997, wasO'Dowd & Woodall's, Everest - Free to Decide. The second, an infinitely better book, is O'Dowd's, Just for the Love of It.

While essentially a climbing autobiography, the Breashears book spends a significant amount of space on the IMAX expedition. Both Breashears and Coburn comment on what was going on on the mountain, and especially on the evacuation of Weathers. What must be said is that the IMAX team risked their expedition in order to help the Hall, Fischer and Korean teams that were caught on the South Col in the storm. Their ethics in this regard were exemplary. They risked their entire expedition to help, regrouped, and then went on to do the seeming impossible - getting an IMAX camera onto the summit and shooting some remarkable footage.

Then there was the South African expedition. After reading Krakauer, among others, one has to conclude that this was one of the most divisive and incompetent expedition to ever attempt the mountain, and that the expedition leader,Woodall, must be the biggest jerk that ever picked up an ice axe. In contrast, when you read the O'Dowd & Woodall book, you find that this may have been the most harmonious, dedicated and underrated team that ever attempted the mountain. My reading suggests that the picture painted by O'Dowd & Woodall in this book is just as disingenuous as the accounts of their expedition by others are of one view. Woodall just seems to be someone who polarizes opinion. This is why the second book, by O'Dowd, is so interesting. Unlike the earlier book, this one addresses the conflicts within the team and with other teams, and gives her side of the story. It is at least more credible, as a result.

I talk about Woodall and Breashears together largely out of mischief. Based on their written comments, it is hard to imagine greater mutual contempt. But despite what one might think of the other, it is hard to reconcile the statements, such as by Coburn, about Woodall's unwillingness to assist on the South Col, with the account by O'Dowd, (that the South Africans provided radio communications during the storm, radio batteries for the New Zealand team, and that Woodall made two forays onto the col during the storm, where it is claimed that he encountered Neil Laughton, of the Henry Todd team, on one trip, and Stuart Hutchison, of Rob Hall's team, on another). Where the truth about the South African lies is hard to determine. In addition to the disparaging comments by others, such as Kropp and Coburn, a very negative perspective of the expedition can be found in the account by Vernon, Ascent & Dissent: The SA Everest Expedition - The Inside Story.

But people's lives were at stake, and this was not a literary debate. This is brought to mind in Dickinson's The Death Zone, which is the account of his team's experience on the north side of the mountain at the same time. To me, it is interesting to contrast Dickinson's perspective regarding the fate of the 3 Indian climbers on the north side, to that expressed by Simpson in Dark Shadows Falling. I cannot help but wonder about the degree to which Dickinson's relative inexperience led to his "there was nothing that could be done" assessment of the situation. In medicine, there is a dictum: "You are not dead until you are warm and dead." Yes it is hard to get people warm at high altitude, much less get them down the mountain even if you can revive them. But how compelling a reason is that for leaving conscious people to die alone? Smarter and more experienced people than me hold different views on this, so I cannot claim to have any answers.

In fact, none of these books gives "the answer" or "the truth". It may be that all of them are far too soft on Hall and Fisher who had ultimate responsibility for the controllable aspects of what went on on the south side. Despite appearing to be nice guys and highly experienced, their judgment seems to have been lacking in many regards. But again, opinions are easy to form when you have nothing a stake.

But what these books do do, is provide the catalyst for serious thought, and the opportunity to address some fairly serious issues that extend beyond mountaineering. For those who have the time, I recommend reading them all. For those who don't, I recommend Rashomon. For the true student, one should certainly do both.

References:

· Boukreev, A. (2001). Above the Clouds

· Boukreev, A. & DeWalt, G.W. (1997). The Climb.

· Breashears, D. (1999). High Exposure

· Coburn, B. (1997). Everest: Mountain Without Mercy.

· Dickinson, M. (1998). The Death Zone

· Gammelgaard, L. (1999). Climbing High

· Groom, M. (1997). Sheer Will

· Kamler, K. (2000). Doctor on Everest

· Krakauer, J. (1997). Into Thin Air.

· Krakauer, J. (1998). Into Thin Air - The Illustrated Edition.

· Kropp, G. & Lagercrantz, D. (1997). Ultimate High

· Norgay, J.T. (2001). Touching My Father's Soul

· O'Dowd, C. (1999). Just for the Love of It.

· O'Dowd, C. & Woodall, I. (1997). Everest - Free to Decide

· Simpson, J. (1997). Dark Shadows Falling

· Vernon, K. (1997). Ascent & dissent : The SA Everest Expedition - The Inside Story

· Weathers, B. & Michaud, S. (2000). Left for Dead

Another reference if you are interested in the views of some of the participants is the following Mountainzone web sites:

http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/letters.html
http://classic.mountainzone.com/climbing/fischer/

Broad Peak 1957: Austrian First Ascent

In 1957, a team of four Austrians: Marcus Schmuck, Hermann Buhl, Fritz Wintersteller and Kurt Diemberger made an ascent of Broad Peak (8,047m). This climb was remarkable for a number of reasons, mostly to do with style:

· It was accomplished without supplementary oxygen

· They had no porters on the mountain, and carried everything themselves

· All four team members summited (a first for an 8,000 metre peak)

· By reaching the summit, Hermann Buhl became the first person to make 2 first ascents of a mountain over 8,000 metres.

To make this expedition all the more remarkable, Markus Schmuck and Fritz Wintersteller followed their ascent of Broad Peak with a flash ascent of a nearby mountain, Skil Brum (7,360 m), which they climbed in pure alpine style.

Starting from base camp at 4,900 metres, they climbed to 6,060 metres where they camped. The following day they summited and then returned to their high camp. They descended the next morning.

From base camp to base camp, the ascent of Skil Brum was done in 53 hours!

From all of the above, this 1957 expedition was a wonderful precursor of the new style that what was to follow, such as that exemplified in the climbs of Messner and Habeler.

But there was a dark side to this expedition. It suffered from interpersonal difficulties. By the time of the second successful summit attempt, the members were no longer climbing as a team of four, but as two teams of two: Schmuck and Wintersteller, and Buhl and Diemberger. Further, following the ascent of Skil Brum by Schmuck and Wintersteller, Buhl and Diemberger made an alpine-style attempt on Chogolisa (7,654 m). It was on this attempt that Buhl was killed. Thus, the legacy of one of the most stunning expeditions in the history of Himalayan climbing has been dominated by the shadow of Hermann Buhl’s death rather than by its stellar accomplishments.

An analysis of the literature and history of this climb can be found on line in:

Buxton, William (2006). Broad Peak and the 1957 Austrian Karakoram Expedition. Canadian Alpine Journal, 89, 176-183.

Related literature, on which I have based this essay, includes:

· Baume, Louis. (1978).Sivalaya - the 8000-Metre Peaks of the Himalaya. Goring, England: Gastons-West Col.

· Bonington, C. (1981). Quest for Adventure. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

· Buhl, Hermann (1954). Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage - The Lonely Challenge. Seattle: The Mountaineers

· Buhl, Hermann (2005). Achttausend drüber und drunter. München: Malik, Piper Verlag.

· Buxton, William (2005). Interview with Qader Saeed, Video, 45 min

· Diemberger, K. (1959). "Broad Peak: The Austrian Karakoram Expedition 1957". In Malcolm Barnes (Ed.). The Mountain World 1958/59. London: George Allen & Company, 126-141.

· Diemberger, K. (1971). Summits and Secrets. In Diemberger, K. (1999). The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. Seattle: The Mountaineers

· Diemberger, Kurt (1974). Herman Buhl’s Last Climbs. Mountain, 36 (June 1974), 35-39.

· Dyhrenfurth, G.O. & Dyhrenfurth, Norman (1977). Broad Peak. Mountain. 55 (May/June 1977), 40-43.

· Eiselin, Max (1961). The Ascent of Dhaulagiri. London: Oxford University Press.

· Kurosawa, Akira (1950). Rashamon. Film (Japanese original). Directed by Akira Kurosawa, based on two stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa: “Rashamon” and “In a Grove”. English publication: Rashamon and Other Stories, trans. Takashi Kojima (New York: Liveright Publishing, 1952).

· Messner, R. & Höfler, H. (2000). Hermann Buhl: Climbing without Compromise. Seattle: The Mountaineers

· Sacks, Samantha (2005). The Revision of History. Alpinist Magazine, 14, 58-65.

· Sale, Richard (2004). Broad Peak. Hildersley: Carreg Ltd

· Sale, Richard & Cleare, John. (2000).Climbing the World's 14 Highest Mountains. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

· Schmuck, Marcus (1958). Broad Peak 8047m: Meine Bergfahrten mit Hermann Buhl. Salzburg/Stuttgart: Verlag "Das Bergland-buch".

Annapurna

As the first mountain over 8,000 metres that was climbed, Annapurna is a special mountain. The first ascent was made in 1950 by a French team. A collection of photographs from the climb was published in 1951 in French text in, Regards vers l’Annapurna, and the climb is described in the book, Annapurna, by the expedition leader Maurice Herzog. This latter is the largest selling mountaineering book of all time. It is a gripping story, and extremely well written. The problem is, the accuracy of the story that it tells has recently been questioned by Roberts in hisbook, True Summit - What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent of Annapurna.

In his book, Herzog described a heroic adventure by a team unified by a common goal. But Roberts contradicts this characterization of the expedition. A good example that he cites occurred at the airport right at the point of departure. After all the preparations, and without any advance notice, Herzog sprung an agreement on the team members compelling them not to write about the expedition for 5 years. The agreement also required them to hand over all diaries and photos at the expedition's end. The penalty for not signing was not traveling. (Remember, this was at the airport!) Herzog was to have sole control over the story and how it was told.

Likewise, in the aftermath of the climb, the team ethic described in the book, was belied by Herzog's behaviour. Far from promoting the team, the book notwithstanding, Herzog ended up receiving the bulk of the credit. Others, especially Lachenal, who also made the summit, were left in relative obscurity, while Herzog parlayed his celebrity into a very successful career in politics and business. For him the loss of his toes and fingers was worth it. Lachenal, who summitted with Herzog, wanted to turn back on summit day. He continued to the summit due to his ethics as a guide. Herzog would not turn back, and if left to continue alone, Lachenal was convinced that he would die. The result of this loyalty was that, along with his toes and fingers, he lost his ability to climb, and therefore his career. Who then, is the "hero" of Annapurna?

Given the stature that Herzog has assumed in the mountaineering community, it is not surprising that someone would come to his defense. The champion that emerged was none other than Messner, by way of his recent book, Annapurna: 50 Years of Expeditions in the Death Zone. Unfortunately for "Mr. Annapurna," the title bestowed on Herzog by Messner, this is a hastily written and poorly argued defense.

Yes, Herzog and Lachenal got to the top and back. And, as Messner argues, they would not have done so were it not for the determination of Herzog. But the question that is begged is, "Was it worth it?" Was the summit fever, ego, and nationalistic fervor that drove Herzog to the summit something to respect, admire and celebrate, or not? Messner clearly believes that it is, even while making clear that Herzog went too far.

If the consequences affected only Herzog, then it would be easy to agree with Messner. But by his behaviour, Herzog compelled Lachenal to also suffer the consequences. But while Herzog was in some way compensated for his losses, Lachenal was not. For all intents and purposes, the making of Herzog's future career spelled the end of Lachenal's. (As an aside, it has been argued that one of the reasons for Herzog getting the credit was the summit photo taken by Lachenal. The photo of Lachenal by Herzog was not usable. Were this a credible explanation, it would be too ironic. But it isn't, and one need only reflect that there is no photo of Hillary, just Tenzing, on the summit of Everest, and yet we have heard of Hillary, nevertheless.)

If one only considers what happened on the mountain, one might again be inclined to agree with Messner. He argues that Herzog cannot be held accountable for how other people reacted to the climb, or Lachenal's choices on the mountain. Based on his actions before and after the climb, it is hard to accept Herzog's behaviour as something that happened due to the stress of being on the mountain and at altitude. His last minute making members sign the agreement not to publish for five years and to hand over materials at the end of the expedition, as a condition of going, is one example. (Note, there was little precedent for this. For example, on the British expedition to Everest in 1933, accounts were written by not only the leader, Ruttledge, but also by Boustead, Greene, Longland, Shipton (1943, 1969, 1985), Smythe (1937, 1941), and Tharkay. Herzog's censoring of Lachenal's account of the climb before it was published posthumously is another example. These and other examples make clear that Herzog's behaviour was systemic, and therefore seemingly indefensible.

Messner is not persuasive. However, it is still worth considering his viewpoint. His own accomplishments warrant his opinions being heard. Having heard them, I for one discard them as mainly specious.

Those interested in finding out more about other members of the French expedition, are directed to Terray's Conquistadors of the Useless, which is as brilliantly written as it is titled. It is an autobiography which includes a discussion of Annapurna, among other important climbs (although do not expect any controversy from Terray's account). This is probably my favorite mountaineering book of all time. I would also recommend Rébuffat's Starlight and Storm - The Conquest of the Great North Faces of the Alps which is well worth reading, although it does not discuss Annapurna.

Before leaving the topic of the 1950 ascent of Annapurna, I can't help but contrast the condition of the French team after the climb, with that of the participants of the much earlier British expeditions to Everest, such as described by Younghusband and Smythe. In 1950, Herzog and his team were climbing almost 30 years after the first British Everest expedition. They had the benefit of much more modern equipment, as well as the collective experience (through the written accounts) of seven British expeditions. Remember also, that while at 8,091 metres, Annapurna was the first 8,000 metre summit to be reached, the British had previously been significantly higher. As early as 1924 Norton reached 8,600 metres on Everest without oxygen, a feat repeated by three other English climbers in 1933. Yet, unlike the British, the French were almost devastated after their climb. I think that the condition of the French team in general, and Herzog in particular, draws into question his overall judgment (as opposed to his courage or determination). (To be fair, there were incidences of frostbite in British expeditions. For example, in 1922 Mallory, Norton, Somervell and Morshead all suffered frostbite. Morshead's was serious, and he lost the tips of several fingers and a toe. And, in 1933 a Sherpa lost 3 fingers. But despite inferior equipment and climbing several years earlier, there was nothing like the devastation on Annapurna.)

Finally, in addition to making his case about Herzog, Messner's book describes a number of important climbs of the mountain, and therefore is a valuable source of information of what happened after the French expedition. And, this part of the book is much better written, perhaps because Messner was on much more familiar and firmer ground with this kind of writing.

As for other notable climbs of the mountain, the 1970 south face expedition, led by Bonington. Annapurna South Face, was an important landmark in Himalayan climbing for its style. Also worth noting is the 1978 expedition led by Blum, Annapurna: A Woman's Place, which was a landmark in women's climbing.

The Eiger

As perhaps the ultimate test piece in the Alps, the north face of the Eiger has a pretty broad history andliterature. Written by one of the members of the team that made the first ascent of the north face in 1938, Harrer's The White Spider is the definitive climbing history of the mountain. Reading it in 1970 was my introduction to mountaineering literature. An excellent companion to this is the collection of essays and photographs of the Eiger, Eiger: The Vertical Arena, edited by Daniel Anker. However, for the best photo that I have seen showing the routes on the face, see issue number 2 of The Alpinist journal (www.alpinist.com), page 86.

The second successful ascent was made in 1947 by the French team of Terray and Lachenal, who both played important roles in the first ascent of Annapurna in 1947. This climb is well documented in Terray's, Conquistadors of the Useless.

Terray also had a role in another account, as one of the rescuers, of an attempt in 1957 by the accidentally combined ropes of the Italians Corti and Longhi, and the Germans, Northdurft and Mayer. All but one of the climbers died, and the saving of Corti was one of the most dramatic mountain rescues of all time. The story of this climb is as complicated as it is fascinating. Harrer gives an account, but it leaves many questions unanswered, and by necessity, does not go into great detail. Terray's book, besides discussing his own ascent in 1947, also includes an account of his part in the rescue. However the ultimate story of this climb is Olsen's 1962 classic The Climb up to Hell, which has recently been reissued as a paperback.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the climbing literature is comparing different accounts of the same climb. In this regard the Eiger offers up a wonderful contrast between the 1952 8th ascent by the "not really by choice" combined French and Austrian teams. The Austrian team was led by Buhl, and his version of the climb is documented in Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage - The Lonely Challenge. The French team was led by Rébuffat, of Annapurna fame, and is documented in Starlight and Storm - The Conquest of the Great North Faces of the Alps. As stated elsewhere, I found the Buhl book a painful read in many ways, since it is more of a diary of seemingly every climb that he ever made, regardless of importance. But it is worth getting even if only to read about the Eiger and Nanga Parbat ascents.

Another interesting account is that of the 1959 ascent by Diemberger and Stefan, documented in Summits and Secrets found in The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. Contrasting this climb with the first ascent provides a nice sense of how mountaineering had developed over the intervening 21 years. One can say the same about Hargreaves' solo ascent in 1993, While it was not on the north face proper, it was remarkable in its speed and new line on the Lauper Face.

Finally, the reader is directed to Gillman & Haston's account of the American-UK marathon first ascent of the direct route of the North Face, in Eiger Direct. The book is gripping in its description of this marathon effort, in which the leader, John Harlin, fell to his death. See also Haston's The Eiger, which chronicles the history of the Eiger's north face from that climb in 1966 to 1974, when his book was published.

View From the Other Side: Sherpa, Porters, and Their Perspective

The literature on mountaineering and exploration in the Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamirs, and Hindu Kush has mostly been from the perspective of the mountaineer, or explorer, virtually all of whom were foreign to the area being described. The perspective of the indigenous people who frequently were carrying the loads, and whose lands were being explored is seldom heard. At worst, the foreigners write as if they were the only ones on the expedition. Think about Denman titling his book, Alone to Everest, for example. He might be the only person on the planet who would consider himself alone when accompanied by Tenzing Norgay! Less extreme, but another example of the same foreigner centric perspective, is the often seen practice of reducing the natives into a generic group, rather than individuals, in photo captions (e.g., "John Doe on the summit with a Sherpa"), or in the text (e.g., "John Doe and two Sherpa spent the night on the South Col."). This is not only a European and North American trait. Consider Miura and Perlman's, The Man Who Skied Down Everest. Six Sherpa died in the Khumbu Ice Fall carrying loads for Miura's team. While he gives lip service to the question of death, he neither names the Sherpa who died in the service of his expedition, nor went to their memorial service. They are just "six Sherpa." However, he does manage to name all of the Japanese climbers who were in the ice fall at the time, all of whom survived!

Some of this is simple ignorance. Some of it is racism. Some of it reflects the values at the time that the accounts were written. But a key reason that the native's voice, itself, has not been heard more has to do with the fact that most of them were, despite often being excellent linguists, illiterate. One recent book, however, Neale'sTigers of the Snow, has attempted to give the native's perspective.

What is clear, however, is that without native help and guidance, most foreign expeditions would never have accomplished what they did, and they have generally gotten less credit than they deserved in the aftermath.

There are, however, a few books that have, with the help of a foreign scribe and/or editor, captured the stories of some of the indigenous people. In particular, this includes some who were involved in some of the most historic expeditions in the early days. This is one area of the literature where I think that I have all of the books that have appeared.

The earliest of these is Servant of Sahibs, which is the 1923 autobiography of Ghulam Rassul Galwan. Among other things, Galwan traveled with Younghusband in Chinese Turkistan, as well as the Littledales, and Lord Dunmore with Major Roche in the western Himalaya.

Second, there is the 1954 autobiography of Ang Tharkay,Mémoires d'un Sherpa. Ang Tharkay was one of the most famous of the Sherpa in the early days of Himalaya mountaineering. He accompanied Shipton on no less than eight of his expeditions. He was also sirdar on the 1950 French expedition to Annapurna, led by Herzog. As well, he was not only Tenzing's landlord in the latter's early days in Darjeeling, he was also his climbing mentor.

Third, there is Tenzing's 1955 autobiography, written with the help of James Ullman,Tiger of the Snow. As part of the 1953 expedition led by John Hunt, Tenzing, along with Hillary, was the first to summit Everest. While Tenzing could neither read nor write, he was clearly an exceptional man, not only for his climbing, but for his character and intelligence in general. While his story has been put down on paper by Ullman, his voice and thoughts come through convincingly. Tenzing was clearly a motivated man. He climbed and traveled in Chitral, Kashmir, Garhwal, and Tibet. Finding himself on the top of Everest was also no accident. He had been to Everest 6 times before: to the North Side in 1935 with Shipton, 1936 with Ruttledge and 1938 with Tilman. He had been to the South Side in the spring of 1952 with Swiss team led by Wyss-Dunant, and back again in the autumn on their second attempt led by Chevalley. This is a wonderful book.

There is also a second autobiography by Tenzing, covering his life after Everest, which is where the autobiography with Ullman left off. This second autobiography, After Everest, was written with Malcolm Barnes.

Fourth, there is the 2001 autobiography of Tenzing's son, Jamling Norgay, Touching My Father's Soul: A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest, written with the help of Coburn. The basic thread of the book is an account of Jamling's experience as part of the 1996 IMAX expedition to Everest (see also Breashears and Coburn.). But interwoven with this are two far more interesting stories. The first of these is a meditation on his father, to and from which the story cuts throughout. The second is a seemingly quite sincere attempt to explain Sherpa culture. Again, this tread is woven into the book from beginning to end.

A recent book that I have, but have not yet read, is,Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest, written by Tenzing's grandson, Tashi Tenzing. This is an account of Tenzing's life, as well as profiles of a number of other Sherpa who were involved in the early expeditions.

Finally, there are a few anthropological studies that, while being written by foreigners, are extremely valuable in terms of providing insights into native culture. The best is Sherry B. Ortner's 1999 study, Life and Death on Mt. Everest as well as her earlier, Sherpas Through their Rituals. I think that the former should be compulsory reading for anyone going on, writing about or reading about expeditions in the Himalaya. It is full of insights that significantly help one interpret the literature, especially as it concerns interactions between European mountaineers and Sherpa. Another valuable reference in this regard is James Fisher's 1990 study, Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal. Finally, there is von Fürer-Haimendorf's 1964 study,The Sherpas of Nepal: Buddhist Highlanders. This is an older academic study, whose primary importance is its being the first major study of the Sherpa, and the grandfather of those which have followed.

Women Climbers and Explorers

One of the things that has emerged during my reading is the number of women who, while largely unheralded, were doing remarkable things, very early on. Some traveled alone, and some with male partners. In either case, the prevailing attitudes seem to have been that if a woman did it, it must not have been difficult, or, if she did it with a man, he did all the work. Anybody reading these accounts today, who knows anything about the times and the region, can see that this is unfair. On the face of it, that Fanny Bullock Workman traveled with the Swiss guide, Zurbriggen, should not diminish her accomplishment any more than Conway's traveling with him.

In any case, the following books may help dispell any lingering impressions that some of these women deserve as much, or more, respect for their accomplishments as their male counterparts. And in this, be very clear, I do not say so out of some sense of "political correctness." This is about people worthy of respect, not about men or women. Most of the titles cited are from the late 19th century, or early 20th. However, I have included a few more recent titles such as Alison Hargreaves' book, since her accomplishments are remarkable by any standard.

· Barrett, Robert Le Moyne & Barrett, Katherine Ruth. (1927). The Himalayan Letters of Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba

· Blum, Arlene (1980). Annapurna: A Woman's Place

· Blum, Arlene (2005). Breaking Trail

· Bridge, Kathryn (2002). Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer

· Cabot, Mabel (2003). Vanished Kingdoms (Janet ElliottWulsin)

· David-Neel, Alexandra (1927). My Journey to Lhasa.

· Dunsheath, Joyce, Reid, Hilda, Gregory, Eileen & Delany, Frances (1958). Mountains and Memsahibs.

· Hargreaves, Alison (1994). Hard Day's Summer

· Hill, Lynn & Child, Greg (2002). Climbing Free

· Jordan, Jennifer (2005). Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2

· Kendall, Elizabeth (1913). A Wayfarer in China

· Littledale, St. George R. (1896). A Journey Across Tibet From North to South and West to Ladak

· Macartney, Lady Catherine (1931). An English lady in Chinese Turkestan

· Miller, Luree (1976). On Top of the World: Five Women Explorers in Tibet

o Nina Mazuchelli

o Annie Taylor

o Isabella Bird Bishop

o Fanny Bullock Workman

o Alexandra David-Neel

· Robertson, Janet (1998). Betsy Cowles Partridge: Mountaineer

· Rose, David & Douglas, Ed (1999). Regions of the Heart A biography of Alison Hargreaves)

· Tullis, Julie (1987). Clouds from Both Sides

· Visser-Hooft, Jenny (1926). Among The Kara-korum Glaciers.

· Visser, Ph. C. (1926). Naar onbekend Midden-Azië tusschen Kara-Korum en Hindu-Kush

· Visser, Ph. C. (1931). Door de bergwoestijnen van Azie: Karakorum

· Williams, Cicely (1973). Women on the Rope

· Workman, Fanny Bullock & Workman, William Hunter (1901). In the Ice World of the Himalaya

Survival

· Simpson, J. (1997). Touching the Void.

· Venables, S. (2000). A Slender Thread - Escaping Disaster in the Himalaya.

· Diemberger, K. (1999). The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. - The Endless Knot

· Weathers, B. & Michaud, S. (2000). Left for Dead - My Journey Home from Everest.

K2

Ata-Ullah, Mohammad (1960). Citizen of Two Worlds
Audisio, Aldo (Ed.).(1991). Alpinismo Italiano in Karakorum / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram.
Ballard J. (1996). One and Two Halves to K2.
Bonatti Walter. (1964). On The Heights.
Bonatti Walter. (1974). The Great Days.
Bonatti, W. (2001). The Mountains of my Lif.e
Clark, Ronald. (1948). The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella.
Curran, J. (1987). K2, Triumph and Tragedy.
Curran, J. (1995). K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain.
Desio, A. (1955). Ascent of K2: Second Highest Peak In the World
Diemberger, K. (1999). The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. - The Endless Knot.
GAM (2006). PAESAGGI VERTICALI: La fotografia di Vittorio Sella 1879-1943.
Haberl, J. (1994). K2 - Dreams and Reality.
Houston, C. & Bates, R. (1955). K2: The Savage Mountain.
Jordan, Jennifer (2005). Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2
Kauffman, Andrew & Putnam, William (1992). K2: The 1939 Tragedy
Krakauer, J. (1990). Eiger Dreams. - A Bad Summer on K2.
Krakauer, J. (1990). Eiger Dreams. - A Mountain Higher than Everest?
Lacedelli, L. & Cenacchi, G. (2006). K2: The Price of Conquest.
Ridgeway, R. (1980). The Last Step: The American Ascent of K2.
Rose, D. & Douglas, E. (1999). Regions of the Heart - The Triumph and Tragedy of Alison Hargreaves.
Rowell, G. (1977). In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods.
Schoening, Pete (2004). K2 1953.
Sella, Vittorio (1999). Summit: Vittorio Sella Mountaineer and Photographer the Years 1879 - 1909
Shipton, E. (1999). Blank on the Map, in the The Six Mountain Travel Books Anthology.
Tenderini, Mirella & Michael Shandrick. (1977). The Duke of Abruzzi: An Explorer's Life.
Whittaker, J. (1999). A Life on the Edge: Memoirs of Everest and Beyond,
Wickwire, J. & Bullitt, D. (1998). Addicted to Danger - A Memoir.

