Product DescriptionIt took a while, but when Art finally settled in and faced his book, he pulled off a remarkable thing. Here was no simple tale of heroism and valor, like Annapurna, but rather a vexed, uneven story of doubt, failure, whim, courage, tragedy. The team was unbalanced, with the strong members far superior to the others. Perhaps the strongest of all was killed in an absurd accident within the first hours of the expedition. The leader himself seemed to lose heart in mid-stream. Yet everything was redeemed by the magnificent accomplishment of the summit in early March, and then by the even more magnificent survival of Art, Dave Johnston, and Ray Genet.
The book Art wrote managed, as few expedition chronicles ever have, to deal directly with the conflicts that divided the party, to pay close attention to the personalities involved, to lay bare their weaknesses without disloyalty to the men (who indeed cooperated splendidly by lending diaries), and to narrate without flinching the details of the ordeal at Denali Pass. The potentially diffuse details of the plot came together in a compulsively readable story.
Minus 148 is one of the few true classics in the literature of mountaineering. It richly deserves a republication that will bring it a whole new generation of readers, hungry young climbers and armchair graybeards alike. It is an honor to salute the book's reappearance, and a pleasure to wish it well.
Product DetailsPrice: $14.95 (US)
Paperback: 242 pages
Publisher: Mountaineers Books (July 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0898866871
ISBN-13: 978-0898866872
Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
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Reviews
| Alpinist | Remarkable story | | 
Voted 5/5 | This is the remarkable story of the first winter ascent of Denali. The book is riveting and well written. I couldn't put it down. | | Posted Apr 12, 2007 12:30 am |
| noahs213 | Wow.. | | 
Hasn't voted | Very good story. Highly reccomend it for those wanting to climb Denali by the West Buttress. | | Posted Jul 3, 2007 10:31 am |
| The Dude | Great book | | 
Voted 5/5 | Well written and quick read. A must for people going to Denali. Absolutely uncomprehensible to think these cats climbed Denali in winter with circa 1980's gear and bivy'ed at Denali Pass. | | Posted Nov 27, 2009 7:54 pm |
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