author, mountaineering writer – books, blog, opinion
In the last 35 years, Everest has entered a new era. Since 1992, the majority of Everest ascents have been made by clients and staff of commercial operators. Now, thanks to journalist Will Cockrell, this unique period has the history it deserves.
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I don’t often read Sunday Times bestsellers, but this year I read three in quick succession, all by the same author, including one that has struck a chord with so many people over the last five years that it has transcended its niche and broken into the mainstream. The book in question is The Salt Path by Raynor Winn.
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George Mallory and Sandy Irvine disappearance on Everest in 1924 is one of the most enduring myths in exploration history. If you’re new to it then Mick Conefrey’s latest book, Fallen, offers the best introduction you can find. If, like me, you think you’ve read it all, it’s a highly readable refresher offering sensible conclusions.
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Back in 2017 when Edita and I cycled the NC500, there wasn’t much information available and almost all of it was aimed at people with a vehicle. Imagine my delight when I was contacted by Cicerone’s marketing team asking me if I’d like them to send me a copy of their new guidebook.
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You may be wondering why I’ve never written this blog post before. Now is as good a time as any. The universe of Everest literature is forever expanding and it’s not possible to reach its end. However, I’ve now travelled far enough to be confident of these eight books’ place in the celestial Everest pantheon.
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It was with great shock and sadness that I learned of the death of Dave Fowler on Aonach Eagach earlier this month. Dave guided Edita and me on the Cuillin in 2020. He was a great character, ever talkative and cheerful, and extremely careful as a guide.
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I’m only just starting to delve into the literature of the Black Cuillin, but I’ll be surprised if I come across a better book than this one. Erudite and poetic, yet marvellously accessible in places, this is simply a great book by a great writer.
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The two things I miss most since moving from London to the Cotswolds are live jazz and mountaineering lectures. Imagine my delight then, to learn that Kenton Cool would be giving a lecture about Everest a few fields away from where I live.
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This is a poignantly belated book review, if ever there was one. Ed Webster died of a heart attack last month at the age of 66. His book Snow on the Kingdom had been sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read for more than seven years.
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A book review of A Step Away from Paradise by Thomas K. Shor Hundreds of books have been written about the world’s highest mountain, Everest, and dozens about its second highest, K2. There have not been so many about the
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