Nanda Devi

Nanda Devi's position was first identified in 1816 by Webb during his survey of Kumaon. He determined the height to within 25' (his measurement was 25,669 vs the currently accepted height of 25, 645.) When his report went back to Britain, many geographers questioned his results, not believing that there could be a mountain of that height. In 1830, G.W. Traill crossed the axis of the Himalaya over the col between Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot, thereby establishing "Traill's Pass" (17,700').

Graham, W.W. (1887). "Climbing in the Himalayas." In J. Thomson, et al, From the Equator to the Pole.
Graham, W.W. (1885). "Up the Himalayas." In D. MacLeod (Ed.). Good Words
Leamer, L. (1982). Ascent
Longstaff, T. (1950). This is my Voyage.
Roskelley, J. (1987). Nanda Devi - The Tragic Expedition.
Shipton, E. (1936). Nanda Devi. In E. Shipton (1999). The Six Mountain Travel Books.
Tilman, H.W. (1937). The Ascent of Nanda Devi.
Weir, Tom. (1953).The Ultimate Mountains.

Canada Fur Trade, Exploration, and Followers

My reading is starting to shift towards the history of my own country, and especially the fur trade, exploration and mapping. Below I list the related books by author, followed by sub-lists sorted by a few key topics (mostly people). For a pretty good bibliography on the fur trade, see: http://www.members.shaw.ca/gearens/HistandClass/bibliofur.htm

By Author/Editor:

Adney, Edwin Tappan & Chapelle, Howard, I. (1964). The Bark and Skin Boats of North America. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.
Archer, Laurel (2003). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to Fifteen Wilderness Rivers. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
Belyea, Barbara (Ed.)(1994). Columbia Journals. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.
Bishop, Capt. R.P. (1923). Mackenzie's Rock: End of the First Journey Across North America. Ottawa: The Government Printing Bureau.
Black, Samuel (1955). A Journal of a Voyage From Rocky Mountain Portage in Peace River to the Sources of Finlays Branch and North West Ward in Summer 1824. London: The Hudson's Bay Record Society.
Bown, Stephen R. (2008). Madness, Betrayal and the Lash: The Epic Voyage of Captain George Vancouver. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Bredin, Thomas (1962). River of Canada. Toronto: Longmans.
Bumsted, J.M. (2008). Lord Selkirk: A Life. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.
Burpee, Lawrence, J.(1935). In Search for the Western Sea: The Story of the Exploration of North-Western America (Two Volumes). Toronto: Macmillan.
Burpee, Lawrence, J.(Ed.) (1973). Journal of Anthony Hendry 1754-1755. Toronto: Canadiana House.
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1957). The North West Company . Toronto: MacMillan
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1962). McGillivray: Lord of the Northwest. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company.
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1968). The Savage River: Seventy-One Days with Simon Fraser. Toronto: MacMillan.
Carver, Jonathan (1778/1974). Travels Through the Interior Parts of North-America, in the Years 1766, 1767, and 1768. Toronto: Coles Publishing.
Champlain, Samuel de (1902). The Voyages and Explorations of Samuel de Champlain 1604-1616, Narrated by Himself Together with The Voyage of 1603, Reprinted from, Purchas His Pilgrimes. (In two volumes.) Edward Gaylord Bourne (Ed.). Annie Nettleton Bourne (Trans.). New York: Allerton Book Co.
Combet, Denis (2001). In Search of the Western Sea: Selected Journals of La Vérendrye. Winnipeg: Great Plains Publishers.
Cranston, J.H. (1949). Etienne Brûlé: Immortal Scoundrel. Toronto: Ryerson Press.
Crouse, Nellia M. (1956). La Vérendrye: Fur Trader and Explorer. Toronto: Ryerson Press.
Daniells. Roy (1969). Alexander Mackenzie and the North West. London: Faber and Faber.
Doughty, Arthur & Martin, Chester (1929). The Kelsey Papers. Ottawa: The Public Archives of Canada and The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Douglas, George M. (1914/2008). Lands Forlorn: A Story of an Expedition to Hearne's Coppermine River. Tucson: Zancudo Press.
Downes, P.G. (1943). Sleeping Island: The Story of one Man's Travels in the Great Barren Lands of the Canadian North. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc.
Dugas, Abbé G. (1905). The Canadian West: Its Discovery by the Sieur De La Vérendrye. Its Development by the Fur-Trading Companies, Down to the Year 1822. Montreal: Librairie Beauchemin.
Eaton, Diane & Urbanek, Sheila (1995). Paul Kane's Great Nor-West. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Eccles, William J. (1959). Frontenac: The Courtier Governor. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
Eccles, William J. (1969). The Canadian Frontier, 1534-1760. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Eccles, William J. (1987). Essays on New France. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
Ewert, Charles (1984). No Man's Brother: The Story of Etienne Brûlé. New York: Avon.
Fenn, Elizabeth, A. (2001). Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775 - 82. New York: Hill and Wang.
Finch, David (2000). R.M. Patterson: A Life of Great Adventure. Calgary: Rocky Mountain Books.
Fischer, David Hackett. (2008). Champlain's Dream. Toronto: A.A. Knopf.
Fischer, Robin. (1992). Vancouver's Voyages: Charting the Northwest Coast, 1791-1795. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Fraser, Esther. (1969). The Canadian Rockies. Early Travel And Explorations.
Gates, Charles (Ed.)(1965). Five Fur Traders of the Northwest. Being the narrative of Peter Pond and the diaries of John Macdonell, Archibald N. McLeod, Hugh Faries, and Thomas Connor. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.
Gehring, Charles T. & Starna, William A. (Eds)(1988). See: A Journey into Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634-1635.
Gibson, James R.(1992).Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods: The Maritime Fur Trade of the Northwest Coast, 1785-1841. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Goetzmann, William H. & Williams, Glyndwr (1992). The Atlas of North American Exploration: From the Norse Voyages to the Race to the Pole. New York: Prentice Hall.
Gough, Barry (1997). First Across the Continent: Alexander Mackenzie. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
Gough, Barry (2007). Fortune's River: The Collision of Empires in Northwest America. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Gough, Robert Craig, (Ed.)(1988/1992). The Journal of Alexander Henry the Younger 1799-1814. Vol. 1 (1988), Vol 2. (1992). Toronto: The Champlain Society.
Harmon, Daniel Williams: see Lamb (1957).
Harper, J. Russell (Ed.)(1971). Paul Kane's Frontier. Including Wanderings of an Artist among the Indians of North America by Paul Kane.Toronto: University of Toronto Press (For the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa).
Hayes, Derek (2001). First Crossing: Alexander Mackenzie, His Expedition Across North America, and the Opening of the Continent. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Hearne, Samuel (1795/1968). A Journey from Prince of Wale's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean. Amsterdam: North Israel Press.
Hodgins, Bruce W. & Hoyle, Gwyneth (1994). Canoeing North into the Unknown - A Record of River Travel: 1874 to 1974. Toronto: Natural Heritage / Natural History.
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1929). The Dixon-Meares Controversy. Toronto: Ryerson Press.
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1941). Voyages of the "Columbia" to the Northwest Coast 1787-1790 and 1790-1793. Boston: The Massachusetts Historical Society.
Hume, Stephen (2008). Simon Fraser: In Search of Modern British Columbia. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Inglis, Alex (1978). Northern Vagabond: The Life and Career of J.B. Tyrrell - The Man Who Conquered the Canadian North. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
Innis, Harold A. (1930). Peter Pond: Fur Trader and Adventurer. Toronto: Irwin & Gordon.
Innis, Harold (1956). The Fur Trade in Canada: An Introduction to Canadian Economic History . (Revised Edition. Original 1927.) Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Jackson, Donald (Ed.)(1955). Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak: Black Hawk, An Autobiography. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Jalbert, Russell & Jalbert, Ned (2003). Mocotaugan: The Story and Art of the Crooked Knife. Nantucket, MA: Metacom Publishing Company.
Jenish, D'Arcy (2003). Epic Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West..
Jenish, D'Arcy (2006). The Fall and Rise of David Thompson: Differing views on the merits and mistakes of one of Canada's great adventurers keep the legend alive. The Beaver, December 2006 - January 2007, 86(6), 14-15.
Jennings, John (Ed.)(2002). The Canoe: A Living Tradition. Toronto: Firefly.
Jennings, John (2004). Bark Canoes: The Art and Obsession of Tappan Adney. Toronto: Firefly.
Josephy, Jr., Alvin M. (Ed.)(2007). Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes: Nine Indian Writers on the Legacy of the Expedition. New York: Vintage Books.
Kane, E.K. (1856).Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, '54, '55. Vol. 1 & Vol II. Philadelphia: Childs & Peterson.
Kane, P. (1996).Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians of North America
Karpan, Robin & Karpan, Arlene (2008). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Country. Saskatoon: Parkland Publishing.
Karras, A.L. (1970). North to Cree Lake. New York: Trident Press.
Karras, A.L. & Hanson, Olaf(2008). Northern Rover: The Life Story of Olaf Hanson. Edmonton: AU Press.
Kellog, Louise Phelps (Ed.)(1917). Early Narratives of the Northwest 1634-1699. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Kent, Timothy J. (1997). Birchbark Canoes of the Fur Trade. (Two Volumes). Ossineke, MI: Silver Fox Enterprises.
Lakusta, Ernie (2007). The Intrepid Explorer: James Hector's Explorations in the Canadian Rockies. Calgary: Fifth House.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1957). Sixteen Year in the Indian Country: The Journal of Daniel Williams Harmon. Toronto: The Macmillan Company.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1960). The Letters and Journals of Simon Fraser, 1806-1808. Toronto: The Macmillan Company.
Lamb, W. Kaye(Ed.)(1969).The Journal of Gabriel Franchère Toronto: The Champlain Society.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1970). The Journals and Letters of Sir Alexander Mackenzie. Hakluyt Society Extra Series No. 41. London: Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society.
Mackie, Richard Somerset (1997). Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843. Vancouver: UBC Press.
MacLaren, I.S.(1989a). "I came to rite thare portraits": Paul Kane's Journal of his Western Travels.The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 6-21.
MacLaren, I.S. (Ed.)(1989b). Journal of Paul Kane's Western Travels. The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 23-62
MacLaren, I.S.(1989c). Guide to People and Places in Kane's Journal. The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 66-87.
Manson, Ainslie (2003). Alexander Mackenzie: From Canada by Land. Groundwood: Toronto.
Marchildon, Greg & Robinson, Sid. (2002). Canoeing the Churchill: A Practical Guide to the Historic Voyageur Highway. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Centre.
Masson, L.R. (1960). Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest: Récits de Voyages, Lettres et Rapports Inédits Relatifs au Nord-Ouest Canadien. (Vol. I & II) New York: Antiquarian Press.
McCart, Joyce & McCart, Peter. (2000). On the Road with David Thompson. Calgary: Fifth House.
McDonald, Archibald (1872/1971). Peace River: A Canoe Voyage from Hudson's Bay to Pacific. Edmonton: M.G. Hurtig.
McGoogan, Ken (2003). Ancient Mariner: The Amazing Adventures of Samuel Hearne, The Sailor who Walked to the Sea. Toronto: HarperCollins.
McPhee, John. (1975). The Survival of the Bark Canoe, New York: Farrar • Straus Giroux.
Meares, John (1791/1967). Voyages Made in the Years 1788 and 1789, From China to the North West Coast of America.... Amsterdam: N. Israel Press.
Morice, Rev. A.G. (1905). The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia (Formerly New Caledonia) [1660 to 1880]. (3rd edition) Toronto: William Briggs.
Morse, Eric W. (1962). Canoe Routes of the Voyageurs: The Geography and Logistics of the Canadian Fur Trade. Toronto: Quetico Foundation / St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.
Morse, Eric W. (1971). Fur Trade routes of Canada / Then and Now. 2nd printing. Ottawa: National and Historic Parks Branch.
Müller, Gerhard Friedrich (1758/1986). Bering's Voyages: The Reports from Russia. Carol Urness (Ed.). The Rasmuson Library Historical Translation Series Volume III. Fairbanks: The University of Alaska Press.
Nasatir, A.P. (Ed.)(1952/53). Before Lewis and Clark: Documents Illustrating the History of the Missouri 1785-1804. (Vol I 1952, Vol. II, 1953).St. Louis: St. Louis Historical Documents Foundation.
Newman, Peter C. (1985). Company of Adventurers Vol. I. New York: Viking.
Newman, Peter C. (1987). Caesars of the Wilderness: Company of Adventurers Vol. II. New York: Viking.
Nisbet, Jack (1994). Sources of the River: Tracking David Thompson across western North America. Seattle: Sasquatch Books.
Nisbet, Jack (2005). The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau
Nokes, J. Richard (1991). Columbia's River: The Voyages of Robert Gray, 1787-1793. Tacoma WA: Washington Historical Society.
Olson, Sigurd (1961). The Lonely Land. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
O'Meara, Walter (1960). The Savage Country: A History of the North West Company and the Lands They Conquered. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Patterson, R.M. (1954). Dangerous River.
Purchas, Samuel (Ed.)(1625-26 / 1965). Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrims: Contayning a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and others. Vol. XIV. New York: AMS Press.
Raffan, James (1990). Summer North of Sixty: By Paddle and Portage Across the Barren Lands. Toronto: Key Porter.
Raffan, James (1999). Bark, Skin and Cedar: Exploring the Canoe in Canadian Experience. Toronto: HarperCollins
Raffan, James (2002). Deep Waters: Courage, Character and the Lake Timiskaming Canoeing Tragedy. Toronto: HarperCollins.
Raffan, James (Ed.)(2004). Rendezvous with the Wild: The Boreal Forest.Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
Raffan, James (2007). Emperor of the North: Sir George Simpson and the Remarkable Story of the Hudson's Bay Company. Toronto: HarperCollins.
Ray, Arthur J. (1974). Indians in the Fur Trade: Their Role as Hunters, Trappers and Middlemen in the Lands Southwest of Hudson Bay 1660-1870. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Ray, Arthur J. (1996). I Have Lived Here Since the World Began: An Illustrated History of Canada's Native People. Toronto: Lester / Key Porter.
Robson, Joseph (1752/1965). An Account of Six Years Residence in Hudson's Bay, From 1733 to 1736, and 1744 to 1747. Toronto: Johnson Reprint Corporation.
Rogers, Robert (1765/2008). A Concise Account of North America: Containing a Description of Several British Colonies on That Continent, Including the Islands of Newfoundland, Cape Breton, &c. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing.
Ronda, James, P. (1990). Astoria & Empire. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Ross, Alexander (1849/1969). Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River.
Ruggles, Richard (1991). A Country So Interesting: The Hudson's Bay Company and Two Centuries of Mapping 1670-1870. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Shelikhov, Grigorii I. (1981). A Voyage to America 1783-1786. Richard A Pierce (Ed.) Kingston Ontario: The Limestone Press.
Shorto, Russell (2004). The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan & The Forgotten Colony the Shaped America. New York: Doubleday.
Siggins, Maggie (2005). Bitter Embrace: White Society's Assault on the Woodland Cree. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
Skinner, Constance Lindsay (1920). Adventurers of Oregon: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Smith, Barbara Sweetland (2000). Science Under Sail: Russia's Great Voyages to America 1728-1867. Anchorage: Anchorage Museum of History and Art.
Stuart-Stubbs, B. (1968). Maps Relating to Alexander Mackenzie: A Keepsake for The Bibliographical Society of Canada . Distributed at the Annual Meeting of the Bibliographical Society, Jasper, June 1968.
Tovell, Freeman M. (2008). At the Far Reaches of Empire: The Life of Juan Francisco de la Bodega Y Quadra. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Trigger, Bruce G. (1985). Natives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered. Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Twigg, Alan (2004). First Invaders: The Literary Origins of British Columbia. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press.
Twigger, Robert (2006). Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birchbark Canoe. Toronto: McArthur & Co.
Tyrrell, J.W. (1897). Across the Sub-Arctics of Canada: A Journey of 3,200 Miles by Canoe and Snowshoe Through the Barren Lands. Toronto: William Briggs.
Underhill, Roy. (1981). The Woodright's Shop: Exploring Traditional Woodcraft. New York: MJF Books.
van den Bogaert, Harmen Meynrtsz(1895/1988). A Journey into Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634-1635. The Journal of Harmen Meynrtsz van den Bogaert. Syracuse NY: Syracuse University Press.
Van der Donck, Adriaen (1655/1841/1968). A Description of New Netherlands. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
Van Kirk, Sylvia (1980). Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur-Trade Society in Western Canada. Winnipeg: Dwyer Publishing.
Warre, Captain H. (1970). Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory. Barre, MA: Imprint Society.
Warkentin, Germaine (Ed.)(1993). Canadian Exploration Literature: An Anthology. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
Whillans, James W. (1955). First in the West: The Story of Henry Kelsey - Discoverer of Canadian Prairies. Edmonton: Applied Art Products
Williams, Glyn (2002). Voyages of Delusion: The Search for the Northwest Passage in the Age of Reason
Willson, Beckles (1899). The Great Company. Being a History of the Honourable Company of Merchants-Adventurers Trading into Hudson's Bay. Toronto: The Copp, Clark Company.
Wood, W. Raymond (1981). The John Evans 1796-97 Map of the Missouri River. Great Plains Quarterly. 1(1): 39 - 53.
Wood, William (1920). All Afloat: A Chronicle of Craft and Waterways. Vol. 31 of George M. Wrong & H.H. Langton (Eds.), Chronicles of Canada. Toronto: Glasgow, Brook & Co.
Wrong, Hume (1927). Sir Alexander Mackenzie: Explorer and Fur Trader. Canadian Men of Action Series Number IV. Toronto: The MacMillan Company.
Xydes, Georgia (1992). Alexander Mackenzie and the Explorers of Canada. New York: Chelsea House.

Astoria

Gough, Barry (2007). Fortune's River: The Collision of Empires in Northwest America. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Gough, Robert Craig, (Ed.)(1988/1992). The Journal of Alexander Henry the Younger 1799-1814. Vol. 1 (1988), Vol 2. (1992). Toronto: The Champlain Society.
Lamb, W. Kaye(Ed.)(1969).The Journal of Gabriel Franchère Toronto: The Champlain Society.
Ronda, James, P. (1990). Astoria & Empire. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Ross, Alexander (1849/1969). Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River.

Canoe History, Building & Routes

Adney, Edwin Tappan & Chapelle, Howard, I. (1964). The Bark and Skin Boats of North America. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.
Archer, Laurel (2003). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to Fifteen Wilderness Rivers. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
Hodgins, Bruce W. & Hoyle, Gwyneth (1994). Canoeing North into the Unknown - A Record of River Travel: 1874 to 1974. Toronto: Natural Heritage / Natural History.
Jalbert, Russell & Jalbert, Ned (2003). Mocotaugan: The Story and Art of the Crooked Knife. Nantucket, MA: Metacom Publishing Company.
Jennings, John (Ed.)(2002). The Canoe: A Living Tradition. Toronto: Firefly.
Jennings, John (2004). Bark Canoes: The Art and Obsession of Tappan Adney . Toronto: Firefly
Karpan, Robin & Karpan, Arlene (2008). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Country. Saskatoon: Parkland Publishing.
Kent, Timothy J. (1997). Birchbark Canoes of the Fur Trade. (Two Volumes). Ossineke, MI: Silver Fox Enterprises.
Marchildon, Greg & Robinson, Sid. (2002). Canoeing the Churchill: A Practical Guide to the Historic Voyageur Highway. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Centre.
McPhee, John. (1975). The Survival of the Bark Canoe, New York: Farrar • Straus• Giroux.
Morse, Eric W. (1962). Canoe Routes of the Voyageurs: The Geography and Logistics of the Canadian Fur Trade. Toronto: Quetico Foundation / St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.
Morse, Eric W. (1971). Fur Trade routes of Canada / Then and Now. 2nd printing. Ottawa: National and Historic Parks Branch.
Raffan, James (1999). Bark, Skin and Cedar: Exploring the Canoe in Canadian Experience. Toronto: HarperCollins.
Raffan, James (Ed.)(2004). Rendezvous with the Wild: The Boreal Forest. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
Underhill, Roy. (1981). The Woodright's Shop: Exploring Traditional Woodcraft. New York: MJF Books.
Wood, William (1920). All Afloat: A Chronicle of Craft and Waterways. Vol. 31 of George M. Wrong & H.H. Langton (Eds.), Chronicles of Canada. Toronto: Glasgow, Brook & Co.

Samuel de Champlain

Champlain, Samuel de (1902). The Voyages and Explorations of Samuel de Champlain 1604-1616, Narrated by Himself, Together with The Voyage of 1603, Reprinted from, Purchas His Pilgrimes. (In two volumes.) Edward Gaylord Bourne (Ed.). Annie Nettleton Bourne (Trans.). New York: Allerton Book Co.
Eccles, William J. (1969). The Canadian Frontier, 1534-1760. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Fischer, David Hackett. (2008). Champlain's Dream. Toronto: A.A. Knopf.

Simon Fraser

Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1968). The Savage River: Seventy-One Days with Simon Fraser. Toronto: MacMillan.
Hume, Stephen (2008). Simon Fraser: In Search of Modern British Columbia. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1960). The Letters and Journals of Simon Fraser, 1806-1808. Toronto: The Macmillan Company.
Masson, L.R. (1960). Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest: Récits de Voyages, Lettres et
Rapports Inédits Relatifs au Nord-Ouest Canadien. (Vol. I & II) New York: Antiquarian Press

Paul Kane

Eaton, Diane & Urbanek, Sheila (1995). Paul Kane's Great Nor-West. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Harper, J. Russell (Ed.)(1971). Paul Kane's Frontier. Including Wanderings of an Artist among the Indians of North America by Paul Kane. Toronto: University of Toronto Press (For the Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas and the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa).
Kane, P. (1996).Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians of North America
MacLaren, I.S.(1989a). "I came to rite thare portraits": Paul Kane's Journal of his Western Travels. The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 6-21.
MacLaren, I.S. (Ed.)(1989b). Journal of Paul Kane's Western Travels. The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 23-62
MacLaren, I.S.(1989c). Guide to People and Places in Kane's Journal. The American Art Journal, XXI(2), 66-87.

Alexander Mackenzie

Bishop, Capt. R.P. (1923). Mackenzie's Rock: End of the First Journey Across North America. Ottawa: The Government Printing Bureau.
Daniells. Roy (1969). Alexander Mackenzie and the North West. London: Faber and Faber.
Gough, Barry (1997). First Across the Continent: Alexander Mackenzie. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
Hayes, Derek (2001). First Crossing: Alexander Mackenzie, His Expedition Across North America, and the Opening of the Continent. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1970).The Journals and Letters of Sir Alexander Mackenzie. Hakluyt Society Extra Series No. 41. London: Cambridge University Press for the Hakluyt Society.
Manson, Ainslie (2003). Alexander Mackenzie: From Canada by Land. Groundwood: Toronto.
Masson, L.R. (1960). Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest: Récits de Voyages, Lettres et Rapports Inédits Relatifs au Nord-Ouest Canadien. (Vol. I & II) New York: Antiquarian Press
Stuart-Stubbs, B. (1968). Maps Relating to Alexander Mackenzie: A Keepsake for The Bibliographical Society of Canada. Distributed at the Annual Meeting of the Bibliographical Society, Jasper, June 1968.
Twigger, Robert (2006). Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birchbark Canoe. Toronto: McArthur & Co.
Wrong, Hume (1927).Sir Alexander Mackenzie: Explorer and Fur Trader. Canadian Men of Action Series Number IV. Toronto: The MacMillan Company.
Xydes, Georgia (1992). Alexander Mackenzie and the Explorers of Canada. New York: Chelsea House.

Pacific North West Exploration
In addition to the titles listed, see also separate lists for Astoria & George Vancouver

Gibson, James R.(1992). Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods: The Maritime Fur Trade of the Northwest Coast, 1785-1841. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Gough, Barry (2007). Fortune's River: The Collision of Empires in Northwest America. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1929). The Dixon-Meares Controversy. Toronto: Ryerson Press.
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1941). Voyages of the "Columbia" to the Northwest Coast 1787-1790 and 1790-1793. Boston: The Massachusetts Historical Society.
Mackie, Richard Somerset (1997). Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Meares, John (1791/1967). Voyages Made in the Years 1788 and 1789, From China to the North West Coast of America.... Amsterdam: N. Israel Press.
Müller, Gerhard Friedrich (1758/1986). Bering's Voyages: The Reports from Russia. Carol Urness (Ed.). The Rasmuson Library Historical Translation Series Volume III. Fairbanks: The University of Alaska Press.
Nokes, J. Richard (1991). Columbia's River: The Voyages of Robert Gray, 1787-1793. Tacoma WA: Washington Historical Society.
Purchas, Samuel (Ed.)(1625-26 / 1965). Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrims: Contayning a History of the World in Sea Voyages and Lande Travells by Englishmen and others. Vol. XIV. New York: AMS Press.
Shelikhov, Grigorii I. (1981). A Voyage to America 1783-1786. Richard A Pierce (Ed.) Kingston Ontario: The Limestone Press.
Skinner, Constance Lindsay (1920). Adventurers of Oregon: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Smith, Barbara Sweetland (2000). Science Under Sail: Russia's Great Voyages to America 1728-1867. Anchorage: Anchorage Museum of History and Art.
Tovell, Freeman M. (2008). At the Far Reaches of Empire: The Life of Juan Francisco de la Bodega Y Quadra. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Twigg, Alan (2004). First Invaders: The Literary Origins of British Columbia. Vancouver: Ronsdale Press.

