When people hear that I have just returned from trekking in Nepal, most of them mention a book that they are reading or have read. As I am an avid reader and collector of mountaineering books, I have a few suggestions(links point to amazon). This will also help to pass the time as I transcribe my journal.
Touching My Father’s Soul by Jamling Norgay is one of the best I have ever read. Jamling is the son of Tenzing, one of the first men to the top of Everest. He was part of the 1996 Imax Everest film team and assisted in the rescue of some of the climbers in the infamous ‘disaster’. As a native of Nepal and the Khumbu region, he has a very different perspective on climbing and spirituality than a westerner.
High Exposure by David Breshears. David was the leader of the 1996 Imax Everest team. He has a very climber-oriented perspective and he does not pull punches about what it takes to climb a mountain.
Left For Dead by Beck Weathers is an enlightening, life affirming, yet profoundly disturbing, book. Beck was one of the climbers that was rescued in the 1996 ‘disaster’. The title is not an exageration as he was truly left for dead, not once, but twice on Everest. He is very honest in his motivation for climbing and how thankful he is that he is alive to tell his story.
Ultimate High by Goran Kropp. Goran’s quest was to climb Everest without help. He rode his bike from Sweden to Nepal, climbed Everest and rode his bike back home. This book is not just about the quest, but also about the adventures leading up to it. I had the pleasure to hear him speak in 2001 and it was one of the best evenings I have ever had (I don’t think I have laughed so hard in my life). Unfortunately, he was killed in a climbing accident several years ago.
The Violet Shyness of Their Eyes by Barbara Scot. This is not a climbing book, but a ‘journal’ of a woman’s experience in Nepal. It has been several years since I read it, but I will be pulling it off the shelf shortly to refresh my mind.
The one book I don’t recommend (and I get tired of talking about) is Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I find Jon’s writing to be over dramatic and too self-involved. I reread part of the book (looking for references to one of the places we stayed) and was dismayed by his account of how difficult it was to just trek to Everest base camp. I don’t mean to say that trekking is easy, but it is not as life threatening and difficult as he describes.