Harrer’s experience in Tibet definitely creates a unique adventure story. It is educational, mellow, shows friendship, and is a primary historical source as well. I have always wanted to know more about high mountain culture and I am glad I had the chance to learn a little through Harrer’s eyes. The other books we have read…
Film Review
Meru, film review
by Matt •
The film Meru tells the story of how Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk make the first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru. Throughout the film Jon Krakauer narrates the climb to be understood for any audience. He also explains the history of the mountain and where the desire of climbing Meru…
Reading Response
Annapurna, week 7
by Matt •
I think the Annapurna expedition really shaped the new golden age of mountaineering. In the 1950’s mountaineering is shifting from a climbing era of veterans to a climbing era of adventurists. The french climbing establishment assembled a great team. It seems as though they chose people who were more into adventure than the nationalistic war…
Reading Response
Cliffhangers, week 6
by Matt •
In Cliffhangers, Barcott states how tragedy drives narratives. Courage and passion are two themes that stuck out for me this week. Cliffhangers in a simple way, explains how stories like Harrer’s experience on the North Face of the Eiger became one of the most well know pieces mountaineering literature. Barcott says a mountain climb is…
Reading Response, Week 5
Imperial Ascent
by Matt •
Imperial Ascent shows the development of mountaineering – where in the mind of climbers it has come from and where modern mountaineering is going. And this is how Bayers sets up his book. I found it hard in the beginning of the book to make the connection of imperialism and masculinity, until the section on…
Reading Response, Week 4
Fallen Giants
by Matt •
It is interesting drawing the parallels of the effects of the World Wars and the history of climbing and conquering the Himalayas in Fallen Giants. Of course there could be many other reasons, but perhaps the aftermath of the first World War was the driving force that led so many veterans to start conquering peaks…
Reading Response, Week 3
Mountains of the Mind
by Matt •
I really enjoyed Robert Macfarlane’s style of writing in this book; how he broke it down going back and forth between the history of mountains and geology to his own stories. His stories really drew me in and kept the history sections a little more interesting every time he went back to them. When he…
Reading Response, Week 2
Mount Analogue
by Matt •
On page 70 – 71, Rene Daumal explains who and what glaciers are, “…you could learn a lot from the observation of glaciers. Perhaps nature has made them in a first attempt to create living beings by exclusively physical processes.” Here, I feel Daumal is comparing himself and mountaineers to a glacier and answering the…
Introduction
Introduction
by Matt •
Hi everyone, my name is Matt DeSimone. I am a last year History SETS student, but mostly interested in environmental history. I also work for Visions Service Adventures, a community development/cultural immersion summer program for high school students based right here in Bozeman. I am taking this course to brainwash high school student’s minds about…