Peter Pond

Innis, Harold A. (1930). Peter Pond: Fur Trader and Adventurer. Toronto: Irwin & Gordon.
Gates, Charles (Ed.)(1965). Five Fur Traders of the Northwest. Being the narrative of Peter Pond and the diaries of John Macdonell, Archibald N. McLeod, Hugh Faries, and Thomas Connor. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.

David Thompson

Aelyea, Barbara (Ed.)(1994). Columbia Journals. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.
McCart, Joyce & McCart, Peter. (2000). On the Road with David Thompson. Calgary: Fifth House
Jenish, D'Arcy (2003). Epic Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West..
Jenish, D'Arcy (2006). The Fall and Rise of David Thompson: Differing views on the merits and mistakes of one of Canada's great adventurers keep the legend alive. The Beaver, December 2006 - January 2007, 86(6), 14-15.
Nisbet, Jack (1994).Sources of the river: Tracking David Thompson across western North America. Seattle: Sasquatch Books.
Nisbet, Jack (2005). The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau

George Vancouver

Bown, Stephen R. (2008). Madness, Betrayal and the Lash: The Epic Voyage of Captain George Vancouver. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Fischer, Robin. (1992). Vancouver's Voyages: Charting the Northwest Coast, 1791-1795. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.

La Vérendrye

Combet, Denis (2001).In Search of the Western Sea: Selected Journals of La Vérendrye. Winnipeg: Great Plains Publishers.
Crouse, Nellia M. (1956). La Vérendrye: Fur Trader and Explorer. Toronto: Ryerson Press.
Dugas, Abbé G. (1905). The Canadian West: Its Discovery by the Sieur De La Vérendrye. Its Development by the Fur-Trading Companies, Down to the Year 1822. Montreal: Librairie Beauchemin.

Canadian Climbing

I am not well read in this area, and this is more than a little embarrassing. I have listed below the few books that I have. The Scott book is very highly recommended by anyone who is interested in Canadian climbers, the history of Canadian climbing, or Canadian climbing locations. Nevertheless, this is an area where I need to do a serious amount of reading.

Bridge, Kathryn (2002). Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer
Burgess, A. & Palmer, J. (1983). Everest Canada: The Ultimate Challenge.
Denman, Earl. (1954). Alone to Everest.
Dowling, Phil (1979). The Mountaineers: Famous Climbers in Canada.
Elms, Lindsay (1996). Beyond Nootka: A Historical Perspective of Vancouver Island Mountains.
Fraser, Esther. (1969). The Canadian Rockies. Early Travel And Explorations.
Haberl, J. (1994). K2 - Dreams and Reality.
Haberl, Jim (1997). Risking Adventure - Mountaineering Journeys Around the World
Kane, Conrad (1935/1954). Where the Clouds Can Go.
Morrow, Baiba & Morrow, Pat (1999). Footsteps in the Clouds
Morrow, Pat (1986). Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits.
Patterson, B. (1990). Canadians on Everest.
Putnam, William, Boles, Glen & Laurilla, Roger(1990). Place Names of the Canadian Alps
Russell, Andy. (1975). The Rockies.
Schwatka, Frederik & Russell, Israel C.(1891). Two Expeditions to Mount Saint Elias.
Scott, C. (2000). Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering.
Smythe, F.S. (1950). Climbs in the Canadian Rockies.
Tenderini, Mirella & Michael Shandrick. (1977). The Duke of Abruzzi: An Explorer's Life.

BeyondChic Scott's book, if you are interested in information on climbing in Canada, our National Parks, or outdoor resources, check out Out There for more information.

Early Climbing in the Alps

I have very few books in this area. They are:

Bonatti, W. (2001). The Mountains of my Life
Braham, Trevor (2004). When the Alps Cast their Spell (a general overview)
Finch, G. (1924). The Making of a Mountaineer.
Fleming, F. (2000). Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps (a general overview)
Longstaff, T. (1950). This is my Voyage
Smythe, F.S. (1942). Alpine Ways.
Stephen, Leslie (1894).The Playground of Europe
Whymper, E. (1880). The Ascent of the Matterhorn.

Arctic/Polar Exploration

This is an area where the quality of the books that I have is inversely proportional to the quantity. I have just one treasure, a two volume set, that was a gift from the a friend, Brendan Calder:

Kane, E.K. (1856). Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, '54, '55. Vol. 1 & Vol II.
Kobalenko, Jerry (2002). The Horizontal Everest: Extreme Journeys on Ellesmere Island
McDermott, James (Ed.)(2001a). The Third Voyage of Martin Frobisher to Baffin Island 1578.
McDermott, James (2001b). Martin Frobisher: Elizabethan Privateer.
McGhee, Robert (2001). The Arctic Voyages of Martin Frobisher: An Elizabethan Adventure.
McGoogan, Ken (2001). Fatal Passage: The Untold Story of John Rae, the Arctic Adventurer who Discovered the Fate of Franklin.
McGoogan, Ken (2003). Ancient Mariner: The Amazing Adventures of Samuel Hearne, The Sailor who Walked to the Sea.
McGoogan, Ken (2008). Race to the Polar Sea: The Heroic Adventures and Romantic Obsessions of Elisha Kane.
Steele, Peter (2003). The Man Who Mapped the Arctic: The intrepid life of George Back, Franklin's Lieutenant.

Cartography

As I go along, I seem to be getting more and more books about cartography. I guess it comes with the turf, so to speak:

Bagrow, Leo (1985). History of Cartography. Second edition. Chicago: Precedent Publishing.
Beckey, Fred (2003). Range of Glaciers.
Edney, Matthew H. (1990). Mapping an Empire - The Geographical Construction of British India, 1765-1843. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Gentilcore, R. Louis (Ed.)(1993). Historical Atlas of Canada II: The Land Transformed, 1800-1891. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Goetzmann, William H. & Williams, Glyndwr (1992). The Atlas of North American Exploration: From the Norse Voyages to the Race to the Pole. New York: Prentice Hall.
Harley, J.B. & Woodward, David (Eds.)(1987). The History of Cartography Volume One: Cartography in Prehistoric, Ancient, and Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Harris, R. Cole (Ed.)(1987). Historical Atlas of Canada I: From the Beginning to 1800. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Harley, J.B. & Woodward, David (Eds.)(1992). The History of Cartography Volume Two, Book One: Cartography in the Traditional Islamic and South Asian Societies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Hayes, Derek (2001). Historical Atlas of the North Pacific Ocean: Maps of Discovery and Scientific Exploration 1500-2000. London: The British Museum Press.
Hayes, Derek (2002). Historical Atlas of Canada: Canada's History Illustrated with Original Maps. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Keay, John. (2000). The Great Arc: The Dramatic Tale of How India was Mapped and Everest was Named. New York: Harper Collins.
Kerr, Donald & Holdsworth, Deryck W. (Eds.)(1990). Historical Atlas of Canada III: Addressing the Twentieth Century 1891-1961. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Ruggles, Richard (1991). A Country So Interesting: The Hudson's Bay Company and Two Centuries of Mapping 1670-18. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Styles, Showell (1970). The Forbidden Frontiers: The Survey of India from 1765 to 1949. London: Hamish Hamilton.
Ward, Michael P. (2003). Everest: A Thousand Years of Exploration. A Record of Mountaineering, Geographical Exploration, Medical Research and Mapping. Glasgow: The Ernest Press.
Wood, W. Raymond (1981). The John Evans 1796-97 Map of the Missouri River. Great Plains Quarterly. 1(1): 39 - 53.
Woodward, David & Lewis, G. Malcolm(Eds.)(1998). The History of Cartography Volume Two, Book Three: Cartography in the Traditional African, American, Arctic, Australian, and Pacific Societies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

III. Book List

This section lists the books journals and articles in my collection, sorted by author. Clicking on the title of any entry will take you to the full citation, as well as an annotation, describing the book, along with comments and references that I thought relevant when I read it.

