This book has to be one of the most poignant I've read in a long time. It's written by Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of the famous Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, who was the 1st to summit Mt. Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary. I've always been fascinated with Everest (Chomolungma in Sherpa language). I read "Into Thin Air" by John Krakauer (another Everest book that's a winner). Krakauer does the forward in the subject book. So I'm finally reviewing a nature-themed book, and a 1st nonfiction, though it reads like a novel. I learned much about Buddhism; Eastern Asian influences; Tibeten/Sherpa culture. The book is the point of view of one Sherpa's journey to the summit. Norgay joined the IMAX team during the fatal '96 season that killed a dozen. Though many books have been written on Everest, this is the 1st (to my knowledge) written by a Sherpa. He has profound respect for the mountain. This is contrasted with (I hate to say) a materialistic, arrogant Western civilization, especially the USA. The timing of reading this is apropo, since the climbing season is approaching as I type this. Norgay recalls past, forgotten, not well-known climbs of the 1930s and 50s (note Everest was closed to climbing during WWII). Karma runs through the lives of the climbers. In the early days of Everest mountaineering, the climbers were in awe and full of respect. Since then, many mountaineers have become egotistical, feeling they have to capture the trophy and conquer the mountain. Sad, too, to see how commercial it's become. The book is a read in religious, philosophical and spiritual content. It's mind-altering and thought-provoking. You see the juxtaposition of the father/son climbs. Both experiences run parallel, simultaneously, almost erasing 40+ years in between the 2 life-altering climbs. Jamling the son actually inhabits his father's thoughts and experiences while he (Jamling) climbs Everest. It's almost like an autobiography by Tenzing (father), but written through Jamling's eyes. I just finished today (Sunday) in the peace and quiet of my home and found it very hard to put down. It's a 10+ in my book!
