His account frames a challenging autobiography, by turns hilarious and gut-wrenching.

    In this lively and generously illustrated book, historians Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver present the first comprehensive history of Himalayan mountaineering in fifty years. They offer detailed, original accounts of the most significant climbs since the 1890s, and they compellingly evoke the social and cultural worlds that gave rise to those expeditions.The book recounts the adventures of such figures as Martin Conway, who led the first authentic Himalayan climbing expedition in 1892; Fanny Bullock Workman, the pioneer explorer of the Karakoram range; George Mallory, the romantic martyr of Mount Everest fame; Charlie Houston, who led American expeditions to K2 in the 1930s and 1950s; Ang Tharkay, the legendary Sherpa, and many others. Throughout, the authors discuss the effects of political and social change on the world of mountaineering, and they offer a penetrating analysis of a culture that once emphasized teamwork and fellowship among climbers, but now has been eclipsed by a scramble for individual fame and glory.

    Reward and punishment have been received in equal measure - the flamboyant Frenchman has gained international fame and raised thousands of dollars for charity, but has also been arrested, beaten and prosecuted. Many people ask whether it is madness to undertake such perilous ascents without the use of safety equipment. But in Alain's view, it is madness not to follow your dreams! This is the inspiring story of a man who has conquered fear and exceeded his own limits: the world's greatest urban climber."For Robert, tall buildings are his mountains. He eulogises the views from their summits and (police permitting) revels in the freedom." -"The Guardian"

    They explored rock monoliths in a region that is best known for the drought and famine of the 1980s and was the site of one of the bloodiest massacres of the Derg. Vertical Ethiopia is the narrative of their journey. Told through a series of vignettes that reveal what it means to climb, to travel, and to explore, Vertical Ethiopia looks closely at the intersections between adventure and culture, history and opportunity, and sky and sandstone.

    Includes 242 cliffs, 1,938 routes and variations (1,122 new routes), and 6 bouldering areas with 350 boulder problems. 672 pages, 2-color with a 19-page full color gallery, full route descriptions in an easy-to-read, comprehensive format, 59 aerial photos with route lines, 90 approach maps, 115 cliff topos, 168 actions black-and-white photos, 24 drawings and paintings, 21 essays written by prominent Adirondack climbers, and a foreword written by Don Mellor, the previous guidebook author.