Monday, April 15, 2013

Everest: Where the Snow Never Melts, by H. P. S. Ahluwalia

H. P. S. Ahluwalia writes a reader for teens based on his journey to the top of the world in Everest: Where the Snow Never Melts. The storyline closely follows the first part of his autobiography, Higher Than Everest, including his youth, education, military career, and climbs. He writes a bit more here about his early inspirations to climb great mountains, including his trips to the market with his mother and his reading of mountaineering literature. Also, the shorter narrative in this volume provides a focus on what caused his success in his early climbs, instead of a more general narration in the earlier volume. He gives a personal perspective on his Everest climb, as a part of the 1965 Indian climb (see Kohli's Nine Atop Everest), during which his persistence even in the face of defeat gives him the opportunity to climb to the summit. The book contains a number of photos by Ahluwalia, mostly taken during his Everest expedition, for which he was the expedition photographer. I wish there was a sequel to this book, as I feel that Ahluwalia's subsequent struggle with a spinal injury could make a inspirational story for teens as well. 

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