Adamec, Ludwig W. (1997). Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan
Adney, Edwin Tappan & Chapelle, Howard, I. (1964). The Bark and Skin Boats of North America.
Alder, Garry (1985). Beyond Bokhara: The Life of William Moorcroft
Allen, C. (1982). A Mountain in Tibet
Alpine Club (1982). Alpine Club Library Catalogue 1982, Vol. 1: Books and Periodicals
Anderson, J. R. L. (1980). High Mountains and Cold Seas: a Biography of H. W. Tilman
Andreyev, Alexandre (2001). An Unknown Russian Memoire by Aagvan Dorjiev
Anker & Roberts (1999). The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest.
Anker, Daniel (Ed.)(2000). Eiger: The Vertical Arena.
Anon. (1842). "Cabul and Affghanistan."
Anon. (1842). "Things of the Day, No. III: Dost Mohammed"
Archer, Laurel (2003). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to Fifteen Wilderness Rivers. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.
Arnold, Anthony (1985). Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion in Perspective
Astill, Tony (2005). Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance 1935
Ata-Ullah, Mohammad (1960). Citizen of Two Worlds
Audisio, Aldo (Ed.).(1991). Alpinismo Italiano in Karakorum / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram.
Bagrow, Leo (1985). History of Cartography.
Baker, J.N.L. (1937). A History of Geographical Discovery and Exploration.
Ballard J. (1996). One and Two Halves to K2
Band G. (2003). Everest: 50 Years on Top of the World
Barnes, Malcolm (1958)(Ed.). The Mountain World 1958/59.
Barrett, Robert Le Moyne & Barrett, Katherine Ruth. (1927). The Himalayan Letters of Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba
Bass, Dick, Wells, Frank & Ridgeway, Rick (1986). Seven Summits
Bates, Robert (2000). Mystery, Beauty, and Danger
Baume, Louis. (1978). Sivalaya - the 8000-Metre Peaks of the Himalaya.
Beazley, C. Raymond (1897 / 1901 / 1906). The Dawn of Modern Geography
Beckey, Fred (2003). Range of Glaciers
Beckwith, Christopher (1987). The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia.
Bell, C. (1924). Tibet: Past & Present.
Bell, Steve (Ed.)(2000). Seven Summits
Belyea, Barbara (Ed.)(1994). Columbia Journals
Bernard, Theos (1939). Penthouse of the Gods
Bishop, Capt. R.P. (1923). Mackenzie's Rock
Black, Samuel (1955). A Journal of a Voyage From Rocky Mountain Portage
Blum, Arlene (1980). Annapurna: A Woman's Place
Blum, Arlene (2005). Breaking Trail
Bocharov, Gennady (1990). Russian Roulette: Afghanistan Through Russian Eyes
Bonatti Walter. (1964). On The Heights.
Bonatti Walter. (1974). The Great Days.
Bonatti, W. (2001). The Mountains of my Life
Bonington, C. (1971). Annapurna South Face
Bonington, C. (1976). Everest the Hard Way.
Bonington, C. (1981). Quest for Adventure
Bonington, C., Boy=sen, M., Hankinson, A., Haston, D., Sandhu, B., & Scott, D. ( 1976 ). Changabang
Bonington & Clarke (1999). Tibet's Secret Mountain
Boukreev, A. (2001). Above the Clouds
Boukreev, A. & DeWalt, G.W. (1997). The Climb
Boustead, Col. Sir Hugh (1927). An Adventure to Kangchenjunga
Boustead, Col. Sir Hugh (1971). The Wind Of Morning
Bown, Stephen R. (2008). Madness, Betrayal and the Lash: The Epic Voyage of Captain George Vancouver.
Braham, Trevor (2004). When the Alps Cast their Spell
Bredin, Thomas (1962). River of Canada.
Breashears, D. (1999). High Exposure
Breashears, David & Salkeld, Audrey. (1999). Last Climb
Bridge, Kathryn (2002). Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer
Bridges , T.C. & Tiltman, H. Hessell. (1929). More Heroes of Modern Adventure
Brooke-Hunt, Violet (1914). Lord Roberts: A Biography
Bruce, C.G. (1923). The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922
Bruce, C.G. (1934). Himalayan Wanderer
Bryant, Leslie Vickery (1953). New Zealanders and Everest
Buhl, Hermann (1998). Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage
Buhl, Hermann (2005). Achttausend drüber und drunter
Buhl, Kriemhild (2007). Mein Vater Hermann Buhl
Bumsted, J.M. (2008). Lord Selkirk: A Life.
Burgess, A. & Palmer, J. (1983). Everest Canada
Burpee, Lawrence, J.(1935). In Search for the Western Sea: The Story of the Exploration of North-Western America
Burpee, Lawrence, J.(Ed.) (1973). Journal of Anthony Hendry 1754-1755.
Buxton, William (2001). Review: Above the Clouds: The Diaries of a High-Altitude Mountaineer
Buxton, William (2003). Review: Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk
Buxton, William (2004). Review: Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow
Buxton, William (2006). From First Sight to Summit: A Guide to the Literature on Everest up to the 1953 Ascent
Buxton, William (2006). Broad Peak and the 1957 Austrian Karakoram Expedition.
Buxton, William. (2007). Review: Mallory Myths and Mysteries, by Mike Parsons and Mary Rose
Cabot, Mabel (2003). Vanished Kingdoms
Cameron, Ian (1984). Mountains of the Gods: The Himalaya and the Mountains of Central Asia
Cammann, S. (1951). Trade Through the Himalayas
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1957). The North West Company
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1962). McGillivray: Lord of the Northwest
Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1968). The Savage River: Seventy-One Days with Simon Fraser.
Candler, E. (1905). The Unveiling of Lhasa
Carr, Herbert (1979). The Irvine Diaries: Andrew Irvine and the enigma of Everest 1924.
Carver, Jonathan (1778/1974). Travels Through the Interior Parts of North-America
Cave, Andy (2005). Learning to Breathe
Champlain, Samuel de (1902). The Voyages and Explorations of Samuel de Champlain (In two volumes.)
Cipolla, Carlo M. (1965). Guns, Sails and Empires
Chen, Jack (1977). The Sinkiang Story.
Clinch, Elizabeth & Clinch, Nicholas (2008). Through a Land of Extremes
Clark, Miles (1991). High Endeavours
Clark, Ronald. (1948). The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella
Clydesdale, Lord & McIntyre, D.F. (1936). The Pilots' Book of Everest.
Cobham, Sir Alan (Ed.)(1940). Tight Corners: Tales of Adventure on Land, Sea and in the Air
Coburn, B. (1997). Everest: Mountain Without Mercy
Coffey, Maria (1989). Fragile Edge
Coffey, Maria (2003). Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow.
Collie, J. Norman (2003). From the Himalaya to Skye
Combet, Denis (2001). In Search of the Western Sea: Selected Journals of La Vérendrye.
Connor, J. (2002). Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk.
Conway, W.M.(1894). Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Himalayas
Cowles, Elizabeth S. (1953). North to Everest
Craig, Robert ( 1977). Storm & Sorrow in the High Pamirs.
Cranston, J.H. (1949). Etienne Brûlé: Immortal Scoundrel.
Crouse, Nellia M. (1956). La Vérendrye: Fur Trader and Explorer.
Cruickshank, Jimmy (2005). High Endeavours
Cummings, Sir Duncan (Ed.)(1977). The Country of the Turkomans
Curran, J. (1987). K2, Triumph and Tragedy
Curran, J. (1995). K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain
Curran, J. (1999). High Achiever: the Life and Times of Chris Bonington
Curtin, Philip D. (1984 ). Cross-cultural Trade in World History
Cutting, Suydam. (1940). The Fire Ox and Other Years
Daniells. Roy (1969). Alexander Mackenzie and the North West.
David-Neel, Alexandra (1927). My Journey to Lhasa.
Decter, Jacqueline (1989). Nicholas Roerich
Denman, Earl. (1954). Alone to Everest.
Denman, Earl (1957). Animal Africa.
Dent, Clinton. (1885). Above the Snow Line.
Desideri, Ippolito (Filippo Filippi, Ed.)(1932). An Account of Tibet
Desio, Prof. Ardito (1955). Ascent of K2: Second Highest Peak In the World.
Dickinson, M. (1998). The Death Zone
Diemberger, Kurt (1958). Broad Peak: The Austrian Karakoram Expedition 1957
Diemberger, Kurt (1999). The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus
Dittert, R., Chevalley, G. & Lambert, R. (1954). Forerunners to Everest.
Doughty, Arthur & Martin, Chester (1929). The Kelsey Papers
Douglas, Ed. (2003). Tenzing: Hero of Everest.
Douglas, George M. (1914/2008). Lands Forlorn
Douglas-Hamilton, James (1983). Roof of the World: Man's First Flight over Everest.
Dowling, Phil (1979). The Mountaineers: Famous Climbers in Canada.
Downes, P.G. (1943). Sleeping Island
Dugas, Abbé G. (1905). The Canadian West
Dunn, Ross E. (1986). The Adventures of Ibn Battuta
Dunsheath, Joyce, Reid, Hilda, Gregory, Eileen & Delany, Frances (1958). Mountains and Memsahibs
Easton, J. (1929). An Unfrequented Highway
Eaton, Diane & Urbanek, Sheila (1995).Paul Kane's Great Nor-West
Eccles, William J. (1959). Frontenac: The Courtier Governor.
Eccles, William J. (1969). The Canadian Frontier,1534-1760.
Eccles, William J. (1987). Essays on New France.
Edney, Matthew H. (1990). Mapping an Empire
Eiselin, Max (1961). The Ascent of Dhaulagiri.
Eraly, Abraham (2003). The Mughal Throne
Elms, Lindsay (1996). Beyond Nootka: A Historical Perspective of Vancouver Island Mountains
Eraly, Abraham (2003). The Mughal Throne
Etherton, P. T. (1934). The Last Strongholds
Etherton, P.T. (1946). All Over the World
Evans, R.C. (1955). Eye on Everest.
Ewert, Charles (1984). No Man's Brother: The Story of Etienne Brûlé.
Fa-Hsien (H.A.Giles, trans.) (1923). The Travels of Fa-hsien
Farwell, Byron (1972). Queen Victoria's Little Wars.
Feigon, L. (1999). Demystifying Tibet
Fellowes, P.F.M., et. al (1933). First over Everest
Fenn, Elizabeth, A. (2001). Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775 - 82.
Fielder, John (2004). Mountain Ranges of Colorado
Fiennes, Ranulph (2003). Captain Scott
Finch, David (2000). R.M. Patterson: A Life of Great Adventure. Calgary: Rocky Mountain Books.
Finch, George Ingle. (1923). Equipment for High Altitude Mountaineering
Finch, George Ingle (1924). The Making of a Mountaineer
Finch, George Ingle (1925). Der Kamph um den Everest
Finch, George Ingle (1925/2008). George Ingle Finch's The Struggle for Everest.
Finch, George Ingle. (1930). Climbing Mount Everest
Finkelstein, Gabriel (1999). Headless in Kashgar.
Finkelstein, Gabriel (2000). "Conquerors of the Künlün"?
Firstbrook, P. (1999). Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine
Fischer, David Hackett. (2008). Champlain's Dream.
Fisher, James F. (1990). Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal.
Fischer, Robin. (1992). Vancouver's Voyages: Charting the Northwest Coast, 1791-1795
Flaig, Walther (1923). Im Kamph um Tschomo=lungma, den Gipfel der Erde
Fleming, F. (2000). Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps.
Fleming, P. (1961). Bayonets to Lhasa
Fowler, Mick (2005). On Thin Ice
Fox, Edward (2001). The Hungarian Who Walked to Heaven. Alexander Csoma De Koros 1784-1842
Fraser, Esther. (1969). The Canadian Rockies. Early Travel And Explorations.
French, P. (1994). Younghusband
Freshfield, Douglas W. (1886). Further notes on “Mont Everest”
Freshfield, Douglas W. (1924). The Conquest of Mount Everest
Freshfield, Douglas W., Kellas, Dr., Farrar, J.P. & Younghusband, Francis (1919). A Journey to Tashirak in Southern Tibet, and the Eastern Approaches to Mount Everest: Discussion
Fürer-Haimendorf, C. von (1964). The Sherpas of Nepal
Fürer-Haimendorf, C. von (1983). Himalayan Adventure: Early Travels in North-East India.
Galwan, G.R. (1923). Servant of Sahibs.
GAM (2006). PAESAGGI VERTICALI: La fotografia di Vittorio Sella 1879-1943.
Gammelgaard, L. (1999). Climbing High
Gates, Charles (Ed.)(1965). Five Fur Traders of the Northwest.
Gentilcore, R. Louis (Ed.)(1993). Historical Atlas of Canada II
Gehring, Charles T. & Starna, William A. (Eds)(1988). See: A Journey into Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634-1635.
Gibson, James R.(1992). Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods
Gillman, P. (Ed.)(1993). Everest: The Best Writing and Pictures from Seventy Years of Human Endeavour
Gillman, Peter & Gillman, Leni.(2000). The Wildest Dream: The Biography of George Mallory.
Gillman, P. & Haston, D. (1966). Eiger Direct
Gippenreiter, Yevgeniy (1994). Mount Everest and the Russians, 1952 and 1958
Goetzmann, William H. & Williams, Glyndwr (1992). The Atlas of North American Exploration.
Goldstein, Melvyn (1997). The Snow Lion and the Dragon
Goswami, S.M. (1954). Everest Is It Conquered?
Gough, Barry (2007). Fortune's River: The Collision of Empires in Northwest America.
Gough, Robert Craig, (Ed.)(1988/1992). The Journal of Alexander Henry the Younger 1799-1814
Graham, W.W. (1885). "Up the Himalayas." In D. MacLeod (Ed.). Good Words.
Graham, W.W. (1887). "Climbing in the Himalayas." In J. Thomson, et al, From the Equator to the Pole
Green, Dudley (1990). Mallory of Everest.
Green, Dudley (2005). Because It's There
Greene, Raymond (1974). Moments of Being
Gregorian, Vartan (1969). The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan
Gregory, Alfred. (1954). The Picture of Everest.
Gregory, Alfred . (1993). Alfred Gregory's Everest.
Gregory, Alfred (2007). Alfred Gregory: Photographs from Everest to Africa.
Grey, C. (1929). European Adventurers of Northern India
Groom, M. (1997). Sheer Will
Grousset, Réné (1932). In the Footsteps of the Buddha
Grove, F.C. (1875). The Frosty Caucasus
Grunfeld, A. Tom (1996). The Making of Modern Tibet
Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba (1927). The Himalayan Letters of Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba.
Habeler P. (1979). Everest: Impossible Victory
Haberl, Jim (1994). K2 - Dreams and Reality
Haberl, Jim (1997). Risking Adventure - Mountaineering Journeys Around the World
Hagen, Toni, Dyhrenfurth, Günter Oskar, von Fürer-Haimendorf, Christoph & Scheider, Erwin (1963). Mount Everest: Formation, Population and Exploration of the Everest Region
Hanson, Ruth (2008). Maurice Wilson: A Yorkshireman on Everest.
Hargreaves, A. (1994). Hard Day's Summer
Harley, J.B. & Woodward, D. (Eds.)(1987). The History of Cartography V. 1
Harley, J.B. & Woodward, David (Eds.)(1992). The History of Cartography V.2, Book 1
Harper, J. Russell (Ed.)(1971). Paul Kane's Frontier. Including Wanderings of an Artist among the Indians of North America by Paul Kane.
Harrer, H. (1954). Seven Years in Tibet
Harrer, H. (1995). The White Spider
Harrer, Heinrich (2007). Beyond Seven Years in Tibet
Harris, R. Cole (Ed.)(1987). Historical Atlas of Canada I
Haston, Dougal (1973). In High Places
Haston, Dougal (1974). The Eiger
Haston Dougal (1979 ). Calculated Risk
Hawley, Elizabeth & Salisbury, Richard (2004). The Himalayan Database
Hayes, Derek (2001). First Crossing: Alexander Mackenzie, His Expedition Across North America, and the Opening of the Continent. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.
Hayes, Derek (2001). Historical Atlas of the North Pacific Ocean
Hayes, Derek (2002). Historical Atlas of Canada
Hearne, Samuel (1795/1968). A Journey from Prince of Wale's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean
Hedin, S. (1934). A Conquest of Tibet
Heil, Nick (2008). Dark Summit
Hemmleb, J., Johnson, L. & Simonson, E. (1999). Ghosts of Everest
Hemmleb, J. & Simonson, E. (2002). Detectives on Everest
Hennessy, Maurice (1971). The Rajah from Tipperary (General George Thomas)
Herrligkoffer, Karl M. (1954). Nanga Parbat (The Killer Mountain)
Herzog, Maurice. (1951). Annapurna Premiere 8.000
Herzog, Maurice. (1952). Annapurna
Herzog, Maurice & Ichac, Marcel. (1951). Regards vers l’Annapurna
Hewitt, Kenneth (2008). Rediscovering Colonized Landscapes
Hill, Lynn & Child, Greg (2002). Climbing Free
Hillary, E. (1955). High Adventure.
Hillary, E. (1976). Nothing Venture, Nothing Win.
Hillary, E. (1999). View from the Summit
Hodgins, Bruce W. & Hoyle, Gwyneth (1994). Canoeing North into the Unknown.
Holmes, T. Rice (1925). Sir Charles Napier
Holzel, Tom & Salkeld, Audrey (1986). The Mystery of Mallory and Irvine.
Hopkirk, Kathleen (1993). Central Asia: A Traveller's Companion
Hopkirk, Peter. (1980). Foreign Devils on the Silk Road
Hopkirk, Peter (1982). Trespassers on the Top of the World: The Race for Lhasa
Hopkirk, Peter (1990). The Great Game: On Secret Service in High Asia
Hopkirk, Peter (1994). On Secret Service East of Constantinople
Hornbein, T. F. (1966). Everest: The West Ridge
Houston, C. & Bates, R. (1955). K2: The Savage Mountain
Howard-Bury, C.K. (1922). Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance, 1921
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1929). The Dixon-Meares Controversy
Howay, Frederic W. (Ed.)(1941). Voyages of the "Columbia" to the Northwest Coast
Huc, Evariste-Regis, Abbé. (1852). Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China.
Hume, Stephen (2008). Simon Fraser: In Search of Modern British Columbia
Hunt, John (1954). Our Everest Adventure
Hunt, John (1954). The Conquest of Everest
Hunt, John (1978). Life is Meeting
Inglis, Alex (1978). Northern Vagabond: The Life and Career of J.B. Tyrrell
Innis, Harold A. (1930). Peter Pond: Fur Trader and Adventurer.
Innis, Harold (1956). The Fur Trade in Canada: An Introduction to Canadian Economic History.
Isserman, Maurice & Weaver, Stewart (2008). Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering
Izzard, Ralph (1954). An Innocent on Everest.
Jackson, Donald (Ed.)(1955). Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak: Black Hawk, An Autobiography.
Jackson. Peter & Morgan, David (Trans & Eds.)(1990). The Mission of Friar William of Rubruck: His Journey to The Court of Great Khan Mongke 1253-1255.
Jacquemont, Victor: For edited correspondence, see Phillips(1936)
Jalbert, Russell & Jalbert, Ned (2003). Mocotaugan: The Story and Art of the Crooked Knife..
James, Lawrence (1997). Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India.
Jenish, D'Arcy (2003). Epic Wanderer
Jenish, D'Arcy (2006). The Fall and Rise of David Thompson
Jennings, John (Ed.)(2002). The Canoe: A Living Tradition
Jennings, John (2004). Bark Canoes: The Art and Obsession of Tappan Adney
Jordan, Jennifer (2005). Savage Summit: The True Stories of the First Five Women Who Climbed K2
Josephy, Jr., Alvin M. (Ed.)(2007). Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes
Kamler, K. (2000). Doctor on Everest
Kane, Conrad (1935/1954). Where the Clouds Can Go.
Kane, E.K. (1856). Arctic Explorations Vol. I & Vol. II.
Kane, P. (1925). Wanderings of an Artist Among the Indians
Karpan, Robin & Karpan, Arlene (2008). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Country. Saskatoon: Parkland Publishing.
Karras, A.L. (1970). North to Cree Lake.
Karras, A.L. & Hanson, Olaf(2008). Northern Rover: The Life Story of Olaf Hanson.
Kauffman, Andrew & Putnam, William (1992). K2: The 1939 Tragedy
Kawaguchi, Ekai (1909). Three Years in Tibet.
Kaye, Sir John (1851). History of the War in Afghanistan
Keay, John. (1977). When Men and Mountains Meet - The Explorers of the Western Himalayas 1820-75
Keay, John. (1979). The Gilgit Game: The Explorers Of The Western Himalayas 1865-95.
Keay, John. (1991). The Honourable Company: A History of the East India Company
Keay, John. (2000). The Great Arc.
Keay, John. (2000). India - A History.
Kellas, Dr. A.M. (1912). The Mountains of Northern Sikkim and Garhwal.
Kellas, Dr. A.M. (1916). A Consideration of the Possibility of Ascending the Loftier Himalaya
Kellas, Dr. A.M. (1918). The Possibility of Aerial Reconnaissance in the Himalaya.
Kellog, Louise Phelps (Ed.)(1917). Early Narratives of the Northwest 1634-1699
Kendall, Elizabeth (1913). A Wayfarer in China
Kent, Timothy J. (1997). Birchbark Canoes of the Fur Trade. (Two Volumes).
Kerr, Donald & Holdsworth, Deryck W. (Eds.)(1990). Historical Atlas of Canada III:
Kerr, M., Freshfield, Lees, T.O., Holdich, T., Swinton, Capt., Taylor, G.I., Grant, Lieut. & Kellas, Dr. A.M.(1918). The Possibility of Aerial Reconnaissance in the Himalaya: Discussion
Kielkowski, Jan (1993/2000). Mount Everest Massif: Monograph, Guide, Chronicle
King, Peter (Ed.)(1986). Curzon's Persia.
Kipling, Rudyard (1901). Kim
Kirkpatrick, W. (1811). An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul
Knight, E.F. (1893). Where Three Empires Meet
Kobalenko, Jerry (2002). The Horizontal Everest: Extreme Journeys on Ellesmere Island
Komroff, Manuel (ed.)(1928). Contemporaries of Marco Polo.
Krakauer, J. (1990). Eiger Dreams
Krakauer, J. (1997). Into Thin Air
Krakauer, J. (1998). Into Thin Air - The Illustrated Edition
Kropp, G. & Lagercrantz, D. (1997). Ultimate High
Kukuczka, J. (1992). My Vertical World.
Kuleshov, Nikolai S. (1996). Russia's Tibet File: The Unknown Pages in the History of Tibet's Independence
Kurz, Marcel (Ed.)(1953). The Mountain W rld: Everest 1952.
Kurz, Marcel (Ed.)(1955). The Mountain World 1955
Kurz, Marcel (1959). Chronique Himalayenne
Kurz, Marcel (1963). Chronique Himalayenne: Supplément.
Lacedelli, L. & Cenacchi, G. (2006). K2: The Price of Conquest.
Lakusta, Ernie (2007). The Intrepid Explorer: James Hector's Explorations in the Canadian Rockies.
Lamb, Alistair (1966). The McMahon Line
Lamb, Alistair (1986). British India and Tibet 1766-1910
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1957). Sixteen Year in the Indian Country: The Journal of Daniel Williams Harmon.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1960).The Letters and Journals of Simon Fraser, 1806-1808
Lamb, W. Kaye. (Ed.)(1969). The Journal of Gabriel Franchère.
Lamb, W. Kaye (Ed.)(1970). The Journals and Letters of Sir Alexander Mackenzie
Landon, P. (1905). The Opening of Tibet
Landor, A. Henry Savage (1899). In the Forbidden Land
Lawrence, John (1990). Lawrence of Lucknow - A Story of Love
Lawrence, Lady Rosamond (1949). Indian Embers.
Leamer, L. (1982). Ascent
Lewis, Jon (Ed.)(2003). The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Everest
Littledale, St. George R. (1896). A Journey Across Tibet From North to South and West to Ladak
Longland, J.L. (1940). Caught in an Everest Blizzard.
Longstaff, T. (1950). This is my Voyage
Lowe, George (1959). Because it is There
Lunt, James (1969). Bokhara Burnes.
Mackie, Richard Somerset (1997). Trading Beyond the Mountains: The British Fur Trade on the Pacific 1793-1843.
MacLaren, I.S.(1989a). "I came to rite thare portraits": Paul Kane's Journal of his Western Travels.
MacLaren, I.S. (Ed.)(1989b). Journal of Paul Kane's Western Travels.
MacLaren, I.S.(1989c). Guide to People and Places in Kane's Journal.
Macartney, Lady Catherine (1931). An English lady in Chinese Turkestan.
MacLean, Fitzroy. (1958). A Person From England. And Other Travellers To Turkestan
MacLean, Fitzroy (1975 ). To The Back of Beyond.
MacLeod, D. (Ed.). Good Words.
Macmunn, Lt. General Sir George (1929). Afghanistan from Darius to Amanullah
Madge, Tim (2001). The Last Hero -- Bill Tilman: A Biography of the Explorer
Maillart, E.K. (1937). Forbidden Journey.
Malartic, Yves (1954). Tenzing of Everest.
Man, John (2004). Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection.
Manson, Ainslie (2003). Alexander Mackenzie: From Canada by Land.
Manucci, Niccolao (Michael Edwardes Ed.)(1957). Memoirs of the Mogul Court
Marchildon, Greg & Robinson, Sid. (2002). Canoeing the Churchill
Margolis, Eric S. (2000). War at the Top of the World: The Stuggle for Afghanistan, Kashmir and Tibet
Marozzi, Justin (2004). Tamerlane
Marshall, Robert (2009). K2: Lies and Treachery.
Mason, K. (1955). Abode of Snow
Masson, L.R. (1960). Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-Ouest
McCart, Joyce & McCart, Peter. (2000). On the Road with David Thompson.
McDermott, James (Ed.)(2001a). The Third Voyage of Martin Frobisher to Baffin Island 1578.
McDermott, James (2001b). Martin Frobisher: Elizabethan Privateer.
McDonald, Archibald (1872/1971). Peace River: A Canoe Voyage from Hudson's Bay to Pacific.
McDonald, Bernadette (2005). I'll Call You in Kathmandu
McDonald, Bernadette (2007). Brotherhood of the Rope
McDonald, Bernadette & Amatt, John(Eds.)(2000). Voices from the Summit
McGhee, Robert (2001). The Arctic Voyages of Martin Frobisher: An Elizabethan Adventure.
McGoogan, Ken (2001). Fatal Passage: The Untold Story of John Rae
McGoogan, Ken (2003).Ancient Mariner: The Amazing Adventures of Samuel Hearne
McGoogan, Ken (2008). Race to the Polar Sea
McGovern, William (1924). To Lhasa in Disguise.
McPhee, John. (1975). The Survival of the Bark Canoe.
Meade, C.F. (1940). Approach to the Hills
Meares, John (1791/1967). Voyages Made in the Years 1788 and 1789
Merz, Joanna (Ed.)(1994). The Alpine Journal
Messner, Reinhold (1979). Everest: Expedition to the Ultimate
Messner, R. (1982). The Crystal Horizon
Messner, Reinhold (1988). All 14 Eight-Thousanders.
Messner, R. (2000). Annapurna
Messner, R. (2003). The Naked Mountain.
Messner, R. (2001). The Second Death of George Mallory
Messner, R. & Hofler, H. (2000). Hermann Buhl
Meyer, K. & Brysac, S. (1999). Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia
Migot, A. (1955). Tibetan Marches.
Miller, Luree (1976). On Top of the World: Five Women Explorers in Tibet
Millward, James A. (2007).Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang.
Mirsky, Jeannette (Ed.) (1964). The Great Chinese Travelers
Mirsky, Jeannette. (1977). Sir Aurel Stein
Miura, Y. & Perlman, E. (1978). The Man Who Skied Down Everest.
Morice, Rev. A.G. (1905). The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
Morgan, G. (1971). Ney Elias. Explorer and envoy extraordinary in High Asia
Morison, John L. (1934). Lawrence of Lucknow, 1806-1857
Morris, J. (1958). Coronation Everest
Morris, J. (1974). Conundrum.
Morris, C.J, (1960). Hired to Kill
Morrow, Pat (1986). Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits.
Morrow, Baiba & Morrow, Pat (1999). Footsteps in the Clouds
Morse, Eric W. (1962). Canoe Routes of the Voyageurs.
Morse, Eric W. (1971). Fur Trade routes of Canada / Then and Now.
Morshead, Ian (1982). The Life & Murder of Henry Morshead
Müller, Gerhard Friedrich (1758/1986). Bering's Voyages
Muraviev, Nikolay (1822/1977). Journey to Khiva Through the Turkoman Country
Murphet, Howard (1972). Hammer on the Mountain: The Life of Henry Steel Olcott
Murray, W. H. (1953). The Story of Everest 1921-1952.
Murray, W.H. (2002). The Evidence of Things Not Seen
National Geographic (2003). Map Supplement: Mount Everest
Neale, Jonathan (2002). Tigers of the Snow
Neame, K. (1955). Alone Over Everest
Neate, W.R. (1978). Mountaineering and Its Literature
Newby, E. (1958). A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
Newman, Peter C. (1985). Company of Adventurers
Newman, Peter C. (1987). Caesars of the Wilderness.
Nicolson, Nigel (1975). The Himalayas
Nisbet, Jack (1994). Sources of the river
Nisbet, Jack (2005). The Mapmaker's Eye: David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau
Noel, J.B.L (1919). A Journey to Tashirak in Southern Tibet, and the Eastern Approaches to Mount Everest.
Noel, J.B.L (1927). The Story of Everest
Noel, Sandra (2003). Everest Pioneer: The Photographs of Captain John Noel
Nokes, J. Richard (1991). Columbia's River: The Voyages of Robert Gray, 1787-1793.
Norgay, J.T. (2001). Touching My Father's Soul
Norgay, Tenzing & Ullman, J. (1955). Tiger of the Snow
Norgay, Tenzing & Barnes, Malcolm. (1977). After Everest
Norton, E.F. (1925). The Fight for Everest: 1924
Noyce, W. (1954). South Col
Noyce, Wilfrid & Richard Taylor (1954). Everest is Climbed
O'Dowd, C. (1999). Just for the Love of It
O'Dowd, C. & Woodall, I. (1997). Everest - Free to Decide
Olsen, J. (1962). The Climb up to Hell
Olson, Sigurd (1961). The Lonely Land
O'Meara, Walter (1960). The Savage Country: A History of the North West Company and the Lands They Conquered.
Ortner, Sherry B. (1978). Sherpas Through their Rituals.
Ortner,Sherry B. (1999). Life and Death on Mt. Everest
Paelian, Garabed (1974). Nicholas Roerich
Panikkar, K.M. (1953). The Founding of the Kashmir State: A Biography of Maharajah Gulab Singh, 1792-1858
Panikkar, K.M.(1954). A Survey of Indian History
Panikkar, K.M. (1957). India and China.
Parsons, Mike & Rose, Mary (2003). Invisible on Everest: Innovation and the Gear Makers
Parsons, Mike & Rose, Mary (2006). Mallory Myths and Mysteries
Patterson, RM (1954). Dangerous River.
Patterson, B. (1990). Canadians on Everest.
Perrin, Jim (2005). The Villain: The Life of Don Whillans
Petech, Luciano. (1949). "The missions of Bogle and Turner according to the Tibetan texts".
Petzoldt, Patricia (1954). On Top of the World
Phillips, Catherine Alison (trans. & ed.)(1936). Letters from India 1829-1832, Being a Selection from the Correspondence of Victor Jacquemont.
Polo, Marco (1298/1948). The Adventures of Marco Polo
Powter, Geoff (2006). Strange and Dangerous Dreams
Prothero, Stephen (1996). The White Buddhist: The Asian Odyssey of Henry Steel Olcott.
Purchas, Samuel (Ed.)(1625-26 / 1965). Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrims.
Putnam, William, Boles, Glen & Laurilla, Roger (1990). Place Names of the Canadian Alps.
Pye, David (1927). George Leigh Mallory, a Memoir
Raffan, James (1990). Summer North of Sixty
Raffan, James (1999). Bark, Skin and Cedar
Raffan, James (2002). Deep Waters
Raffan, James (Ed.)(2004). Rendezvous with the Wild: The Boreal Forest.
Raffan, James (2007). Emperor of the North
Rawicz, Slavomir.(1956). The Long Walk.
Rawling, Captain C G. (1905). The Great Plateau
Ray, Arthur J. (1974). Indians in the Fur Trade
Ray, Arthur J. (1996). I Have Lived Here Since the World Began
Rébuffat, G. (1999). Starlight and Storm
Rébuffat, G. (1963). On Snow and Rock.
Rébuffat, G. (1975). The Mont Blanc Massive
Ridgeway, R. (1979). The Boldest Dream: The Story of Twelve who Climbed Mount Everest.
Ridgeway, R. (1980). The Last Step: The American Ascent of K2
Ringholz, Raye (1997). On Belay
Roberts, Dennis. (1957). I'll Climb Mount Everest Alone
Roberts, David. (2000). True Summit
Roberts, David (2005). On the Ridge Between Life and Death
Robertson, David (1969). George Mallory
Robertson, Sir George (1898). Chitral - The Story of a Minor Siege
Robertson, Janet (1998). Betsy Cowles Partridge: Mountaineer
Robson, Joseph (1752/1965). An Account of Six Years Residence in Hudson's Bay.
Roch André (1952). Everest 1952.
Rockhill W. Woodville. (1890-1891). An American in Tibet: Five articles in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine
Through Northern China to the Koko-nor
The Border Land of China
Among the Mongols of the Azure Lake
Northern Tibet and the Yellow River
Through Eastern Tibet and the Yellow River
Rockhill, William Woodville. (1891 ). Land of the Lamas
Rockhill, William Woodville. (1893). Explorations in Mongolia and Tibet
Rodway, George W. (Ed.)(2008). George Ingle Finch's The Struggle for Everest.
Roerich, Nicholas (1929). Altai Himalaya
Rogers, Robert (1765/2008). A Concise Account of North America
Ronda, James, P. (1990). Astoria & Empire
Roper, Robert (2002). Fatal Mountaineer
Rose, David & Douglas, Ed (1999). Regions of the Heart
Roskelley, J. (1987). Nanda Devi - The Tragic Expedition
Ross, Alexander (1849/1969).Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River.
Rowell, G. (1977). In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods
Ruggles, Richard (1991). A Country So Interesting: The Hudson's Bay Company and Two Centuries of Mapping
Russell, Andy. (1975). The Rockies
Russell, A.J.(n.d.). The Lone Climber of Everest
Russell, Israel C. - see: Schwatka, Frederik & Russell, Israel C. (1891). Two expeditions to Mount Saint Elias.
Ruttledge, H. (1934). Everest 1933
Ruttledge, H. (1937). Everest: The Unfinished Adventure.
Sale, Richard (2004). Broad Peak.
Sale, Richard (2007). Broad Peak(German edition)
Sale, Richard & Cleare, John. (2000). Climbing the World's 14 Highest Mountains
Salkeld, Audrey (1993). The Mad Yorkshireman
Salkeld, Audrey (2000). Mystery of Everest: A Photobiography of George Mallory
Salkeld, Audry & Bermudez, Jose Luis (eds)(1993). On the Edge of Europe: Mountaineering in the Caucasus.
Salkeld, Audrey and Boyle, John (1993). Climbing Mount Everest: The Bibliography.
Saran, Mishi (2005). Chasing the Monk's Shadow
Satow, Michael & Desmond, Ray (1980). Railways of the Raj
Sauvy, Anne (2005). Mountain Rescue ● Mont Blanc
Schell, O. (2000). Virtual Tibet
Schimmel, Annemarie (2004). The Empire of the Great Mughals
Schmidt, Jeremy (1991). Himalayan Passage
Schmuck, Marcus (1958). Broad Peak 8047m
Schoening, Pete (2004). K2 1953.
Schwatka, Frederik & Russell, Israel C.(1891). Two expeditions to Mount Saint Elias.
Scott, Chic (2000). Pushing the Limits
Scott, Doug. (1974). Big Wall Climbing
Scott, Doug. (1992). Himalayan Climber
Scott, Peter(Ed.)(1948). The Lasting Victories
Scott, Robert L., Jr. (1943). God Is My Co-Pilot
Seaver, G. (1952). Francis Younghusband: Explorer and Mystic
Sella, Vittorio (1999). Summit: Vittorio Sella Mountaineer and Photographer the Years 1879 - 1909.
Shakespear, Sir. Richmond (1842). A Personal Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to Ourenbourg
Shakya, Tsering (1999). The Dragon in the Land of Snows
Shelikhov, Grigorii I. (1981). A Voyage to America 1783-1786.
Shipton, Eric (1936). The Mount Everest Reconnaissance, 1935
Shipton, E. (1938). Blank on the Map.
Shipton, E. (1943). Upon that Mountain.
Shipton, E. (1952). The Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition, 1951
Shipton, Eric. (1955). Men Against Everest
Shipton, Eric. (1966). Mountain Conquest.
Shipton, Eric. (1969). That Untravelled World
Shipton, E. (1999). The Six Mountain Travel Books
Shirakawa, Yoshikazu (1971). Himalayas
Shorto, Russell (2004). The Island at the Center of the World
Siggins, Maggie (2005). Bitter Embrace
Simpson, J. (1997). Dark Shadows Falling.
Simpson, J. (1997). Touching the Void
Singer, André (1984). Lords of the Khyber
Singh, Bawa Satinder (1974). Jammu Fox: A Biography of Maharaja Gulab Singh of Kashmir
Skinner, Constance Lindsay (1920). Adventurers of Oregon: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade
Skrine, Clarmont P. & Nightingale, Pamela.(1973). Macartney at Kashgar
Smith, Barbara Weetland (2000). Science Under Sail
Smith, Ronald Bosworth (1883). Life of Lord Lawrence.
Smith, Warren (1996). Tibetan Nation
Smythe, F.S. (1930). The Kangchenjunga Adventure.
Smythe, F.S. (1932). Kamet Conquered.
Smythe, F.S. (1937). Camp Six
Smythe, Frank S. (1941). The Mountain Vision
Smythe, Frank S. (1942). British Mountaineers.
Smythe, F.S. (1942). Alpine Ways.
Smythe, Frank S. (1949). Mountains in Colour.
Smythe, F.S. (1950). Climbs in the Canadian Rockies.
Snaith, Stanley. (1938). At Grips with Everest
Snelling, John (1983). The Sacred Mountain
Snelling, John. (1993). Buddhism in Russia
Somervell, T.H. (1936). After Everest: the Experiences of a Mountaineer and Medical Missionary
Somervell, T.H. (1948). The Top of the World
Spencer, Sydney (Ed.)(1934). Mountaineering
Stacton, David. (1954). A Ride on a Tiger - The Curious Travels of Victor Jacquemont.
Steele, P. (1998). Eric Shipton
Steele, Peter (2003). The Man Who Mapped the Arctic: The intrepid life of George Back
Stephen, Leslie (1894). The Playground of Europe
Stobart, Tom (1953). “The Conquest of Everest.”
Stobart, Tom. (1958a). Adventurer's Eye: The Autobiography of the Everest Film-Man Tom Stobart
Stobart, Tom (1958b). I Take Pictures for Adventure
Stuart-Stubbs, B. (1968). Maps Relating to Alexander Mackenzie
Styles, Showell (1967). Mallory of Everest
Styles, Showell (1970). The Forbidden Frontiers
Summers, Julie (2000). Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine.
Swinson, Arthur (1971). Beyond the Frontiers: The Biography of Colonel F.M. Bailey
Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research Everest (Compiled by). (1954). Everest: The Swiss Expeditions in Photographs
Tabor, James M.(2007). Forever on the Mountain
Taring, Rinchen Dolma. (1970). Daughter of Tibet
Taylor-Ide, Daniel. (1995). Something Hidden Behind the Ranges
Temple, Philip (1969). The World at Their Feet
Temple, Sir Richard (1889). Lord Lawrence
Tenderini, Mirella & Michael Shandrick. (1977). The Duke of Abruzzi: An Explorer's Life
Tenzing, Tashi (2001). Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest.
Terray, L. (1963). Conquistadors of the Useless
Tharkay,Ang. (1954). Memoires d'un Sherpa
Thomas, L. (1950). Out of this World: Across the Himalayas to Forbidden Tibet
Thomson, J., Graham, W. W. & Markham, A. H. (1887). From the Equator to the Pole
Tilman, H.W. (1937). The Ascent of Nanda Devi.
Tilman H. W. (1946). When Men & Mountains Meet.
Tilman, H.W. (1948). Mount Everest 1938.
Tilman, H.W. (1951). China to Chitral
Tilman H. W. (1952 ). Nepal Himalaya
Tilman, H.W. (1983). The Seven Mountain Travel Books
Tovell, Freeman M. (2008). At the Far Reaches of Empire: The Life of Juan Francisco de la Bodega Y Quadra.
Trigger, Bruce G. (1985). Natives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered.
Trousdale, William (Editor)(1985). War in Afghanistan, 1879-80: The Personal Diary of Major General Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor
Tullis, J. (1987). Clouds from Both Sides.
Tung, Rosemary Jones (1980). A Portrait of Lost Tibet
Twigg, Alan (2004). First Invaders: The Literary Origins of British Columbia.
Twigger, Robert (2006). Voyageur: Across the Rocky Mountains in a Birchbark Canoe.
Tyndall, John (1899). Hours of Exercise in the Alps
Tyrrell, J.W. (1897). Across the Sub-Arctics of Canada
Ullman, J.R. (Ed.)(1947). Kingdom of Adventure: Everest
Ullman, J.R. (1964). Americans on Everest.
Ullman, J.R. (1968). Straight Up - John Harlin: The Life and Death of a Mountaineer.
Underhill, Roy. (1981). The Woodright's Shop: Exploring Traditional Woodcraft.
Unsworth, W. (2000). Everest
van den Bogaert, Harmen Meynrtsz(1895/1988). A Journey into Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634-1635.
Van der Donck, Adriaen (1655/1841/1968). A Description of New Netherlands
Van Kirk, Sylvia (1980). Many Tender Ties: Women in Fur-Trade Society in Western Canada.
Venables, S. (1989). Everest Kangshung Face
Venables, Stephen (Ed.)(2003). Everest: Summit of Achievement
Venables, S. (2000). A Slender Thread
Vernon, K. (1997). Ascent & dissent : The SA Everest Expedition--the inside story
Verrier, Anthony (1991). Francis Younghusband and the Great Game.
Visser-Hooft, Jenny (1926). Among The Kara-korum Glaciers
Visser, Ph. C. (1926). Naar onbekend Midden-Azië tusschen Kara-Korum en Hindu-Kush
Visser, Ph. C. (1931). Door de bergwoestijnen van Azie: Karakorum
Waley, Arthur. (1952). The Real Tripitaka and Other Pieces
Walker, Annabel. (1995). Aurel Stein: Pioneer of the Silk Road
Walker, General J.T. (1886a). Notes on Mont Everest
Walker, General J.T. (1886b). A Last Note on Mont Everest
Waller, Derek (1990). The Pundits : British Exploration of Tibet & Central Asia
Ward, Michael P. (1972). In This Short Span
Ward, Michael P. (2003). Everest: A Thousand Years of Exploration.
Warkentin, Germaine (Ed.)(1993). Canadian Exploration Literature: An Anthology
Warre, Captain H. (1970).Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory.
Washburn, Bradford (1988). Mount Everest: Surveying the Third Pole
Waterman, J. (1997). A Most Hostile Mountain
Weatherford, Jack (2004). Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World.
Weathers, B. & Michaud, S. (2000). Left for Dead
Webster, E. (2000). Snow in the Kingdom: My Storm Years on Everest
Weir, Tom. (1953). The Ultimate Mountains.
Weir, Tom (1955). East of Katmandu.
Weir, Tom. (1994). Weir's World - An Autobiography of Sorts.
Wessels, C. (1924). Early Jesuit Travellers in Central Asia 1603-1721
Whillans, James W. (1955). First in the West
Whittaker, J. (1999). A Life on the Edge
Whitteridge, Gordon, Sir (1986). Charles Masson of Afghanistan
Whymper, E. (1880). The Ascent of the Matterhorn
Wickwire, J. & Bullitt, D. (1998). Addicted to Danger
Willan, T. S. (1956). The Early History of the Russia Company 1553 - 1603
Williams, Glyn (2002). Voyages of Delusion
Willis, Clint (2006). The Boys of Everest
Wills, Sir Alfred (1937). Wandering Among the High Alps.
Willson, Beckles (1899). The Great Company. Being a History of the Honourable Company of Merchants-Adventurers Trading into Hudson's Bay.
Wilson, Andrew (1875). Abode of Snow
Wilson, Edward, et. al. (1897). The Out of Door Library: Mountain Climbing
Wint, Guy (Ed.) (1969). A Mission to Bokhara.
Wollaston, M. (Ed.)(1933). Letters and Diaries of A.F.R. Wollaston
Wollaston, Nicolas (2003). My Father Sandy
Wood, Alfred C. (1964). A History of the Levant Company.
Wood, Frances (2002). The Silk Road
Wood, W. Raymond (1981). The John Evans 1796-97 Map of the Missouri River.
Wood, William (1920). All Afloat: A Chronicle of Craft and Waterways.
Woodcock, G. (1971). Into Tibet: The Early British Explorers
Woodruff, Philip (1953). The Men Who Ruled India: The Founders.
Woodruff, Philip (1954). The Men Who Ruled India: The Guardians
Woodward, David & Lewis, G. Malcolm(Eds.)(1998). The History of Cartography V2, Book 3
Workman, F.B. & W. H. (1901). In the Ice World of the Himalaya
Wriggins, Sally Hovey. (1996). Xuanzang: A Buddhist Pilgrim on the Silk Road
Wrong, Hume (1927).,Sir Alexander MacKenzie: Explorer and Fur Trader.
Wynn, Antony (2003). Persia in the Great Game: Sir Percy Sykes Explorer, Consul Soldier,Spy
Xydes, Georgia (1992). Alexander Mackenzie and the Explorers of Canada.
Younghusband, F. (1896). The Heart of a Continent
Younghusband, F. (1910). India and Tibet.
Younghusband, F. (1924). Wonders of the Himalaya
Younghusband, F. (1926). The Epic of Mount Everest
Younghusband, Francis. (1936). Everest: The Challenge.
Younghusband, F. & Molyneux, E.(1917). Kashmir

IV. Periodicals

This section lists the periodicals in my collection. Some also appear in the book list for various reasons.

