To the Top of the World: Alpine Challenges in the Himalaya and Karakoram

by Reinhold Messner, Jill Neate (Translator)

Reinhold Messner has rightly been acclaimed as the greatest living mountaineer, a description amply justified by his achievement in becoming the first to ascend all fourteen of the world's 8000-metre peaks. He is also famed for the uncompromising way in which he seeks ever-fresh challenges, pushing back the boundaries of the possible. For him, these challenges have nothing to do with conquest but are rather concerned with inner experience and testing his abilities and strengths to their limits. This book is drawn from a selection of Messner's most powerful writings and forms a unique compendium of his major expeditions to the summits of the world's foremost mountains. It includes a retelling of the classic, tragic expedition telling of his obsession to change on Manaslu's south face; Messner's own radically the pattern of Himalayan climbing, which resulted in his epic ascent of Everest in 1978 without the aid of oxygen; his solo success in conquering Manga Parbat; gripping accounts of his experiences on Gasherbrum and K2; and details of his ground-breaking journey through Tibet, solo, to the peak of Everest.

Genres: Mountaineering, Adventure, Travel, Climbing

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Reinhold Messner (born September 17, 1944) is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from South Tyrol, often cited as the greatest mountain climber of all time. He is renowned for making the first solo ascents of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and for being the first climber to ascend all fourteen "eight-thousanders" (peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level). He is the author of at least 63 books (in German, 1970–2006), many of which have been translated into other languages.

Reviews

[Amy]

Reads like a collection of essays. Reinhold Messner's greatest hits and various ponderings. Lots of excellent description and imagery. Makes you wonder what it would be like to go up there and leave a part of yourself on a mountain.

[Patricia Comeford]

There is no question that Reinhold Messner's mountaineering achievements are impressive. His descriptions of his experiences let you feel like you are experiencing these high altitude climbs along with him. The photographs are absolutely beautiful, and the paintings by Jean-Georges Inca are quite amazing!

[Christopher Frewin]

Simply unbelievable... this book has set off an irreversible urge to hike an 8000m mountain

[Jonas]

Großartiger Bergsteiger, anstrengender Erzähler. Teilweise ein Krampf zu lesen. Bilder sind aber top! Daher 2/5 Sternen.

[Chaos]

Legend!