Excellent book that transcends mountaineering
Of all the books that chronicled the famed "Into Thin Air" Everest Expedition, this one tells the story from a slightly different angle, that of a Sherpa. and one of the sons of perhaps the most famous Sherpa in history, Tenzing Norgay.
His son Jamling, the author, goes into great detail about the preparation for the expedition itself and his apprehensions about it as well. Folded in with tales of mountaineering is a deeper story, one more spiritual: that of the eternal connection between a father and son and the bond of honor, love and loyalty to family.
The expectations heaped upon this young man were enormous, much as one would expect from someone who was expected to carry on the family business, which, in any other discipline would be tough enough. But here, their office and business is 26,000+ feet above sea level and nothing less than success is expected by the public at large. At the root of this is story is Jamling's personal quest for peace, which is sought through the act of climbing the Everest.
Yes, it is a great outdoors/extreme sports/mountaineering book. But it is so much more that I am hard pressed to recommend a better one. Take into consideration that this review is coming from a true flatlander with no climbing experience, no mountaineering skills, but a deep admiration for those who go up because "It's there."
Jamling's father would be proud of the book his son so lovingly wrote.