· The Alpine Journal. Vol: 99(343), 1994.

· Alpinist: I-current

· Ascent: Vol. II (1975/76), III (1980), IV (1984), V (1989)

· Canadian Alpine Journal: Vol: 84(2001), 85,(2002), 86(2003), 87(2004), 88(2005)

· The Himalayan Journal: Vol: VIII, 1936.

· The Mountain World: 1953, 1955, 1958/59

V. Annotated Bibliography

------ A ------

Adamec, Ludwig W. (1997). Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan, (Second Edition). London: The Scarecrow Press.

This is a reasonably good resource book on the history of Afghanistan. It is divided into three main sections: a dictionary, a chronology, and a bibliography. The dictionary is good, but not great. Birth and death dates of people are frequently not given, and there are a number of pretty big omissions. For example, there is no entry for Peshawar. Worth having as a reference, but I still check other sources.

Adney, Edwin Tappan & Chapelle, Howard, I. (1964). The Bark and Skin Boats of North America. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.

This is the classic reference on the tradition of the building and design of North American bark and skin boats, especially birch bark canoes. See also Jennings', Bark Canoes: The Art and Obsession of Tappan Adney, as well as.Kent's, Birchbark Canoes of the Fur Trade.

Alder, Garry (1985). Beyond Bokhara: The Life of William Moorcroft, Asian Explorer and Pioneer Veterinary Surgeon 1767-1825. London: Century Publishing.

This is the only biography of William Moorcroft, one of the great early explorers of the region north west of India.He was a veterinarian who came to India in 1808 as Superintendent of East India Company's horses. He traveled widely, ostensibly in search of breeding stock, but this this was clearly more of a pretext than fact. He undertook a journey into western Tibet in 1812, across the Garhwal Himalaya to Lake Manasarowar, Mount Kailas region, the Rakas Tal, and Gartok. Moorcroft and Hearsey were the first Englishmen in the area.

His next major trip was to Bokhara. He left British territory in 1820, for a trip that would last until 1825. Due to civil unrest in Afghanistan, he decided to go via Ladakh and Chinese Turkistan. He waited in Leh for permission from Kashgar, during which time he traveled and explored the greater part of Ladakh, the Karakoram Pass, the head-waters of the Yarkland River, the Western Himalaya, the Karakoram and the NW Frontier. In 1824, after deciding that permission would never come , he decided to go via Afghanistan, regardless of the civil conflict there. Traveled through Kashmir and Punjab, over the Khyber Pass, across the Oxus, and got to Bokhara. He died during the return trip.

Allen, C. (1982). A Mountain in Tibet: The Search for Mount Kailas and the Sources of the Great Rivers of India. London: André Deutsch.

This is a very good account of the early European exploration of Western Tibet, in the region around Mount Kailas. (See also Snelling's, The Sacred Mountain .) The book is very well researched, and has references to material that I have not found in as much detail elsewhere. It is also wonderfully illustrated. The narrative is tied together by the stories of the successive attempts to discover the course, and especially the sources, of the four major rivers of the Indian sub-continent: the Indus, Sutlej, Ganges and Brahmaputra. It traces the discovery that the Tsangpo river in Tibet becomes the Brahmaputra, not the Irrawaddy (which had been speculated). In the process, much of the story takes place in Burma, and Central Tibet, as well. While sometimes the book does not flow as well as one would like, it is well worth reading, and includes a fascinating discussion of the controversy surrounding the "discoveries" of Sven Hedin, which alone make the book worth reading.

This book has been re-released in paperback by Abacus books. However, while the original hardcover has fantastic illustrations, nearly all have been eliminated from the paperback volume, at great loss to the reader. This is a must have book, and it is worth getting the hard cover version.

Alpine Club (1982). Alpine Club Library Catalogue 1982, Vol. 1: Books and Periodicals. London: Heinemann.

A significant bibliographic resource on the mountaineering literature.

Anderson, J. R. L. (1980). High Mountains and Cold Seas: a Biography of H. W. Tilman. London: Victor Gollancz.

This is the first of two biographies of Bill Tilman. The second, more recent one, is Madge's, The Last Hero -- Bill Tilman: A Biography of the Explorer. Annotation to come.

Andreyev, Alexandre (2001). An Unknown Russian Memoire by Aagvan Dorjiev. Inner Asia 3(1), 27-39.

This is a recent article containing new information on the person whose activities, besides Curzon, may have most led to Younghusband's invasion of Tibet. See also Kuleshov's 1996 Russia's Tibet File: The Unknown Pages in the History of Tibet's Independenceand Snelling's 1993, Buddhism in Russia.

Anker, Conrad & Roberts, David (1999). The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest. NY: Simon & Schuster.

This is one of the three accounts (along with Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine, by Firstbrook, and Ghosts of Everest - The Search for Mallory and Irvine, by Hemmleb, Johnson and Simonson), of the 1999 expedition which found the body of Mallory on Everest. See the notes on the book by Hemmleb, et al. for more details on the expedition. Full annotation to come.

Anker, Daniel (Ed.)(2000). Eiger: The Vertical Arena. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

This is an edited volume of writings and photographs on the Eiger. It is an excellent companion to Harrer's, The White Spider.

Anon. (1842). "Cabul and Affghanistan." Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Edinburgh: William Blackwood, Vol LI(CCCXIX), 676-690.

This is a review of: Kennedy, R.H. (1840). Narrative of the Campaign of the Army of the Indus in Sind and Kaubool in 1838-9. 2 vols. London: Richard Bentley

Anon. (1842). "Things of the Day, No. III: Dost Mohammed," Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, April 1842, Edinburgh: William Blackwood, Vol LI(CCCXVII), 506-509.

This is a wonderful editorial on, and portrait of, Dost Mohammed, written right in the middle of the first Anglo-Afghan war. It provides a lot of insight as to how the British at the time viewed the empire, in general, and Dost Mohammed, in particular. Some of the parallels to today's reporting on Afghan affairs are almost painful.

Archer, Laurel (2003). Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to Fifteen Wilderness Rivers. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press.

An excellent guide for northern Saskatchewan rivers. Very thorough in terms of map grid references. See also Marchildon & Robinson as well as the book by the Karpans.

Arnold, Anthony (1985). Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion in Perspective. (Revised Edition). Stanford, CA.: Hoover Institution Press.

This is an excellent analysis, from the American perspective, of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It is extremely well researched, and is written in a clear academic style. This is the second "enlarged" edition, but it was still published before the Soviet withdrawal, much less the collapse of the Soviet Union. Hence, one of the things that I found most fascinating was how accurate his analysis was, even to the point of discussing the possibility that the expense of a protracted occupation could contribute to bankrupting the Soviet Union, and lead to its collapse. It has a good introductory section, that relies a lot on Gregorian. This is the best single volume that I have read on the topic. See also Bocharov and Margolis.

Astill, Tony (2005). Mount Everest: The Reconnaissance 1935: The Forgotten Adventure. Privately Published.

Unlike all the others, the Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition of 1935 did not result in an expedition book; rather, the official account by Shipton appeared as an article in the Himalayan Journal in 1936. This recent volume by Astill is, therefore, the first book devoted to the expedition.

Ata-Ullah, Mohammad (1960). Citizen of Two Worlds. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers.

Ata-Ullah is a Pakistani doctor who is largely known in the mountaineering community as the liaison officer for both Houston's 1953 and the 1954 Italian expeditions to K2. Further annotation to come.

Audisio, Aldo (Ed.).(1991). Alpinismo Italiano in Karakorum / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram. Torino: Museo Nazionale della Montagna <<Duca degli Abruzzi>>

This is a wonderful little book which is split about evenly between a set of brief essays summarizing the history of Italian mountaineering in the Karakoram, including the first ascent of K2, and some photographs that are as spectacular as many of them are rare (many by Vittorio Sella, who accompanied the Duke of Abruzzi's expedition to K2.) The essays all appear in both English and Italian, and the language of the photographs is universal. See also Summit: Vittorio Sella Mountaineer and Photographer the Years 1879 - 1909, PAESAGGI VERTICALI: La fotografia di Vittorio Sella 1879-1943, and The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella: 1859-1943.

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Bagrow, Leo (1985). History of Cartography. Second edition. Chicago: Precedent Publishing.

Annotation to come. See also Harley & Woodward (1987), Harley & Woodward (1992) & Woodward & Lewis(1998)

Baker, J.N.L. (1937). A History of Geographical Discovery and Exploration. London: George G. Harrap & Co.

This is a second, expanded, edition of the original 1931 volume. It is an extremely densely packed, terse compendium of the history of discovery and exploration. It has a good summary of exploration of the east by the Islamic world, prior to the European discovery of a sea route to India. It also provides one of the best, concise summaries of exploration of northern India and Central Asia that I have seen.

Ballard J. (1996). One and Two Halves to K2: The Journey of Alison Hargreaves' Family to K2. London: BBC Books.

See also Hargreaves', Hard Day's Summer, and Rose & Douglas', Regions of the Heart.

Band George (2003). Everest: 50 Years on Top of the World. London: HarperCollins.

This is a new book that was published in association with the Royal Geographical Society, the Alpine Club and the Everest Foundation. It claims to be “the official publication celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest.” This is an interesting notion. It carries with it a bit too much of the imperialist flavour of the Mount Everest Committee of old, who tended to regard the mountain as “theirs” . Regardless, Band was the youngest member of the 1953 British team, and this book is both a summary of the mountain’s history, and an account of the 1953 climb within this historical context. It has a good selection of photographs, but the maps are rather disappointing for a publication associated with the Royal Geographical Society. Ward is much better in this regard.

Barnes, Malcolm (1958)(Ed.). The Mountain World 1958/59. London: George Allen & Company.

Annotation to come.

Barrett, Robert Le Moyne & Barrett, Katherine Ruth. [Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba, pseud.] (1927). The Himalayan Letters of Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba. Written on pilgrimage to the high quiet places among the simple people of an old folk tale. Cambridge: Heffers .

This book is a collection of letters from the field written by the American couple Robert Le Moyne and Katherine Ruth Barrett. The book was written under the pseudonyms "Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba." For me, the Barretts are interesting mainly due to their efforts in encouraging their sirdar, Ghulam Rassul Galwan, to write the book, Servant of Sahibs., describing his experiences traveling in central Asia. These are people who are as unknown as they are interesting.

Bass, Dick, Wells, Frank & Ridgeway, Rick (1986). Seven Summits. NY: Warner Books.

Despite having negligible climbing experience, American Dick Bass and fellow businessman Frank Wells got it into their minds to be the first to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents (listed below in order of descending elevation):

· Asia: Everest (8,850 metres/29,035 feet)

· South America: Aconcagua (6,962 metres / 22,840 feet)

· North America: Denali / McKinley (6,195 metres / 20,320 feet)

· Africa: Kilimanjaro (5,963 metres / 19,339 feet)

· Europe: Elbrus (5,633 metres / 18,481 feet)

· Antarctica: Vinson Massif (4,897 metres / 16,067 feet)

· Australia: Kosciusko (2228 metres / 7310 feet)

And they succeeded. This is an account of their quest. While much has been made of the financial resources that they brought to their effort, it is unfair to say (as some have) that they "bought" the feat. On the one hand, it is clear that without the help and guidance (literally) of a number of world-class climbers (such as Ridgeway, Chris Bonington, Yvon Chouinard, David Breashears & Jim Wickwire - among others), they would never have had a chance. (According to the book, Wickwire was teaching Bass how to belay as well as ice climb while ascending the Polish Glacier route on Aconcagua.) On the other hand, there is no questioning their commitment to the task. They were both over 50, and out of shape. But they did what they needed to do, including - in Wells' case - quit his job as head of Warner Bros. So, yes they succeeded and were first. But, as happens in such things, that is where some of the controversy comes into play. Strictly speaking, the highest "mountain" in Australia is Kosciusko. However, as described by Bass, it is "a walk in the park" You can almost drive to the summit. Consequently, for some, there is another definition of the "Seven Summits" which replaces Kosciusko with the highest mountain in "Australasia" or "Oceana" , which is:

· Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 meters / 16,023 feet)

located in Irian Jaya Indonesia. This is the version of the Seven Summits that was first climbed by the Canadian, Pat Morrow, as described in his book, Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits. Those interested in the larger story, are also referred to Seven Summits: The Quest to Resach the Highest Point on Every Continent, edited by Steve Bell.

Bates, Robert (2000). Mystery, Beauty, and Danger: The Literature of the Mountains and Mountain Climbing Published in English Before 1946. Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall Publisher.

This is the 1946 PhD thesis of Bob Bates, who was a member of the dramatic 1953 US expedition to K2 (see K2: The Savage Mountain by Houston & Bates). It is a discussion of the literature on mountains in English up to the time of writing. Unlike Neate's, Mountaineering and Its Literature, the Alpine Club Library Catalogue, or Climbing Mount Everest: The Bibliography, by Salkeld and Boyle, this is not an annotated bibliography. Rather, it is a discussion of how writers wrote about mountains, and how attitudes changed in the literature, over the years. This is not a well known book, but is well worth searching out by anyone interested in the literature.

Baume, Louis. (1978). Sivalaya - the 8000-Metre Peaks of the Himalaya. Goring, England: Gastons-West Col.

This is a chronicle of the history of the exploration of the 14 8,000 metre peaks in the Himalaya up to 1977, including early reconnaissance, attempts and first ascents. It also includes a comprehensive bibliography. See also Sale & Cleare's, Climbing the World's 14 Highest Mountains. While missing the outstanding bibliography of Sivalaya, it is much better illustrated.

Beazley, C. Raymond (1897 / 1901 / 1906). The Dawn of Modern Geography. 3 Vols. Oxford: Claredon Press.

This is a classic book covering the birth of geography. It is in 3 volumes, published in 1897, 1901 and 1906, respectively. One of the highlights of the set is that they include accounts of early travelers from China and the Arab worlds, as well as those from Europe. Volume 1, published in 1897, has the sub-tiitle: A History of Exploration and Geographical Science from the Conversion of the Roman Empire to A.D. 900, with an Account of the Achievements and Writings of the Christian, Arab and Chinese Travellers and Students. Volume 2, published in 1901, is sub-titled, A History of Exploration and Geographical Science from the Ninth to the Middle of the Thirtenth Century (c. A.D. 900-1260). Volume 3, published in 1906, is sub-titled, A History of Exploration and Geographical Science from the Middle of the Thirteenthto the Early Years of the Fifteenth Century (c. A.D. 1260-1420).

I understand that the set was reprinted in the 1960's, but I have not seen any references to it, much less seen the work. However, an excellent facimile of the original edition was released by Martino Fine Books in 2000. (Martino Publishing, P.O. Box 373, Mansfield Centre, CT 06250) This is the edition that I have.

Beckey, Fred (2003). Range of Glaciers: The Exploration and Survey of the Northern Cascade Range. Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press.

Annotation to come.

Beckwith, Christopher (1987). The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia: A History of the Struggle for Great Power among Tibetans, Turks, Arabs, and Chinese during the Early Middle Ages. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

This is perhaps the most current scholarship on the early evolution of Central Asia, and the interactions among the various political and religious factions. Annotation to come.

Bell, Charles (1924). Tibet: Past & Present. London: Oxford University Press.

This is a history/profile of Tibet by Sir Charles Bell, who was the British Political Officer in Tibet at the beginning of the 20th Century. He was also the official who, in 1920, Col. Howard-Bury had to sway in order to gain permission for the 1921 British Everest Reconnaissance Expedition, since it needed to approach the mountain through Tibet. Annotation to come

Bell, Steve (Ed.)(2000). Seven Summits: The Quest to Reach the Highest Point on Every Continent. London: Mitchell Beazley.

Annotation to come. See also, Bass, Wells & Ridgeway's. Seven Summits, and Pat Morrow's, Beyond Everest: Quest for the Seven Summits.

Belyea, Barbara (Ed.)(1994). Columbia Journals. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queens University Press.

An edited volume of David Thompson's journals from October 1800 - September 1811, the period that he was exploring west of the Rockies, especially in the region of the Columbia River. For more on Thompson and pointers to associated literature, see the write-up for Jenish (2003).

Bernard, Theos (1939). Penthouse of the Gods: A Pilgrimage into the Heart of Tibet & the Sacred City of Lhasa. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

This is an account of Bernard's experiences in Tibet and Lhasa. He was only the third American to go there. Full annotation to come.

Bishop, Capt. R.P. (1923). Mackenzie's Rock: End of the First Journey Across North America. Ottawa: The Government Printing Bureau.

A small booklet that documents the author's figuring out the actual locations of Mackenzie's route and camp sites, etc., in the Bella Coola region.

Black, Samuel (1955). A Journal of a Voyage From Rocky Mountain Portage in Peace River to the Sources of Finlays Branch and North West Ward in Summer 1824. London: The Hudson's Bay Record Society.

With introduction by RM Patterson. Annotation to come.

Blum, Arlene (1980). Annapurna: A Woman's Place. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

This is an account of the 1978 American Women's Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I. This was the first American ascent of Annapurna I, and was a mixed success. On the one hand, two American women and two male Sherpa made the summit (the use of male Sherpa in an "all women" expedition is an interesting side story in itself, which is discussed in the book, as well as by Ortner). On the other hand, two women in the second summit team fell to their death. For more background and information, see Blum's autobiography, Breaking Trail.

Blum, Arlene (2005). Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life. New York: Scribner.

This is the autobiography, up to 1987 at least, of Arlene Blum, a climber who is best known for her leading the 1978 American Women's Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I. This volume is an excellent compliment to the account of that expedition.

Outside of the Annapurna expedition, neither Blum nor her background is particularly well known. Yet there is a fair bit to know, and it is both interesting and well presented in this account. The chapters in the book follow chronological order, but utilize an effective device where each chapter is prefaced by a flashback/meditation concerning her childhood.

Blum paid her dues , and prior to Annapurna had participated in numerous climbs in the Pacific Northwest of the US, as well as expeditions to Denali (the first all women's team to summit), Africa, Afghanistan, Nepal, the Pamirs, Trisul, and Everest. (For an other account of this 1976 US Bicentennial Everest Expedition, see Ridgeway's The Boldest Dream). Following Annapurna, Blum made her last mountaineering expedition, a successful women's ascent of Bhrigupanth. She then switched to trekking expeditions, and the last expedition described in the book is her 1981-82 trek that traversed the Himalaya from Bhutan to Ladakh - an outstanding initiative.

The book is engagingly written, and one cannot be struck by the strength of character that made the trips that she did, where she did, and when she did, all the while also pursuing a PhD in biochemistry, and research at some of the top academic institutions in the USA. But while clearly a highly motivated and capable "super achiever", Blum was clearly also an outsider. And this cannot just be explained away due to her being a woman. Her application for a spot on the US team participating on the 1974 International Climbing Camp in the Pamirs was rejected, while - according to her account - far less experienced women were accepted. Consequently, on the one hand, women were selected to participate on the US team, just not Blum. From her perspective, it was not about women per se, but which women and why.

In this, I think that it is a little too easy for Blum to suggest that the two women on the team were there just because they knew the men who had been selected, or because the more experienced women "weren't lady-like enough." After all, the two women in question were Molly Higgins, who in 1977 went on to be half of the team that put up the first all female ascent of the Nose in Yosemite, and Marty Hoey, the well known guide and climber who died on Everest's north side in 1982. Their later performance gives some credence that the confidence showed in them by their being selected may have been justified.

But her not being selected for the Pamirs expedition was not what upset Blum. She was in good company. There were a number of well-qualified women whose applications were rejected. Rather, it was how she was treated by most of the American team when she showed up in the Pamirs, having been invited to join another team. If we can judge by the way that some of the Americans treated the women who were on their team (for an account of Molly Higgins’ treatment, for example in Robert Craig's 1977, Storm & Sorrow in the High Pamirs.), one can well imagine that Blum's characterization of her treatment was accurate.

For sure Blum had a rough time of it. I assume that was true for any woman at the time who aspired to be taken seriously as a mountaineer. Nevertheless, I confess that given the talent and achievements that Blum demonstrates in this volume, there is a flavour of being a victim that doesn't sit quite right with me. On the one hand, the book suggests that she had the strength to overcome whatever obstacles stood in her way, and went on to some outstanding achievements that anyone would be proud of – male or female. On the other, despite the self-revelations and introspection that pervade the book, (especially the prefaces to the chapters), her remarkable accomplishments do not seem to have purged the hurts of the past – real and perceived. That is too bad, since hers is a record that requires no qualification, and is one to be justifiably proud of.

Ultimately, the book reveals two sides of Blum's character: the strong and determined scientist and climber, and an individual struggling with feelings of vulnerability and insecurity. In many ways, the struggle with the latter to achieve the former is one of the more interesting driving forces in the book.

The book is well worth the read. Despite the absence of colour photos, it is a wonderful example that with proper attention to design and production values, high quality black-and-white photos can be reproduced on the regular paper - something that is all too rare. As a counter to this compliment, this volume is yet another example of cheating the reader by not including an index. Why should we take the book seriously if the author and/or publisher demonstrate by this decision that they don't either? Inexcusable in this day and age.

Bocharov, Gennady (1990). Russian Roulette: Afghanistan Through Russian Eyes. New York: Cornelia & Michael Bessie.

This is essentially a series of prose portraits intended to characterise the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from the Russian perspective. Bocharov is a journalist, and in contrast to the book by Arnold, the style and approach is journalistic, without a lot of footnotes or references. This is the human side of the story, all the more remarkable in how it echoes a lot of the American journalists' writing during the Vietnam war. This is a quick read, but a worthwhile one. See also Margolis.

Bonatti Walter. (1964). On the Heights. London: Rupert Hart-Davis.

Annotation to come.

Bonatti Walter. (1974).The Great Days. London: Gollancz.

Annotation to come.

Bonatti, W. (2001). The Mountains of my Life. New York: Modern Library.

This is one of the top 10 books in the climbing literature that I have ever read. It is an anthology of writings by one of the greatest climbers of all time, the Italian mountaineer, Walter Bonatti. In other disciplines, such as music, there is the notion of a prodigy. If there is such a thing in climbing, Bonatti must be it. Here is someone who, in 1949 at 19 years of age, in his first season climbing (!), with his partner Barzahi, climbed both the northwest face of the Badile, and the Walker Spur on the north face of the Grande Jorasses (the latter which he repeated in 1963, with his partner Zappelli, in winter).

Bonatti was clearly as driven as he was talented, and it seems equally clear that this combination was not always looked on favourably by some of his (generally less talented) colleagues. He was part of the Italian expedition, led by Desio, that made the first ascent of K2 in 1954. Some would say one of the most critical parts. Yet, he came out of this expedition under a cloud of suspicion, ostracized my many of the Italian climbing community. The story of what happened (including the now demonstrable lies told by those who summitted, Lino Lacadelli and Achille Compagnoni), why, and the consequences are well told in this volume. With the help of a section by the editor/translator, Robert Marshall, the book presents quite conclusive evidence that Bonatti had been slandered. That it took until the mid-'80s to start to clear his name, and until the mid-90's for conclusive photographic proof to appear, verges on tragic. At least for a weaker man.

Bonatti's response to this was to prove himself by harder and harder climbs, frequently solo (epitomized by his 1965 swan song, his solo direttisssima of the north face ot the Matterhorn in winter!!), and by becoming a strong advocate of the ethics of "fair means", which for him means, climbing with the simplicity of tools as those employed by the great climbers of the '30s, such as Cassin.

Bonatti was a prolific writer, and this is a good thing, since he is a wonderful writer, often verging on poetry. This is not a one dimensional man; rather, someone who you want to spend time with. A number of his books have already appeared in English. This volume is a new translation, with introductions to each of the 27 pieces in the anthology by the translator/editor. It is mostly a compendium of his books On the Heights and The Great Days with the chapters added on the K2 case to bring that story to a close. However, certain chapters from the first two books have been omitted. Those who care to check the originals will be rewarded.

Robert Marshall has done a fantastic job in the pieces selected, the footnotes, and the introductions. (That the series editor, Jon Krakauer's name appears on the front and back cover, with a biography on the back, and Marshall's name appears nowhere on the cover is ironic, since it epitomizes the concessions to commercialism that Bonatti is so critical of in the book itself.)

Why a new translation? As stated by Bonatti in the introduction, as well as made clear by notes in the text, the earlier translations sometimes distorted the original intent of the original text, sometimes (in fact on one of the most critical points) giving exactly the opposite meaning as that intended. (Those interested in diving deeper into the deception around this climb are directed to Marshall's 2009 volume, K2: Lies and Treachery.)

