Annapurna by Maurice Herzog #

15 February 2023

• book-reviews,
• mountaineering,
• memoir,
• classic

Annapurna by Maurice Herzog. An account of the first 8000m summit; old copy found for 70 cents at a thrift store in St George, Utah. Engaging and riveting to read, though further confirming the futility of going that high. Lots of militaristic analogy in this era of mountaineering (laying siege to the mountain, assault, etc), and certainly a kind of colonialism/imperialism in the attitudes towards locals (though there seemed to be differences/inconsistencies in attitudes towards Sherpas and locals in the valleys). Surprised by the quality of their gear in 1950. Would recommend reading still. Grade: B+