Annapurna

by Maurice Herzog

Release Date: 01 June, 1997

Edition: Paperback

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GRIPPING ACCOUNT OF ADVENTURE

This is perhaps the most famous and long lasting book in mountaineering. The account of how Herzog and Lachenal reached Annapurna's summit is the culmination of a long and difficult journey in which the team gets lost and found dozens of times.

I found most interesting to be the differences between an expedition in the 90s (such as described in Into Thin Air) and Herzog's expedition; it is hard to understand how they could ahve made it without the modern equipment, however they did pay the price through amputated limbs.

This is a mountaineering classic, perhaps the best one, despite the recent questions as to the veracity of the team dynamics described by Herzog. Herzog describes a team of selfless members that were working towards one common goal, to get one of them on the summit. Question have arisen on whether such dynamics were not exaggerated. Either way, it si a wonderful book to read, as Herzog takes us on a ride all the way to the summit and back. Highly recommended for the armchair mountaineer.

What! - A Likeable Mountaineer!

I read this book and passed it on some months ago, so while I have had time to digest its overall impact, I have forgotten specific details I could cite. In particular I wish I could quote Herzog's poetic summit musings. This must be left to be rediscovered...what has stayed with me the most is how likeable M. Herzog is. His humorously low-key impressions of avalanche and other disasters seems genuine and is winning. For me this was proven by how I was moved to tears at his account of ghastly frostbite treatments (arterial injections!) and his painful, dreamlike trek out of the Annapurna region. The only flaw of the book worth mention (aside from the mediocre quality of the maps in the edition I had) is that the initial reconnaissance of the expedition in the Dhaulagiri - Annapurna area, and the other preparatory phases of the mission are dull and tend to stall the reading pace. However, once the climbing was on in earnest I was caught! This book definitely belongs in any serious personal library of mountaineering classics.