This is a substantial volume of 445 pages, available only in paperback. As such, it is great value. But this is also unfortunate; however only from the perspective that I would love to have a hard cover version so that it will last longer.

Bonington, Chris (1971). Annapurna South Face. London: Cassell & Company, Ltd.

This is an account of the first major Himalayan face climb, that helped herald a new era in Himalayan mountaineering. The climbers carried their own gear on the face, and Dougal Haston and Don Whillans made the summit. Chapter 17 is a first person account of the summit push by Dougal Haston, which also appears in his autobiography, In High Places. The book is extremely will illustrated with maps and photographs. It also includes 10 appendices giving details of the expedition, and an excellent index. The book has long been out of print, but is now available in an inexpensive reprint from: http://www.bonington.com/store/index.htm.

Bonington, Chris (1976). Everest the Hard Way. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

This is an account of the 1975 first ascent of the South West Face of Everest by a British team led by Bonington. This is one of the great face climbs of the era, and it saw four of the team reach the summit, including Dougal Haston and Doug Scott, who bivouacked at 28,700 feet, due to a late arrival at the summit. It has great photos, and contributions from all of the members of the team. The book is extremely well illustrated with maps and photographs. It also includes 10 appendices giving details of the expedition, and an excellent index. The book has long been out of print, but is now available in an inexpensive reprint from: http://www.bonington.com/store/index.htm.

Bonington, Chris (1981). Quest for Adventure. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

This is a collection of accounts by Bonington of 21 remarkable expeditions. This, the first editions (only) includes an important account of the now controversial 1957 Austrian expedition to Broad Peak. See Sale's Broad Peak and Diemberger's Summits and Secrets for other accounts of this expedition.

Bonington, Chris, Boysen, Martin, Hankinson, Alan, Haston, Dougal, Sandhu, Balwant, & Scott, Doug ( 1976 ). Changabang. New York: Oxford University Press.

Annotation to come.

Bonington, Chris & Clarke, Charles (1999). Tibet's Secret Mountain: The Triumph of Sepu Kangri. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Annotation to come.

Boukreev, Anatoli (2001). Above the Clouds: The Diaries of a High-Altitude Mountaineer. New York: St. Martins Press.

For a yet unpublished review of this book that I wrote, click here.

This book is a posthumous compilation of the journals of Anatoli Boukreev, collected, edited and introduced by Linda Wylie, who was his partner during the last part of his life. They begin with his experiences on Mount McKinley in the spring of 1990, through to his last expedition to Annapurna, in 1997.

Boukreev, Anatoli & DeWalt, G.Weston (1997). The Climb - Tragic Ambitions on Everest. New York: St. Martins Press.

This is "the other side" of the story of what happened on the south side of Everest in the spring of 1996. Boukreev was a guide for Scott Fischer's team and he took a lot of criticism from Krakauer in Into Thin Air. The Climb is very much a rebuttal of Krakauer's criticisms. What it does do is make it clear that there is more than one side to the story and motivates one to read some of the other accounts in order to find some semblance of "truth." The book is well written and documented, although it lacks the fluency of Krakauer.

Boustead, Col. Sir Hugh (1927). An Adventure to Kangchenjunga. The Geographical Journal, 69(4), 344-350.

Boustead (see autobiography in next reference), wanted to climb Everest. While on leave, he visited Brigadeer Norton in the UK, after the latter had returned from leading the 1924 Everest expedition. Norton told him, "If you can pull offf an expdition to clear the Zemu Gap on the north-east shoulder of Kangchenjunga, I will personally back you for the next Everest expedition." With the help of Shebbeare, who lived in Sikkim, and who had been transport officer on both the 1922 and 1924 expeditions, Boustead set off to do so in 1926. This article is an account of his success, and consequently, was Boustead's ticket for inclusion on the 1933 Everest expedition. This would be the end of it, were it not for Bill Tilman. In 1936, before going to Nanda Devi, Tilman decided to repeat Boustead's traverse, from the Tongshyong Glacier, south-to-north (Tilman, 1946). He failed. But having compared what he encountered with what Boustead reported, Tilman concluded that Boustead could not have done the Zemu gap, especially since Boustead claimed to have started from the Tongshyong Glacier at 3 a.m., made the traverse, and been back for breakfast by 9 a.m. that same day. Tilman's conclusion was "... the easy, low col at the head of the Tongshyong obviously led into the wide ay at the head of th Talung [glacier]. It occured to me that in the thick weather which prevailed when the first alleged crossing had been made, this, and then the Zemu Gap, wwas the place which had been crossed." (Tilman, 1946, p. 58). Tilman returned in 1938, after having led the Everest Reconnaisance expedition, and did succeed in crossing the Zemu gap. However, this time his point of departure was Kellas's 1907 end point at the head of the Zemo Gacier, and crossed north-to-south, descending to the Tongshyong Glacier. Did Boustead actually climb the Zemu Gap? Of course it is impossible to say for sure. Perhaps conditions changed in the 10 years between Boustead's expedition and that of Tilman. Tilman certainly states that the south side of the gap had changed dramatically in the 2-year period between his 1936 and 1938 trips. So it is possible. And it is also possible that Tilman was simply wrong. Ultimately, the question cannot be answered, and we are just left with the fact that Boustead and Tilman were both remarkable men, and this was evident in almost every aspect of their lives. It should probably just be left at that.

Boustead, Col. Sir Hugh (1971). The Wind of Morning. London: Chatto & Windus.

This is the autobiography of Col. Sir Hugh Boustead, who was a member of the 1933 Everest expedition. The interesting aspect of this book is in what it tells us about the type of man who participated in these expeditions, rather than their climbing, per se. This is also true of the book by Greene (1974), who was also part of the team in 1933. There is so little about climbing in Boustead’s book, for example, that that it is hard to figure out when and where he developed the technique that enabled him to traverse the Zemu Gap on the north-east shoulder of Kangchenjung in 1926, which paved the way for his participation in the Everest expedition. Here is a man who competed in the Olympics in the modern pentathlon, was a competitive boxer, as a soldier served on the western front in WW I, then in Russia and Sudan, and spent the bulk of his post military career far from the mountains in North Africa and South Yemen as an administrator. Boustead is the epitome of the accomplished gentleman amateur of the golden age of British climbing. However, see the above reference, Boustead (1927).

Bowman, W.E. (1956). The Ascent of Rum Doodle. London: Max Parrish & Co.

There is not much to say other than this is one of the best send-ups of any type, not just of the climbing literature. It is written in a style that is a blend of Hunt's The Ascent of Everest and Tilman's The Ascent of Nanda Devi. It is the story of the ascent of the highest peak in the world, Rum Doodle, which like its smaller cousin, Everest, is in the deep Himalaya. In 2001 a new paperback edition was released by Pimlico. It is worth getting, even if you have the first edition, for the introduction that it contains by Bill Bryson. In it Bryson, a great fan of the book, provides a good background summary of Bowman and the genesis of the book.

Bown, Stephen R. (2008). Madness, Betrayal and the Lash: The Epic Voyage of Captain George Vancouver. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.

See also Fisher (1992). Annotation to come.

Braham, Trevor (2004). When the Alps Cast their Spell: Mountaineers of the Alpine Golden Age. Glasgow: The In Pinn.

This is a history of the early days of alpine climbing. See also Fleming's Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps. Annotation to come.

Bredin, Thomas (1962). River of Canada. Toronto: Longmans.

Annotation to come

Breashears, David. (1999). High Exposure - An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places. New York: Simon & Schuster.

This is a climbing autobiography of Breashears, with a strong emphasis on his experiences in making the IMAX film on the south side of Everest in the spring of 1996. Breashears and his team played a significant role in the rescue of Beck Weathers, and this part of the book is especially interesting. Breashears was one of the more experienced mountaineers on Everest that spring and his comments are interesting in terms of trying to make some sense out of what actually happened. For another account of the IMAX expedition, see Coburn's, Everest: Mountain Without Mercy.

Breashears, David & Salkeld, Audrey. (1999). Last Climb - the Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory. Washington: National Geographic Society.

An extremely beautifully produced book with some outstanding photographs, some in 3-page panoramas. Full annotation to come.

Bridge, Kathryn (2002). Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer. Montreal: XYZ Publishing.

This is a recent biography of one of Canada's first female mountaineers, Phyllis Munday. She was the first woman to climb Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. However, perhaps she is best known for her sighting of, then quest for, "Mystery Mountain", Mount Waddington.

Bridges , T.C. & Tiltman, H. Hessell. (1929). More Heroes of Modern Adventure. London: George G. Harrap & Co.

This is book recounting 18 stories of "true adventure". Chapter I (pp. 3-16) is, "The Battle for Everest - Brigadier General Bruce's Great Story." This is a brief summary of the 1922 and 1924 expeditions, and is of interest in terms of how the expeditions were popularly portrayed at the time of its writing. Salkeld & Boyle (1993) mistakenly attribute the chapter as being written by Bruce ("... opening chapter: General Bruce on the Battle for Everest 1921-1933"). Of course, being published in 1929, the 1933 expedition is not discussed.

Brooke-Hunt, Violet (1914). Lord Roberts: A Biography. London: James Nisbet.

Roberts was a serious player for the British, having won the Victoria Cross during the Sepoy Mutiny, and then leading the British forces in Kabul in the second Anglo-Afghan war. A good counterpoint to this biography are the diaries of MacGregor, edited by Trousdale.

Bruce, Charles Granville. (1923). The Assault on Mount Everest, 1922. London: Longmans, Green & Co.

This is the official account of the second expedition to Everest, and the first real assault. It has some wonderful photographs. Given how little experience there was at the time, one of the most interesting parts of the book is the chapter by Somervell on acclimatization and climbing at altitude without oxygen.

Bruce, Charles Granville. (1934). Himalayan Wanderer. London: Alexander Maclehose & Co.

This is an autobiography of Brig. Gen. Charles Bruce, who was one of the early pioneers of climbing in the Himalaya and Karakoram. It includes accounts of his expedition with Conway to the Karakoram, to Nanga Parbat with Mummery, and Everest in 1922 (on which expedition he was leader). It also covers a range of other travels and experiences. Bruce was larger than life, in many ways.

Bryant, Leslie Vickery (1953). New Zealanders and Everest. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.

This is a brief (48 page) booklet giving the history of New Zealand's involvement with Everest, up to 1953. It was written by a member of Shipton’s 1935 reconnaissance expedition (Shipton, 1936).

Buhl, Hermann (1998). Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage - The Lonely Challenge. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

This is a recent edition of Buhl's 1954 autobiography. Despite the title, only a relatively short section of the book deals with Buhl's classic solo summiting of Nanga Parbat in 1953. For me, the book was a tough read. Essentially, it is a diary of what seems to be almost every climb that he made since he was a boy. High on detail and comprehensiveness, not in quality of writing or analysis. For the "conclusion" of this book, the interested reader is referred to Sale's Broad Peak and Diemberger's Summits and Secrets, which gives an account of Buhl's last expedition to Broad Peak and subsequent death on Chogolisa. Also, note that a new biography of Buhl is now available by Messner & Hofler which includes excerpts from his Broad Peak report. For the "official" account of the 1953 Nanga Parbat expedition, see Herrligkoffer's Nanga Parbat (The Killer Mountain). But read Buhl's account and Messner's comments to understand the context and the tensions that arose during and after the climb.

Buhl, Hermann (2005). Achttausend drüber und drunter. München: Malik, Piper Verlag.

This is a new edition (in German) of Buhl's classic Nanga Parbat Pilgrimage. What is of particular interest in this edition is the inclusion of transcriptions Buhl's diaries from his climbs on Broad Peak and Chogolisa, which occured after the original edition of the book was published. For more on these climbs, and some background context, see my essay on the Broad Peak expedition, as well as my review of Sale's recent book, Broad Peak.

Buhl, Kriemhild (2007). Mein Vater Hermann Buhl. München: Malik, Piper Verlag.

Kriemhild Buhl was the eldest of Buhl's three daughters. She was six years old when Buhl was killed on Chogolisa. This is a book about Buhl and his family, but also by someone who only knew the man directly as a young child. Most of the information about Buhl is obviously second hand. Much from her mother. However, that to do with the Broad Peak/Chogolisa expediton is from Diemberger, and therefore needs to be read and understood as such. While Diemberger's version of events is perhaps the best known, due to the prolific nature of his writing and speaking, it is not the only one, and - based on my research - is the least reliable and the least supported by the documented evidence. Book is in German only.

Bumsted, J.M. (2008). Lord Selkirk: A Life. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.

Annotation to come.

Burgess, A. & Palmer, J. (1983). Everest Canada: The Ultimate Challenge. Toronto: Stoddard.

This is an account of the large and controversial first Canadian expedition to Everest in 1982. This was very large, perhaps bloated, very well funded expedition that was made up of a lot of enthusiastic but not very compatible climbers. It was plagued with problems from the start, having had three different leaders in its life. As an example of the interpersonal problems plaguing the effort, the person who initiated the expedition, and got the permit, Roger Marshall, was first removed as leader, and then later, kicked off of the climb. The expedition was also plagued with troubles on the mountain. Three Sherpa, Ang Tsultim, Dawa Dorje and Pasang Sona, were killed in an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall. Then, almost immediately after their funerals, one of the climbers, Blair Griffiths, was also killed in the icefall. This, along with the other tensions and dissension in the team, caused a number of the climbers to then quit the expedition.

The expedition had originally ambitiously planned to do the first ascent via the South Pillar route. However, they were scooped in 1980, by the Poles Czok and Kukuczka. An variation of this route then became the objective. However, due to delays resulting from the weather and other problems, the team eventually resorted to the conventional (and easier) South Col route, and eventually succeeded in getting the first two Canadians, Laurie Skreeslet and Pat Morrow, on the summit, with the aid of oxygen.

Burgess was perhaps the most experienced climber on the expedition. At least, that is what he implies in the book. He is opinionated, and tells his view of the climb, rather than any attempt at objectivity. That would be fine, and in many cases, preferred, except that I was not left with a strong impression that his analysis was especially insightful or trustworthy. Self serving is one of the descriptions that comes to mind.

The book reads well, which is likely the work of Palmer, a professional writer who was not on the expedition, and quite well illustrated with a rather large number of colour photographs.

For another account of this expedition, see also Patterson's, Canadians on Everest.

Burpee, Lawrence, J.(1935). In Search for the Western Sea: The Story of the Exploration of North-Western America (Two Volumes). Toronto: Macmillan.

This is a new and revised edition of the 1908 version of these books. Annotation to come

Burpee, Lawrence, J.(Ed.) (1973). Journal of Anthony Hendry 1754-1755. Toronto: Canadiana House.

Annotation to come.

Buxton, William (2001). Review: Above the Clouds: The Diaries of a High-Altitude Mountaineer, by Anatoli Boukreev. Unpublished Manuscript.

This is an unpublished review of a book put together by Lynda Wylie based on papers that she collected and edited from Anatoli Boukreev, Above the Clouds.

Buxton, W. (2003). Review: Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk, by Jeff Connor. Canadian Alpine Journal, 86, 167-168.

This is a review of Connor's biography of Dougal Haston that I wrote for the Canadian Alpine Journal.

Buxton, William (2004). Review: Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow, by Maria Coffey. Canadian Alpine Journal, 87, p. 148..

This is a review of Coffey's book, Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow, written for the Canadian Alpine Journal.

Buxton, William (2006). From First Sight to Summit: A Guide to the Literature on Everest up to the 1953 Ascent. Unpublished Manuscript

This is a reader's guide-book to the Everest literature ( from the beginning, up to when it was first summited). Think of it as being analagous to the one that you would use for a crag with way too many confusing routes. It has four main parts. First, there is a bibliography which covers books (and only a few articles) by those with a direct connection with the mountain.. Second, there are annotations for each of the items listed in the bibliography, making it more than just a list. Theses are often rather subjective, but hopefully of value or interest. Third, as a navigational aid, I have created a table summarizing the literature by expedition/year, loosely following the format introduced by Neate in Mountaineering and Its Literature. Finally, all of this is prefaced by a series of short introductory essays that cover key periods and topics concerning the mountain. These contain extensive links to the books in the bibliography where you can find more information. You can access this document by clicking on its title, above. Comments, corrections and additions are welcomed.

Buxton, William (2006). Broad Peak and the 1957 Austrian Karakoram Expedition. Canadian Alpine Journal, 89, 176-183.

This is a review of the literature and history of the first ascent of Broad Peak in 1957 by a four person Austrian team led by Marcus Schmuck. It is an attempt to sort out some of the controversy around this climb and give some of the relevant background. The full text can be found by clicking on the title of the essay, above, as can Diemberger's comments and my reply to them.

Buxton, William. (2007). Review: Mallory Myths and Mysteries, by Mike Parsons and Mary Rose. Canadian Alpine Journal, 90, 164.

This is a review of a small booklet by Parsons and Rose (2006). In it they describe a project where they reproduced the clothes worn by Mallory in 1924, including the fibres and materials, and tested them low on Everest.

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Cabot, Mabel (2003). Vanished Kingdoms: A Woman Explorer in Tibet, China & Mongolia 1921-1925. New York: Aperture Foundation.

This is a beautifully produced and illustrated account of the travels of Janet Elliott Wulsin and her husband Frederick Wulsin. Includes a number of photographs taken by them. More extensive annotation to come.

Cameron, Ian(1984). Mountains of the Gods: The Himalaya and the Mountains of Central Asia. London: Century Publishing.

This is an extremely well produced book. Given that it was produced in association with the Royal Geographical Society, this should be no surprise. It is divided into chapters on The Formation of the Mountains, The Coming of Man, The Pathfinders, the Explorers, The Climbers and The Scientists. In many ways, better than any other book, this volume encapsulates in a microcosm my library. If you are interested in the broader issues of the region, i.e., history, geology, religions, exploration, climbing, etc., and you only want a few key books, then this should be one of them. The maps, photos, illustrations and timeline, alone, make it worthwhile. It is not expensive, but is also not well known. So, you can afford it, and it is worth searching out.

Cammann, S. (1951). Trade Through the Himalayas - The Early British Attempts to Open Tibet. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

This is an analysis of the early initiatives by the British East India Company to establish trade with Tibet. The focus is on the expeditions of George Bogle, in 1774-5 and Samuel Turner, in 1783-4. These expeditions are also covered in Woodcock, but this edition is focussed mainly on the issues of trade. This book is a published version of Cammann's PhD thesis. Hence, as would be expected, the scholarship is immaculate, but it is sometimes hard to keep a flow in reading, due the the large number (of extremely informative) footnotes. Two things stand out in this book. First, the introduction is the best concise but informative account of the early history of Tibet that I have read. Second, it has a wonderfully annotated bibliography which is as interesting to read as the book itself. This is a relatively short book. If you are only going to read one book on early Tibet, up to and including the travels of Bogle and Turner, this is probably it.

Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1957). The North West Company. Toronto: MacMillan.

Annotation to come.

Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1962). McGillivray: Lord of the Northwest. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company.

Annotation to come.

Campbell, Marjorie Wilkins (1968). The Savage River: Seventy-One Days with Simon Fraser. Toronto: MacMillan.

This is an account of Fraser's 1808 trip down what he mistakenly thought was the Columbia River, to the Pacific - the third overland expedition to the Pacific north of Mexico. While it is a book written for young adults, it is a quick read and a fairly good and reliable introduction to the expedition. It is very much based on Lamnb's far more extensive work, The Letters and Journals of Simon Fraser, 1806-1808.

Candler, Edmund (1905). The Unveiling of Lhasa. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.

Candler was the correspondent for the Daily Mail during the Younghusband "expedition" to Lhasa in 1903-4. Except for a period where he was wounded, he was an eyewitness to what happened, and wrote the bulk of the book while in Tibet. Definitely worth reading for anyone interested in this piece of history.

See also Younghusband's India and Tibet and Fleming's Bayonets to Lhasa for more information. As well, look at the parallel account, The Opening of Tibet, by Perceval Landon, the correspondent for the Times.

Carr, Herbert (1979). TheIrvine Diaries: Andrew Irvine and the enigma of Everest 1924. Reading: Gastons-West Col Publications.

This is a small book, which is mainly made up Irvine’s diaries of his 1923 expedition to Spitzbergen (only 7 pages) and Everest in 1924. There are also exerts from some of Irvine’s letters from this period. The final entry is June 5th. (O’Dell last saw Mallory and Irvine on June 8th.). The book also includes other material, including a brief biography of Irvine (written by his brother), a fairly superficial chapter by Frank Solari on the oxygen equipment used in 1922 and 1924, and a chapter on the “Irvine Travel Trust” at Oxford. While the diary entries are interesting, those interested in Irvine are generally far better directed to Summers’ biography, Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine, published in 2000. Carr does make one point of particular interest in this volume. He emphasizes that – despite the prevailing tendency to do so, it is incorrect and unfair to assume that if Mallory and Irvine died of a fall, that it was the less experience Irvine who fell, pulling Mallory to his death. This is germane, given the state in which Mallory’s body was found.

Carver, Jonathan (1778/1974). Travels Through the Interior Parts of North-America, in the Years 1766, 1767, and 1768. Toronto: Coles Publishing.

Annotation to come.

Cave, Andy (2005). Learning to Breathe. London: Hutcinson.

This is far more the autobiography of a mountaineer than a mountaineering biography. That is, mountaineering is just one of the backdrops against which the story unfolds. The only time where the book drops into a blow-by-blow climb description is in the final section, which describes an audacious (and for one participant, Brendan Murphy, fatal) ascent of the North Face of Changabang. (See Mick Fowler's On Thin Ice for another account of this expedition.) Cave's story is unlikely and therefore interesting on many levels, and all the more engaging given the high quality and fluidity of his writing. He was born into a mining family in a mining town, and went straight to work in the mines after finishing school, first on the surface, then underground. Perhaps because it is less familiar to me than climbing (although I have been right to the working face of the deepest coal mine in Europe, in Zolder, Belgium), his description of the mining life, in the pit, at the pub, and at home, is fascinating. Doubly so given his ability to capture the way of speaking, both in form and content. From this beginning, Cave started both climbing and going to school part-time. Given a bit of a boost by a year long strike (thanks to Margaret Thatch er), he left mining, and ended up with a PhD in socio-linguistics (specializing in the language and stories of the mining community in which he grew up), his mountain guide's certification, and fifteen years of Himalayan climbing at the highest standard. This volume is an extremely readable and engaging telling of how he got from here to there. It is well worth the read, and my only strong complaint is that - yet again - we have a book that has no respect for its own value or contents in that it has no index.

Champlain, Samuel de (1902). The Voyages and Explorations of Samuel de Champlain 1604-1616, Narrated by Himself, Together with The Voyage of 1603, Reprinted from, Purchas His Pilgrimes. (In two volumes.) Edward Gaylord Bourne (Ed.). Annie Nettleton Bourne (Trans.). New York: Allerton Book Co.

Annotation to come.

Chen, Jack (1977). The Sinkiang Story. New York: Macmillan Publishing.

Annotation to come.

Cipolla, Carlo M. (1965). Guns, Sails and Empires: Technological Innovation and the Early Phases of European Expansion 1400-1700. New York: Pantheon Books.

This is a book whose thesis is that the concurrent development of innovations in weapons and ships were the key foundations on which Europeans emerged as dominant, and were able to establish empires during the period from 1400-1700.

Clark, Miles (1991). High Endeavours: The Extraordinary Life and Adventures of Miles and Beryl Smeeton. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books.

Annotation to come.

Clinch, Elizabeth & Clinch, Nicholas (2008). Through a Land of Extremes: The Littledales of Central Asia. Chalford, UK: Sutton Publishing.

Annotation to come. See also Littledale's, A Journey Across Tibet From North to South and West to Ladak as well as the autobiography of their sirdar on this trip, Servant of Sahibs.

Clark, Ronald. (1948). The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella: 1859-1943. London: Phoenix House.

This is a book on the work of one of the great mountain photographers, one who was closely linked with the Duke of Abruzzi. The first half is an essay on the work of Sella, and the second half is an wonderful selection of excellent reproductions of his work. The book is large format, so the images are at a scale that shows them to advantage. See also Summit: Vittorio Sella Mountaineer and Photographer the Years 1879 - 1909, PAESAGGI VERTICALI: La fotografia di Vittorio Sella 1879-1943, and Alpinismo Italiano in Karakorum / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram.

Clydesdale, Lord & McIntyre, D.F. (1936). The Pilots' Book of Everest. Edinburgh: Wm. Hodge & Co.

This is an account of the 1933 flights over Everest by the British. See also Douglas-Hamilton (1983), Etherton (1934) and Fellowes, et. al (1933). Annotation to come.

Cobham, Sir Alan (Ed.)(1940). Tight Corners: Tales of Adventure on Land, Sea and in the Air. London: Allen & Unwin.

This is a collection of stories of true life adventures by a number of authors. Of interest here is the essay, "Caught in an Everest Blizzard," by J.L. Longland, who was a member of the 1933 British Everest expedition.

Coburn, B. (1997). Everest: Mountain Without Mercy. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society.

This is a near coffee table scale book which is a companion volume to the 1996 IMAX Everest Expedition. As one would expect from a National Geographic book, the photographs, and especially the maps, are spectacular. The book goes into more detail on the expedition than the complementary account in the book by Breashears, including the trek in, the climb, the challenge of making the film, and the events around the storm.

Coffey, Maria (1989). Fragile Edge. London:Chatto & Windus.

An account of Coffey's relationship with Joe Tasker, and her experience after his death on Everest. Annotation to come.

Coffey, Maria (2003). Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow. New York: St. Martin's Press.

For my review of this book written for the Canadian Alpine Journal, click here.

This is a well researched and written book which explores the impact of climbing on their family. Through interviews, Coffey tries to probe how climbers reconcile climbing - with its inherent risks - with family, especially in the case where one doesn't come home. She also interviewed a number of family members of climbers (living and dead) in order to gain some insight into how they dealt with the time alone, the risk, and - when it was the case (as it was with Coffey, herself) - the consequences of them not coming home. The topic, which could easilly become pretty bleak or judgmental, is pursued in a balanced way. Worth reading.

Collie, J. Norman (2003). From the Himalaya to Skye. Finton, Aberdeenshire: Ripping Yarns.

This is a soft-cover reprint, with some supplemental material, of Collie's 1902 classic, Climbing on the Himalas ad Other Mountain Ranges, published by David Douglas of Edinburgh. The book is especially important for its account of their 1895 Nanga Parbat expedition, the first attempt on the mountain. It also includes accounts of experiences in the Alpes, Canadian Rockies, etc. Well worth getting while you save up for the original.

Combet, Denis (2001). In Search of the Western Sea: Selected Journals of La Vérendrye. Winnipeg: Great Plains Publishers.

This is a well-illustrated book on the travels of La Vérendrye and his family. Besides reprinting selections from his journals, the book includes an good introduction/overview, maps, chronology, and glossary. This is a bilingual book with all of the text in each of French and English.

Connor, J. (2002). Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk. Edinburgh: Canongate Books.

For my review of this book written for the Canadian Alpine Journal, click here.

This is a biography of the Scottish climber Dougal Haston, who was one of the best known climbers of the late '60s and early '70s. After establishing his early reputation as a rock climber in Scotland, Haston first became well known outside of the climbing community through his participation in the 1966 first ascent of the direct route up the north face of the Eiger, (Gillman & Haston, Eiger Direct). Haston went on to participate in two of the great pioneering face climbs, led by Chris Bonington, which cranked Himalayan climbing up a serious notch. The first was the 1970 ascent of the south face of Annapurna, and the second the 1975 ascent of the south west face of Everest. Haston was part of the first summit team on both, with Don Whillans on Annapurna, and Doug Scott on Everest. (See Bonington's Everest the Hard Way, for an account of the Everest climb.) On Everest, Scott and Haston established a record, of sorts: the highest bivouac in history, having spent the night in the open on the South Summit, at 28,500 feet. He then went on the same year, 1975, and did the first ascent of the south west face of Mount McKinley.

The book is a biography of the man, and not a history of his collective climbs. Therefore, those interested in a detailed description of them must go to the actual expedition accounts. The good news is that there are excellent ones available for the major climbs. The book is good on chronology but lacking in insight. From the perspective of production value, it has relatively few photos and illustrations. What is more frustrating and inexcusable in this day and age is the lack of an index. For Haston's autobiography, see In High Places.

Conway, W.M. (1894). Climbing and Exploration in the Karakoram-Himalayas. London: T. Fisher Unwin.

This is an account of Conway's pioneering exploration of the Karakoram region in 1894. His travels took them to the Hispar Pass, along the Biafo and Baltero Glaciers, K2, Skardu, etc., climbing a number of peaks along the route. Other than Godwin-Austen (1860-61) and Younghusband (1887), this region was essentially unexplored by Europeans. Full annotation to come.

See also: Conway, Sir W. Martin, (1891). "One Thousand Miles Through the Alps." In Wilson, Edward, et. al. (1897). The Out of Door Library: Mountain Climbing. Charles Scribner's Son

Cowles, Elizabeth S. (1953). North to Everest. In Marcel Kurz (Ed.). The Mountain World 1953: Everest 1952. NY. Harper & Bros., 35-38.

This is an account of the 1950 Anglo-American expedition, led by Oscar Houston, into Nepal. The party included Charles Houston, William Tilman, Anderson Bakewell, as well as Cowles. Tilman and C. Houston spent a day reconnoitering the south side of Everest. This was the first time that Europeans had approached this close from the south. See also Tilman (1952).

Craig, Robert ( 1977). Storm & Sorrow in the High Pamirs. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

This is an account of the events of the 1974 International Climbing camp in the Pamirs. For another account, see Blum's Breaking Trail. Annotation to come. My copy is the 1980 revised edition published by Simon and Schuster, NY.

Cranston, J.H. (1949). Etienne Brûlé: Immortal Scoundrel. Toronto: Ryerson Press.

Annotation to come. For a pot-boiler fictionalized pocket-book account of his life, see Ewert's, No Man's Brother.

Crouse, Nellia, M. (1956). La Vérendrye: Fur Trader and Explorer. Toronto: Ryerson Press.

A history of La Vérendrye and his sons. Annotation to come. See also Dugas (1905).

Cruickshank, Jimmy (2005). High Endeavours: The Life and Legend of Robin Smith. Edinburgh: Canongate.

This is a biography of the Scottish climber Robin Smith who was killed in 1962 at age 23 when he fell in the Pamirs. His climbing partner, Wilfrid Noyce, was also killed in the fall. Smith showed early brilliance as a rock climber. He also was part of a generation of anti-establishment Scotish climbers of the time, which also included Dougal Haston, with whom he did a number of climbs. This is a long biography for someone who died so young, and despite its length, I still had no strong sense of the man when I had finished reading it. Cruickshank, his biographer, was a boyhood friend and early climbing partner, and he pulled any punches that were there, and the result was more a tribute to Smith than a biography. In many ways, Cruickshank is almost as much an editor as an author, in that a considerable amount of the book is taken up by accounts of others quoted verbatim. Not a bad thing, and sometimes a relief. But overall, this was a book that I had to force myself to finish.

Cummings, Sir Duncan (Ed.)(1977). The Country of the Turkomans - An Anthology of Exploration from the Royal Geographical Society. London: Oguz Press and the Royal Geographical Society, 89-123.

This is a rich anthology of hard to find (and in some cases, unpublished) articles on the exploration of this region of Central Asia. It has excellent contemporary illustrations, and includes a balance of articles from both the British and Russian perspectives, taken from the archives of the RGS. Authors represented in the anthology include: Julius Jackson, J.C. Prichard, Arminius Vambéry, G.C. Napier, Henry Rowlinson, and C.E. Stewart, among others.

Curran, Jim (1987). K2, Triumph and Tragedy. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

This is an account of the 1986 season on K2, which nine expeditions on the mountain, 27 people summiting, but also 13 deaths. This is material covered more briefly in Krakauer's essay, A Bad Summer on K2, found in his book Eiger Dreams. It is also includes another perspective on the expedition of Kurt Diemberger and Julie Tullis, described in Diemberger's book, The Endless Knot, which is included in The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. Curran was at the mountain the whole summer, so knew the people, the context, and played an active role in some of the events that he describes.

Curran, Jim (1995). K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

This is the classic book on the climbing history of K2. This is a well researched book, and the quality of writing matches the quality of this research. It provides a wonderful summary of the history of not only K2, but also the opening up of the Karakoram in general. It is not on the same scale as Unsworth's book on Everest, but nevertheless is a wonderful companion. The events of 1986 are well covered, as Curran was at the mountain at the time (but one should also read Diemberger's The Endless Knot for both another perspective and even more detail.) The only unfortunate aspect of this book is the title, whose sensationalism belies the true nature of the volume. But then, the title derives from Houston & Bates's book, so it is more than understandable.

There is a pocket-book release of this book by Coronet, but it lacks a number of the black and white photos and has none of the wonderful colour photos of the original hard-cover edition. Definitely worth searching out the hard cover edition.

Curran, Jim (1999). High Achiever - the Life and Times of Chris Bonington. London: Constable and Company.

This is a biography of Chris Bonington. It was rereleased as a pocketbook in 2000 by Robinson, in London, which is the edition that I have. Annotation to come.

Curtin, Philip D. (1984 ). Cross-cultural Trade in World History. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

This is an excellent overview of the history of trade, and in of particular interest to me, of trade between the orient and Britain.

Cutting, Suydam. (1940). The Fire Ox and Other Years. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons.

This highly illustrated book documents the extensive explorations and travels of the American Sydam Cutting in Central Asia between 1925 and 1939. Annotation to come.

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Daniells. Roy (1969). Alexander Mackenzie and the North West. London: Faber and Faber.

Annotation to come.

David-Neel, Alexandra (1927). My Journey to Lhasa. London: Heinemann.

David-Neel was an upper class French woman who became fascinated with Tibet and Buddhist teachings. She became fluent in Tibetan, lived as a hermit, adopted a Tibetan son, and with him traveled in disguise, reaching Lhasa. A remarkable woman.

Decter, Jacqueline (1989). Nicholas Roerich: The Life and Art of a Russian Master. London: Thames and Hudson.

This is a biography of of the Russian painter, traveler and writer Nicholas Roerich. Besides his travels and paintings of the Himalaya, Roerich was perhaps best known as the set designer for Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. The book is well illustrated with Roerich's paintings and photographs of his travels. However, do not read it expecting a deep or detailed biography. His first trip to Paris in 1900 (at the height of the fin de siecle influential explosion in the arts and culture), and which lasted a year,is dealt with in 1 1/2 pages. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this) it is perhaps the best introduction to his life and work that I have so far read . See also Paelian (1974) and Roerich (1929). For those interested in Roerich, there is an excellent museum in NYC dedicated to his work. The museum's web site includes reproductions of a large number of his paintings, biographical information, as well as selected writings.

Denman, Earl. (1954). Alone to Everest. NY: Coward-McCann.

Earl Denman was a Canadian who migrated to Africa. He was somewhat of an eccentric loner, who took a fancy to climbing mountains barefoot, with a minimum of fuss and company (largely due to his equally minimal means). He did some minor climbs in Africa, and then decided that he should climb Everest. In order to prepare, he set himself the goal of climbing the eight main peaks in the Virunga Mountains, on the border of the Congo and Uganda. This he did, against fairly strong odds, and from this success, he gained the confidence to follow through on his plans for Everest.

With minimal equipment, much of which he had made himself, hardly any funds, and no permit to enter Tibet, in 1947 he made his way to Darjeeling. There he was able to recruit Tenzing and another Sherpa, Ang Dawa, to make an illicit trip through Tibet to Everest. Again, despite serious odds, they not only made it to Rongbuk, but nearly onto the North Col. There the reality of their situation, their equipment and the weather, became clear, and they withdrew. Such is the story recounted in this volume.

I have to admit that I approached this book not wanting to like it. After all, how could anyone climbing with Tenzing think of themselves as going "Alone to Everest." Were it not for Tenzing and Ang Dawa, for example, he would never have gotten near the mountain, much less into Tibet. However, my prejudices were disarmed almost as soon as I began reading. It took him all of the first sentence to address the title of the book. And as I read on, I found a man who was extremely interesting and intelligent. Denman was a man of conviction, determination, and extremely strong character. And, compared to almost anyone that I have read, he treated his companions (natives in Africa, and Sherpa in Tibet) as peers, and with huge respect and sensitivity.

Denman was not a fanatic, like Maurice Wilson. While perhaps equally obsessive, he knew when to turn around. And in this book I found someone that I ended up respecting greatly, and would like to have known. And I am not alone, in that Tenzing clearly felt the same way. Despite believing the expedition hopeless, he wrote warmly about it in his autobiography, Tiger of the Snow.

Denman's writing is engaging and periodically wise. Perhaps this says more about me than him, but the following examples struck me as worth noting:

It is not men who go to high mountains who seek escape, but the people who never remove themselves from a crowded and noisy atmosphere of work and play.

...failure, though painful, is better than frustrated longing.

We cannot die without fear: either we must fear to die or we must be afraid of living.

This book is certainly worth reading for anyone who is interested in the future and spirit of mountaineering and exploration. I will end this review in the most suitable way that I can, with Denman's own ending to his book, which is as timely now as when it was written. From my bias, it should be required reading by anyone who thinks about "conquering" mountains:

There has been a shattering of idealism, but from the broken remnants some good may yet be resurrected. When the warriors have finished reshaping the boundaries of our world, then there will be freedom to come and go as we wish: when the perverters have finished with sex, and have left us with its sweetness, then there will be love: when the conquerors have come down from the mountains, then we shall be able to go to them again, simply and quietly.

Denman, Earl (1957). Animal Africa. London: Robert Hale Ltd.

Annotation to come.

Dent, Clinton. (1885). Above the Snow Line. Mountaineering Sketches Between 1870 and 1880. London: Longmans, Green & Co.

Dent was the President of the Alpine Club in 1887. At the end of this book, he became what may be the first person to discuss the feasibility of actually ascending to the summit of Everest. He believed that it could be done.

Desideri, Ippolito (Filippo Filippi, Ed.)(1932). An Account of Tibet: The Travels of Ippolito Desideri of Pistoia, S.J., 1712-1727. London: George Routledge & Sons.

The earliest European visitors to Tibet were Jesuit priests, the first of whom were the Portuguese Fathers Andrada and Marques in 1624. This book is an edited first person account of another early Jesuit visitor, Father Desideri, who traveled into Tibet via Delhi, Kashmir, and Ladakh between 1712-1727, and was in Lhasa between 1716-1721. Full annotation to come.

Desio, Prof. Ardito (translated By David Moore). (1955). Ascent of K2: Second Highest Peak In the World. London: Elek Books.

This is the official account of the controversial 1954 first ascent of K2 by the Italian expedition led by Desio. The intentional distortions of the expedition in this account, especially concerning the role of Bonatti are shameful, and a testament to Desio's arrogance and lack of honour. For the other side of the story, see Bonatti's The Mountains of My Life. See also Ata-Ullah's autobiography and Lacedelli's recent account. Perhaps most significantly , see Marshall's 2009 volume, K2: Lies and Treachery.

Dickinson, Matt (1997). The Death Zone - Climbing Everest through the Killer Storm. London: Hutchison.

Dickenson is a film-maker who was shooting a film for Channel 4 on the north side of Everest in the spring of 1996, and who ended up summiting. This is his account, and the only one that I am aware of the events of that season from the north side. It is interesting to contrast his view of the treatment of the three Indian climbers who died on the face, with that expressed by Simpson in Dark Shadows Falling. One wonders how much Dickinson's inexperience colours his opinion. This book was reissued in paperback in 1998 by Arrow Books of London.

Diemberger, Kurt (1958). Broad Peak: The Austrian Karakoram Expedition 1957. In Malcolm Barnes (Ed.).. The Mountain World 1958/59. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 126-150.

Annotation to come. Article is in two parts. The first deals with Broad Peak and Chogolisa (pp 126-141). The second is an epilogue "In memoriam Hermann Buhl", (pp142-150).

Diemberger, Kurt (1999). The Kurt Diemberger Omnibus. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

This is a collection of 3 previously published books that first appeared between 1970 and 1991. They include Summits and Secrets, The Endless Knot, and Spirits of the Air. The first of these is an account of a number of interesting ascents, including the north face of the Eiger, and the first ascents of Broad Peak and Dhaulagiri. The account of the ascent of Broad Peak is especially interesting to those who have read Buhl's book and want to read a first-hand account of what happened to him. (However, a very different account of this expedition can be found in Richard Sale's 2004 book, Broad Peak, is essential reading for anyone who is interested in this expedition.) The Endless Knot is an account of Diemberger's obsession with K2, and a first hand account of his ascent of the mountain with Julie Tullis in the deadly 1986 season (see also Curran's K2, Triumph and Tragedy for another account of the 1986 season on K2.).

Dittert, René, Chevalley, G. & Lambert, Raymond (1954). Forerunners to Everest. London: George Allen and Unwin.

This is an account of the two Swiss attempts on Everest from the south side in 1952. For another account of these expeditions, see also Tenzing's autobiography, Tiger of the Snow. Also, see the companion volume, Everest: The Swiss Expeditions in Photographs, compiled by Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, and the volume of photographs by .

Doughty, Arthur & Martin, Chester (1929). The Kelsey Papers. Ottawa: The Public Archives of Canada and The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

These are the papers of Henry Kelsey, arguably the first European to see the Canadian prairies, and span the period from 1689-1722. Annotation to come.

Douglas, Ed. (2003). Tenzing: Hero of Everest. A Biography of Tenzing Norgay. Washingon D.C.: National Geographic.

This is a new biography of Tenzing. See also Tenzing's autobiographies with Ullman, Tiger of the Snow, and with Barnes, After Everest. See also the earlier biography by Malartic, Tenzing of Everest, his son Jamling's book, Touching My Father's Soul, and grandson Tashi Tenzing's Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest. Annotation to come.

Douglas, George M. (1914/2008). Lands Forlorn: A Story of an Expedition to Hearne's Coppermine River. Tucson: Zancudo Press.

This is a reissue of the 1914 original, published by G.P. Putnam's of New York. It includes an excellent introduction by this edition's editor, Robert S. Hildebrand. Annotation to come.

Douglas-Hamilton, James (1983). Roof of the World: Man's First Flight over Everest. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing.

This is an account of the 1933 first flight over Everest, written by the son of one of the pilots, Clydesdale (Clydesdale & McIntyre, 1936). It includes previously unpublished photographs and takes advantage of new material. For aerial photos of Everest from this expedition, however, my view is that the 1936 book by Clydesdale & McIntyre is the better. See also Etherton (1934) and Fellowes, et. al (1933).

Dowling, Phil (1979). The Mountaineers: Famous Climbers in Canada. Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers.

Essays on climbers active in Canada, including Charles Fay, Vai Fynn, Albert MacCarthy, Conrad Kain, Ed Feuz, Phyllis Munday, Fred Beckey, Hans Gmoser, Brian Greenwood, andDick Cuthbert. See also Chic Scotts more current encyclopedic, Pushing the Limits. See also Bridge's, Phyllis Munday: Mountaineer and Beckey's, Range of Glaciers.

Downes, P.G. (1943). Sleeping Island: The Story of one Man's Travels in the Great Barren Lands of the Canadian North. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc.

Not a fur trade book, per se, however a really interesting account of a trip in 1939, right at the threshold of when the traditional ways of the north were changing. Motors were in the process of replacing paddles, and the author was seeing what he knew to be one of the last of the aboriginal annual trips to trade. The title is, however, a bit strange, since the author did not make the trip alone. But that is nit picking.

Dugas, Abbé G. (1905). The Canadian West: Its Discovery by the Sieur De La Vérendrye. Its Development by the Fur-Trading Companies, Down to the Year 1822. Montreal: Librairie Beauchemin.

Annotation to come. See also Crouse (1956).

Dunn, Ross E. (1986). The Adventures of Ibn Battuta, a Muslim Traveler of the Fourteenth Century. Berkeley: University of California Press.

This is a relatively recent account of the travels of Ibn Battuta, who has often been referred to as the Arab Marco Polo. Actually, Battuta's travels were far more extensive than those of Marco Polo. This book, however, is not just a recounting of Battuta's story. Rather, it provides a solid discussion of the historical context, such as the development of maritime trade along what might be called the Maritime Silk Road. This book is well researched and the notes and bibliograpy are excellent. Full review to come.

Dunsheath, Joyce, Reid, Hilda, Gregory, Eileen & Delany, Frances (1958). Mountains and Memsahibs. London: Constable & Co.

This is an account of a 1956 all-women's expedition to the Kulu-Spiti-Lahul area of the North-West Himalaya. Annotation to come.

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Easton, J. (1929). An Unfrequented Highway: Through Sikkim and Tibet to Chumolaori. New York: Alfred A. Knof.

This is an account of a trek that the author and a companion, a Dr. Bishop, made in 1923 from Kalimpong, through Sikkim and Tibet to Phari Dzong. They climbed no mountains, pioneered no routes, and followed the same basic path that was used by thousands during the Younghusband expedition in 1903-4. From the perspective of exploration or adventure, this is simply not an important book, and these are not historically important people. And yet, it is one of the best travel books that I have ever had the pleasure to read. Through his power of description and command of the written language, Easton verges on being a poet. Reading this book is akin to sitting down with a brandy in a club and having the best story teller that you know entertain you with a tale of their adventure.

In the process, one gets a wonderful perspective of how the English in India at that time perceived the Younghusband expedition. Through the descriptions and photos, one also gets a clearer view of this part of the route which was followed by all of the British Everest expeditions that went to the North side of the mountain. For the sense of place and time that it presents, and for the pure aesthetic of the telling, this book is very highly recommended.

As a footnote, Easton gives an account of his meeting with McGovern, who he met in Tibet when the latter was returning from Lhasa.

Eaton, Diane & Urbanek, Sheila (1995). Paul Kane's Great Nor-West . Vancouver: UBC Press.

An excellent book on Paul Kane's work.

Eccles, William J. (1959). Frontenac: The Courtier Governor. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.

Annotation to come.

Eccles, William J. (1969). The Canadian Frontier, 1534-1760. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

This is one of the best written and engaging histories that I have read. It is scholarly yet eminently readable. It provides an excellent introduction to the history of French Canada, including insightful contrasts to the development of the English colonies to the south. The nature of "frontier" is also broadly interpreted, encompassing separate treatments for the social, business (fur trade), imperial, and military frontiers. Excellent bibliography and notes.

Eccles, William J. (1987). Essays on New France. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

Includes a review critical of Innis's, The Fur Trade in Canada. Annotation to come.

Edney, Matthew H. (1990). Mapping an Empire - The Geographical Construction of British India, 1765-1843. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

This is a recent academic study of the mapping of British India. Complementary to the shorter, more popularized history in Keay's, The Great Arc. Full annotation to come.

Eiselin, Max (1961). The Ascent of Dhaulagiri. London: Oxford University Press.

Annotation to come.

Elms, Lindsay (1996). Beyond Nootka: A Historical Perspective of Vancouver Island Mountains. Courtney, B.C.: Misthorn Press.

This is a well written, researched and very well illustrated short book on the history of exploration and mountaineering of central Vancouver Island. The focus is on six main mountains, Elkhorn, Mt. Colonel Foster, Golden Hinde, Big Interior Mountain, Rugged Mountain, and Mt. Arrowsmith, all but the last two of which lie within British Columbia's first Provincial Park, Strathcona Park. Additional material on other mountains, not in the book, is available on-line at www.members.shaw.ca/beyondnootka.

While not a climbing guide, this is a book that should be read by anyone who is thinking of climbing in the area (and from my, albeit limited experience in Strathcona Park, this is well worth doing.) It will give context and stimulate your interest. My only complaint is that for a book so well illustrated, and so rich in describing the routes of the early pioneers, the map provided borders on useless. It is so low resolution thatvirtually none of the locations discussed appear on it. This is easy to fix: just buy a good map of the island at the same time you buy the book, but it is disappointing, nevertheless.

Eraly, Abraham (2003). The Mughal Throne: The Saga of India's Great Emperors. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

See also Schimmel (2004). Annotation to come.

Etherton, Percy Thomas (1934). The Last Strongholds. London: Jarrolds.

This book was published shortly after the 1933 flight over Everest that Etherton was instrumental in organizing. I talks a bit about the flight, but its main focus is to give a portrait of the geography, people and culture of the Himalaya.

Etherton, P.T. (1946). All Over the World (50 Years of Travel). London: John Long.

A travel autobiography of Col. Etherton who was one of the organizers of the first flight over Everest in 1933. Includes accounts of his travels in North America, China, Japan, and India, among others. Chapter 14 is about his experiences around the Everest flight, although it says nothing about the flight itself, but rather events on the periphery. What is most interesting, although having nothing to do with Everest, is the previous chapter that discusses his personal relationship with Hitler. See also Clydesdale & McIntyre (1936), Douglas-Hamilton (1983) and Fellowes et al (1933).

Evans, R.Charles (1955). Eye on Everest. A Sketch Book From the Great Everest Expedition. London: Dobson.

A short book with a set of sketches, annotated cartoons really, done by Evans during the 1953 Everest expedition. Delightful, and worth seeking out.

Ewert, Charles (1984). No Man's Brother: The Story of Etienne Brûlé. New York: Avon.

This is a piece of pocket-book fiction constructed around what is known of the life of Brûlé. It is like a Harlequin Romance. For a biography, see Cranston's, Etienne Brûlé: Immortal Scoundrel.

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Fa-Hsien (H.A.Giles, trans.) (1923). The Travels of Fa-hsien (399-414 AD), or a Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

This is the chronicle of the travels of the early Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, Fa-Hsien (Faxian) who traveled from central China (AD 399), across the Taklamakan desert, over the Pamir Plateau, and through India. He returned to China, by ship via Ceylon and Sumatra, reaching China in 413. Annotation to come.

Farwell, Byron (1972). Queen Victoria's Little Wars. New York: Harper & Row.

This is an extremely readable history of the constant series of small wars and skirmishes that took place during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), and which held the empire together. (There was, as he points out, at least one such war every single year of Victoria's reign.) Given the role that it played in the empire, a great deal of the book relates to topics relevant to India and Central Asia. Farwell's focus is on the wars themselves and the personalities of those who took part, as opposed to the geopolitical circumstances that brought them about. Farwell is at his best in giving a human face to the protagonists in all of this, from the mighty to the most lowly. Given the breath of the material covered, it seldom goes deep, and there are errors. Despite this, especially due to the quality and (the often humorous) tone of the writing, this is one of the best, and most engaging overviews of the campaigns of the the era that I have read.

Feigon, L. (1999). Demystifying Tibet: Unlocking the Secrets of the Land of the Snows. London: Profile Books.

This is a book which claims to demystify Tibet from the perspective of its "history, culture, people from its seventh century origins to the present day [sic.]." Feigon sets out to penetrate "the veil of myths that have been written about Tibet," and "examine the country behind the myths to locate the origins of today's Tibet and to sort out its controversial relationship with China." Well, in my opinion, he does anything but. Rather, what he does do is replace one set of myths with another - one which suits his political agenda, which is to dismiss any basis (historical, cultural, political, ...) for China's position on Tibet. His is a very biased reading of history which performs no productive scholarly function. In fact, it is overly generous of me to suggest that he argues his case, since for an argument to exist, there must be two sides presented.

My understanding is that history, to be taken seriously, must at least give the appearance of being objective. Feigon's bias is not openly declared, but it drips off of every page. It is so strong that he cannot resist interrupting the flow of his text to interject any anti-Chinese point that he can think of, regardless of how trivial, irrelevant, or disruptive it is to the point at hand. The irony is that by doing so, he hurts his case rather than helps it. Under the pretense of scholarship and history, Feigon has created something approaching propaganda, and propaganda is propaganda, regardless of the merits of the cause. This is too bad because the issues are worthy of attention. For those interested in these issues, I would recommend Schell's Virtual Tibet. This is a case where a journalist, Schell, demonstrates a level of scholarship that by far eclipses that of the supposed historian, Feigon.

Demystifying Tibet was first published in the US in 1996 by Ivan R. Dee, Inc. It is not worth buying in either edition, except as an example of how not to write history.

Fellowes, P.F.M., Stewart Blacker, L.V., Etherton, P.T., Clydesdale (1933). First over Everest: The Houston-Mount Everest Expedition. London: John Lane.

This is an account of the first flight over Everest, which took place in 1933.It includes a number of photos, some in stereo for which a stereo viewer is included (but not in the “cheap edition”, first published in 1935). See also Clydesdale & McIntyre (1936), Douglas-Hamilton (1983) and Etherton (1934). Annotation to come.

Fenn, Elizabeth, A. (2001). Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775 - 82. New York: Hill and Wang.

Annotation to come.

Fielder, John (2004). Mountain Ranges of Colorado. Englewood CO: Westcliffe Publishers Inc

This is a coffee-table type book which, as the title suggests, is a photo-essay on the ranges of Colorado. The photographs are uniformly outstanding, and there are some which take one’s breath away. Fielder has used a large format 4”x5” view camera, so the depth of field and resolution of the images is stunning, and the quality of their reproduction through the printing process and paper used is such as to show them to full advantage. The whole physical package is exceptional. The one thing that drove me nuts about the book, however, is the lack of an index. I just don’t understand how anyone would author or publish a photo essay ona mountain range and then not provide the means whereby the reader can look up a specific mountain by name and find the page(s) on which there is an image of it. Everything else was outstanding (other than the dubious, and repeated, use of the word "Sherpa" for those who carried his equipment.).

Fiennes, Ranulph (2003). Captain Scott. London: Hodder & Stoughton

An account of Robert Falcon Scott's expeditions to the Antarctic. Annotation to come.

Finch, David (2000). R.M. Patterson: A Life of Great Adventure. Calgary: Rocky Mountain Books.

This is a biography of the writer R.M. Patterson, who as an adventurer, is perhaps best known for his trips on the Nahanni River in the North West Territories. See also Patterson's Dangerous River and his introduction to Black's journal.

Finch, George Ingle. (1923). Equipment for High Altitude Mountaineering, with Special Reference to Climbing Mount Everest. Geographical Journal, LXI(3), 194-207.

The first six pages of this article are made up of a speech made by Finch to the Geographical Society in November 1922, following his participation in the attempt on Everest that year. The rest transcribes the discussion that followed. Finch gives his thoughts and recommendations on equipment for subsequent expeditions, with the main focus, especially in the discussion on oxygen. However, it does include some interesting thoughts, including the benefit of smoking tobacco above 25,000 feet.

Finch, George Ingle (1924). The Making of a Mountaineer. London: Arrowsmith.

This is a climbing biography by one of the heroes of British turn-of-the-century mountaineering. It includes accounts of his climbs in the UK, Alps, and Everest in 1922. Annotation to come.

Finch, George Ingle (1925). Der Kamph um den Everest. Leipzig: Brockhaus.
Finch, George Ingle (1925/2008). George Ingle Finch's The Struggle for Everest. George Rodway (Ed.). Hildersley: Carreg Ltd.

This is a beautifully produced account, in German, about the 1922 Everest expedition. Even if you read German, you may have trouble with this, since it is printed in the older gothic script. However, the photos are wonderful and not all in the Bruce's official expedition account. Fortunately for those who cannot read German, an English language translation of this book was issued in 2008, George Ingle Finch's The Struggle for Everest, edited by George Rodway. This is certainly worth getting. However, I would still recommend getting the original German edition as well, since the photos in the Rodway edition are not the same as in the original, and the photos in the original are much higher quality reproductions - and the 1925 German edition is not expensive on the used market, relative to English language volumes of the same era and importance.

Finch, George Ingle. (1930). Climbing Mount Everest. London: George Philip & Son.

Salkeld & Boyle (1993) describe this small softbound book as “Basically, a transln [sic.] of his 1925 German book.” (See Der Kamph um den Everest, above.) However, this is only very marginally accurate. For example, the German book is 208 pages, an. the English one 78. It covers the expeditions of 1921, 1922 and 1924, but the emphasis is on the 1922 expedition in which Finch was a participant. Do not confuse this book, Climbing Mount Everest, with articles published by the same name by Finch in, Boys Annual.

Finkelstein, Gabriel (1999). Headless in Kashgar. Endeavour. 23(1), 5-9.

This is a brief article giving a summary of the history of the Schlagintweit brothers and a discussion about why their contribution has faded over the years. See also Hewitt (2008) and Finkelstein (2000).

Finkelstein, Gabriel (2000). "Conquerors of the Künlün"? The Schlagintweit Misson to High Asia, 1854-57. History of Science. 38(2), 179-218.

This is a longer article giving a summary of the 1854-57 expedition of the Schlagintweit brothers. See also Hewitt (2008) and Finkelstein (1999).

Firstbrook, Peter (1999). Lost on Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine. Chicago: Contemporary Books.

This is one of the three accounts (along with The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest, by Anker & Roberts, and Ghosts of Everest - The Search for Mallory and Irvine, by Hemmleb, Johnson and Simonson), of the 1999 expedition which found the body of Mallory on Everest. See the notes on the book by Hemmleb, et al. for more details on the expedition. Full annotation to come.

Fischer, David Hackett. (2008). Champlain's Dream. Toronto: A.A. Knopf.

A new comprehensive biography of Champlain. A very comprehensive book with about 300 of its 834 pages being dedicated to end notes, appendices, etc. While the writing is somewhat dry, this is an essential source book for anyone interested in the history of New France.

Fisher, James F. (1990). Sherpas: Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal. Berkeley: University of California.

This is a recent anthropological study of the Sherpa. See also Ortner. Annotation to come.

Fischer, Robin. (1992). Vancouver's Voyages: Charting the Northwest Coast, 1791-1795. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.

A summary of Vancouver's mapping of the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland, which finally put to bed the notion of a northwest passage. The volume is done in a coffee-table book type format, and includes numerous photographs of the regions discussed, as well as a large number of reproductions of maps and illustrations from the voyage. Despite this, or perhaps especially because of this, the book is extremely frustrating to read because of how poorly the photos are identified in terms of location, and especially because the maps included are totally inadequate in terms of helping the reader have any idea about the specific locations being discussed in the text. Hence, unless you read the book with a good atlas, and or an Internet map program at your side, you will be lost. Gloss has triumphed over promoting understanding - ironic for a book on exploration and mapping! See also Bown (2008). Annotation to come.

Flaig, Walther (1923). Im Kamph um Tschomo=lungma, den Gipfel der Erde: Der himalaja und sein höchster Gipfel Mount Everest oder Tschomo=lungma. Stuttgart: Kosmos, Gesellschaft der Naturfreunde.

This is a small 77 page book. The first half is on the Himalaya, and the second half on the 1921 and 1922 Everest expeditions. It is in German (gothic script) and beautifully illustrated. The title can be translated as, On top of Chomolungma, the Peak of the Earth: The Himalaya and their Highest Peak, Mount Everest, or Chomolungma.

Fleming, Fergus (2000). Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.

I confess that books that talk about "the conquest" of mountains have one strike against them right from the start. However, I will set that aside. While ostensibly a history of the Alpes, this volume is rather limited in terms the part of the range covered, and even within that restriction, which mountains are discussed in any detail. (Interested readers are also referred to Braham's, When the Alps Cast their Spell.) The main focus is on the central and western Alpes, with a concentration on a few of the obvious candidates, especially Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. There is nothing of the Austrian Alpes or the Dolomites, for example.

After a brief introduction to the very early forays into the region, the detailed chronicle begins with the trips of Saussure and Bourrit in the Mont Blanc region, around the 1770's. It then continues through the so-called "Golden Age", marked by the author as starting with the ascent of the Wetterhorn by Wills in 1854, and ending with Wymper's climbing the Matterhorn in 1865. It then winds down, ending with a cursory overview of the attempts on the Eiger nordwand, in the 1930's. Mont Blanc, and the competition between Tyndall and Wymper for the Matterhorn dominate the book, along with characters such as Wills, Paccard, Smith, Coolidge, Agassiz, Forbes, and Stephen.

Ultimately, I found the book rather flat. But what it lacked in detail, it at least provided motivation for additional reading, as well as reasonable road-map for doing so. In this latter regard, the book is well served by a good index and excellent notes. It's biggest flaw is the complete absence of any photos of the mountains or areas discussed, and the inclusion of only one poor map of the region. I just do not understand people who write books on travel and exploration, and do not provide adequate materials so that the reader can follow the travels of the people discussed. This book is a total failure in this regard.

Fleming, Peter (1961). Bayonets to Lhasa. London: Rupert Hart-Davis.

This is an extremely well researched and written account of the British mission to Tibet in 1903-04 led by Younghusband. After a general history of Tibet and western contact with it, Fleming gives a solid introduction to the background of "The Great Game" where Russia and Britain were vying for influence in Asia. While the focus is on the mission itself, this is continually set in the context of the other players, especially the instigator, the Viceroy of India, Curzon, and his struggles with Kitchener, the Secretary of State, Brodrick, and the cabinet of Balfour.

With the clarity of hindsight, it is amazing to see how flimsy, and unfounded, the pretexts were for this expedition. And, in many ways, it went downhill from there. The end result of the mission was not satisfactory, or fair, to any of the players. But Fleming makes a strong argument that Younghusband, while he made mistakes, performed extremely well, and that much of the criticism that fell his way at the end was the result of Brodrick's attempts to discredit Curzon, rather than anything that was deserved.

One cannot read this book without shaking one's head in amazement at how Younghusband's mission spent a winter with a large force, deep in Tibet. And it is fascinating to see how the image of Lhasa, as a mysterious golden city, is shattered by the description of filth and squalor that was the reality, as much in 1904 as in 1811, when Manning described much the same thing.

The book finishes up with an epilogue that provides a summary of events in Tibet from 1905 up to 1960, and tries to relate these events to those of 1904-5. I would recommend this volume to anyone interested in Tibet and Tibetan politics. The only place where I felt it fell short is in its treatment of Kitchener, whose influence and importance to the story was not reflected in the amount of background information and content on him.

Fowler, Mick (2005). On Thin Ice: Alpine Climbs in the Americas, Asia and the Himalaya. London: Bâton Wicks.

The is an extremely well written and entertaining account of a number of lightweight climbs made by Fowler and friends. This is a far cry from the grunt/epic/hero/tragedy school of mountain writing. In some ways, the climbing is a backdrop to simply great story telling, powers of observation, and travel writing. And yet, the book is outstanding, in an understated way, in how maps and photos help establish context for the climbs and tavels described in the text. See also Learning to Breathe for Andy Cave's account of the same expedition to Changabang's North Face that is described in this volume by Fowler.

Fox, Edward (2001). The Hungarian Who Walked to Heaven. Alexander Csoma De Koros 1784-1842. London: Short Lives.

This is a short (95 page) biography of the Hungarian traveler, and Tibetan Scholar, Alexander Csoma de Körösi. Between 1818 and 1842, he made a remarkable journey, largely overland, from Hungary, to India, via Beirut, Baghdad, Teheran, Merv, Bokhara, Kabul, Peshawar, Lahore, and Leh. There is little known about him, so this brief, easy to read book is more than a welcome addition to the literature.

Fraser, Esther. (1969). The Canadian Rockies. Early Travel And Explorations. Edmonton: Hurtig.

Annotation to come.

French, P. (1994). Younghusband: The Last Great Imperial Adventurer. London: Harper Collins. Also available in paperback from Flamingo publishers.

This is the third biography of Sir Francis Younghusband. See also Seaver (1952) and Verrier (1991). Younghusband, an explorer, soldier, spy, writer of 26 books, initiator of organizations, and mystic, was as remarkable a man as he was complicated.

He established his initial reputation as a traveler and explorer by two back-to-back trips that he took, starting in 1886, which along with other trips, are described in his, The Heart of a Continent and Wonders of the Himalaya. He began with a 6 month trip in Manchuria, skirting the borders of Korea and Russian territory. While his own account is presented as that of a tourist / traveler, he was actually conducting military intelligence (and having a great trip at the same time). This trip ended in Beijing, and was followed by a phenomenal trip, back to India, overland establishing a new route through the Gobi Desert, through Kashgar and Yarkland in Chinese Turkistan, and then through the Himalaya via a first traverse of the Mustagh Pass, near K2. Given Younghusband's later association with the Himalaya, it is easy to assume that he was an accomplished mountaineer. This was not the case, and his first experiences with glaciers, for example, were on these pioneering trips, which (considering his lack of experience, equipment and technique), makes them all the more remarkable. French's account of this part of Younghusband's life expands greatly on one's appreciation of the background and context that one would get by reading Younghusband alone, and it also sheds some extremely interesting insights on some of the events, by contrasting the accounts in his journals with those published in the book.

The next milestone, or major phase, in his career was his leadership of the controversial British "mission to", (a polite euphemism for "invasion of") Tibet, as part of "The Great Game". In essence, Britain, and especially Curzon, the then Viceroy of India, believed (mistakenly, it turned out), that Russia was establishing influence in Tibet, which they would then exploit in order to make inroads into the northern frontier of British India. Younghusband was dispatched on what was to be a diplomatic mission to curb the Russian influence, and obtain a treaty that would establish relations with the British. Besides Younghusband's own account, and the background in his India and Tibet, I also have first person accounts by two journalists who were on the mission: Perceval Landon, of the Times, whose account is The Opening of Tibet, and Edmund Candler, of the Daily Mail, who wrote The Unveiling of Lhasa. As well, I have one of the standard histories of the expedition, Fleming's, Bayonets to Lhasa. This event hurt Younghusband as much as it helped him. While publicly he was a hero, he clearly overstepped his mandate, and even worse, was caught in the crossfire of anti Curzon sentiments. Hence, while he received a title for his effort, it also was a "career limiting move." Again, French has done his homework and his research and treatment are lucid and thorough.

For those who are students of Everest, perhaps Younghusband first came to their attention through his presidency of the Royal Geographical Society and chairmanship of the Mount Everest Committee, through which he was central in the organization of the first three Everest expeditions, which he wrote about in his book, The Epic of Mount Everest. While highly visible to the climbing community, this is an aspect of Younghusband's life that is treated relatively lightly in this biography. Perhaps the main reason for this is that this was just one of many activities that he was involved in in this phase of his life, where his reputation and drive were leading him to starting or becoming involved in a wider range of organizations.

However, among these, the most dominant theme of his life at this stage is that of what might best be described as "religious philosopher." Here we see the paradox of a Victorian who agreed to marriage on the condition that it not be consummated (but it was), and who was clearly uncomfortable with intimacy, writing about the virtues of free love, and love replacing God, and then initiating some of the first ecumenical organizations in Britain. For me, this is where French does the best job. I have never been able to reconcile the soldier who invaded Lhasa with the religious mystic. This is a puzzle which French handles extremely well.

One reaction in reading this biography is that of disappointment, in having one's "boys own hero" revealed as being all too human and fallible. One cannot read this book without feeling a little sad for the man. If only he had lived in more recent times, how different he might have been. But then, his greatness was also a thing of his time, and was all the more remarkable because of his weaknesses. He is one of the most remarkable men, among remarkable men.

Freshfield, Douglas W. (1886). Further notes on “Mont Everest”. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society and Monthly Record of Geography, New Monthly Series, 8(3), March, 176-188.

This is part of a debate about the naming of Everest. See Walker (1886a), " Notes on Mont Everest."

Freshfield, Douglas W. (1924). The Conquest of Mount Everest. Geographical Journal, 63(3), March, 229-237.

This is an essay written around the time that that the 1924 Everest expedition set out, discussing the question of whether Everest could be climbed or not. The author believed that it could, but that it required proper food, (arctic type) clothing, and military-type discipline on the part of the climbers. He also expressed the opinion that it made no more difference if you climbed Everest with oxygen (which he strongly advocated), or not.

Freshfield, Douglas W., Kellas, Dr., Farrar, J.P. & Younghusband, Francis (1919). Discussion: A Journey to Tashirak in Southern Tibet, and the Eastern Approaches to Mount Everest. Geographical Journal, 53(5), 303-308.

This is the famous discussion following Noel’s presentation (Noel, 1919) which led to the formation of the Mount Everest Committee and the first Everest expedition in 1921.

Fürer-Haimendorf, C. von (1964). The Sherpas of Nepal: Buddhist Highlanders. Calcutta: Oxford Book Co.

This is the first anthropological study ofthe Sherpa. See also Ortner. Annotation to come.

Fürer-Haimendorf, C. von (1983). Himalayan Adventure: Early Travels in North-East India. New Delhi: Stirling Publishers.

This is an anthropological study of the Himalayan people of North Eastern India, Annotation to come.

------ G ------

Galwan, G.R. (1923). Servant of Sahibs. Cambridge: Heffner.

This is an autobiography of Ghulam Rassul Galwan who, in the l890's worked on a number of key expeditions in Central Asia. The book describes his experience with Younghusband in Chinese Turkistan, Lord Dunmore and Major Roche to the Pamirs, the Littledales, on their trip through Tibet, and finally his first expedition with Robert Le Moyne Barrett, who was to have a large influence on his life.

The largest section concerns the trip of the Littledales, which is of special interest since it was such an amazing trip, and because there is so little available on it (There is only a brief article published in 1896 in the The Royal Geographical Journal, reproduced with copies of three large format maps and an introduction by Nicholas and Elizabeth Clinch.) Mr. and Mrs. Littledale made a number of remarkable trips, but in the one described in the article mentioned above, and in this book, they (along with their nephew and Mrs. Littledale's dog, made a grueling trip from Turkistan, through Kashgar, Yarkland and Chechen, through Tibet from the north, to within 45 miles of Lhasa. When they were finally turned back, they returned via a westerly route to Ladakh. This is a fascinating trip, and one that deserves far more attention that it has received.

In a literature dominated by a European perspective, this book is a rare and compelling account from the other side, shall we say. It was written and assembled over a period of 14 years, with the encouragement and editing of an American, Robert Le Moyne Barrett and his wife, Katherine Ruth Barrett; ( however, as I have already mentioned, only the first trip with Barrett is described in this book). The Barretts helped teach Galwan English, and rather bravely refrained from turing his writing into "the King's English." The book is one of the best reads that you will encounter anywhere, and if read aloud, as suggested by that editors, it gives you the true sense that Galwan is truly there speaking to you in his own voice, and he is an outstanding story teller.

This book is worth chasing down regardless of how hard you have to try.

GAM (2006).PAESAGGI VERTICALI: La fotografia di Vittorio Sella 1879-1943. Torino: Edizioni Fondazione Torino.

This is the catalogue of an exhibit of Sella's photography mounted in 2006 by the Musei-GAM, The Galleria Civica d'Arte Moderne e Contemporanea in Torino. It has wonderful large size reproductions of Sella's work. See also Summit: Vittorio Sella Mountaineer and Photographer the Years 1879 - 1909, The Splendid Hills: The Life and Photographs of Vittorio Sella: 1859-1943, and Alpinismo Italiano in Karakorum / Italian Mountaineering in the Karakoram.

Gammelgaard, Lene (1999). Climbing High - A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy. Seattle: Seal Press.

This is a first-hand account of the events on Everest in the spring of 1996. The book is problematic. It is terribly written. To a large part, it is an expanded diary, with a little new-age philosophy thrown in. But if you are interested in the events that took place on Everest that spring, it is nevertheless a book well worth reading. Gammelgaard had a reasonable amount of climbing experience and she is one of the few writers who seems capable of stepping back and contrasting the Fischer and Hall philosophies of guiding. Many of her observations are telling, including her views on responsibility and climbing. Now, if you can just get over her writing...

Gates, Charles (Ed.)(1965). Five Fur Traders of the Northwest. Being the narrative of Peter Pond and the diaries of John Macdonell, Archibald N. McLeod, Hugh Faries, and Thomas Connor. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.

Annotation to come. See also Innis' book on Peter Pond.

Gentilcore, R. Louis (Ed.)(1993). Historical Atlas of Canada II: The Land Transformed, 1800-1891. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Annotation to come. See alsoVolume I: The Beginning-1800 and Volume III: 1891-Present. The maps of these three volumes are now also becoming available on-line, which is fantastic. See: http://www.historicalatlas.ca/website/hacolp/browse.htm

Gibson, James R.(1992). Otter Skins, Boston Ships, and China Goods: The Maritime Fur Trade of the Northwest Coast, 1785-1841. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.

Annotation to come.

Gillman, Peter. (Ed.)(1993). Everest: The Best Writing and Pictures from Seventy Years of Human Endeavour. Boston: Little, Brown and Co.

This book is a rare thing: a coffee table type book that is as interesting to read as it is to look at. It is a compilation of writing which traces the history of Everest from its first "discovery" by Europeans, up to 1992. It is a wonderful companion to Unsworth. Unsworth gives the detailed history, as told by him. Furthermore, it is limited in its illustrations. This volume has fantastic images of some of the most important climbs discussed by Unsworth, generally accompanied by first person accounts. See also the excellent and extensive anthology edited by Lewis (2003).

Gillman, Peter & Gillman, Leni. (2000). The Wildest Dream: The Biography of George Mallory. Seattle: The Mountaineers.

This is a recent biography of Mallory. It is well researched and makes extensive use of Mallory’s correspondence, much of it only recently available. The book is well rounded and does not just focus on Mallory as a climber. It does the best job of any of the biographies of painting a portrait of the times and the social milieu in which Mallory lived. The Everest climbs occupy only the last four of the thirteen chapters. And, despite being written after the discovery of Mallory’s body, the book avoids any of the sensational speculation that too often surrounds any discussion of Mallory and Irvine. The book is balanced, and well worth reading. It is certainly the best volume available in terms of the early biographical details of Mallory’s life. Despite this, however, my feeling is that the biography by Holzel, & Salkeld (1986), gives an augmented, if not stronger, sense of the man. These two volumes together paint the best portrait Mallory. See also the biographies by Pye (1927), Styles (1967), Holzel & Salkeld (1986), Green (1990), Robertson (1969) and Salkeld, (2000).

Gillman, Peter & Haston, Dougal. (1966). Eiger Direct. London: Collins.

This is an account of the 1966 first ascent of the direct route on the North Face of the Eiger. It is the account of a (nominally) three person US-UK team led by John Harlin. (I say nominally three people, since a number of pitches were led by Chris Bonington, who was officially the climb photographer, rather than part of the climbing team.) Key to the account is a German team which was attempting the same route at the same time. The relationship between the two teams can best be described as coopetition. The climb was done in winter, in order to minimize the risk of falling rocks. Harlin's team initially planned to do the ascent alpine style, in about 10 days. This soon changed to siege tactics, with fixed ropes, and the climb eventually took a full month.

There seems no question that one of the reasons for this change in tactics was the terrible weather that they encountered. It also seems clear to me that they would never have started the climb under those conditions had the German team not started on the mountain. Initially the teams climbed side by side as separate ropes, although Harlin's team used the German ropes on the "easier" initial sections. In the last of the climb, which was as much about survival as climbing, the remnants of the two teams, including Dougal Haston, climbed together to the summit.

While the climb was ultimately "successful", in that they made the summit, one can't help but wonder what was accomplished by doing so, using such brute force means. The climb never seems to achieved any sense of rhythm, was full of contrasts (such as the team alternating between the deprivation of days in a snow cave on the face, with days of casual comfort in the hotel, with its attendant bar, at the base), and the climbers never seemed to gel as a team.

For me, the book and the climb were unsettling, and very unsatisfactory. The endurance and perseverance of the climbers is beyond question. But I question that if Harlin's judgment was not clouded by competition, whether he would be alive today.

Finally, for a biography of Harlin, see Ullman's Straight Up - John Harlin: The Life and Death of a Mountaineer, of Bonington, see Curran's, High Achiever: the Life and TImes of Chris Bonington, and of Haston, see Connor's, Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk, and for his autobiography, see, In High Places.

Gippenreiter, Yevgeniy (1994). Mount Everest and the Russians, 1952 and 1958. In Joanna Merz (Ed.). The Alpine Journal. 99(343), 109-115.

This is a discussion of the reported/rumoured Russian expedition of 1952 to the north side of Everest. As the story goes, the attempt was led by Pavel Datshnolian. They made their attempt in November/December, and reportedly made their last camp at 8,200 metres. All six members of the assault team disappeared without a trace, including the leader. Speculation is that they were swept away by an avalanche. Gippenreiter's case is that there is no evidence or hearsay within the Russian climbing community that this ever took place. One would think that if the expedition did take place, that evidence of it would have been found on the mountain by now. While there are certainly reports of unexplained, or hard to explain bodies and tent remains high on the mountain (for example, see Hemmlleb, et al, 1999, and Hemmleb & Simonson, 2002), none of these have been tied to a 1952 Russian expedition.

Goetzmann, William H. & Williams, Glyndwr (1992). The Atlas of North American Exploration: From the Norse Voyages to the Race to the Pole. New York: Prentice Hall.

A good balance of informed commentary with clear maps illustrating key events in the exploration of North America.

Goldstein, Melvyn (1997). The Snow Lion and the Dragon: China, Tibet, and the Dalai Lama. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press.

This is a recent essay that provides a balanced discussion of the "Tibet Question." See also Grunfeld, A. Tom (1996). The Making of Modern Tibet. Full annotation to come.

Goswami, S.M. (1954). Everest Is It Conquered? Calcutta: Indian Press.

This is a good book for conspiracy theorists, and those who still want to make the first ascent of Everest. What is argued is that the British did not summit the mountain in 1953, and that the whole thing was faked in order to enhance the prestige of Britain at a critical time in her history, namely after she had had to leave India (an end) and the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (a beginning).. The arguments are as compelling as those, which “prove” that the Americans faked Armstrong’s visit to the moon.

Gough, Barry (1997). First Across the Continent: Alexander Mackenzie. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.

Annotation to come. For all of my books on Mackenzie, click here.

Gough, Barry (2007). Fortune's River: The Collision of Empires in Northwest America. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.

A history of western region of North America around the Columbia River. Annotation to come.

Gough, Robert Craig, (Ed.)(1988/1992). The Journal of Alexander Henry the Younger 1799-1814. Vol. 1 (1988), Vol 2. (1992)

Books on History and Exploration, with a focus on:

Contents:

I. Introduction

II. Overviews / Commentaries

Early Exploration of Tibet, Nepal, Tartary, the Himalaya, Karakoram, ...

Introduction

Chinese Travelers

Early European Travelers

Travel to Tibet

The Great Game

Mapping and Surveying

Mountaineering History

Everest General

Everest, Spring 1996

Broad Peak 1957: Austrian First Ascent

Annapurna

The Eiger

View From the Other Side: Sherpa, Porters, and Their Perspective

Women Climbers and Explorers

Survival

K2

Nanda Devi

Canada Fur Trade, Exploration, and Followers

Canadian Climbing

Early Climbing in the Alps

Arctic/Polar Exploration

Cartography

III. Book List

IV. Periodicals

V. Annotated Bibliography