Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict
Product ID: 44520228
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• A memoir of adventure in one of the most dangerous places on the planet • The Karakoram is home to K2, the deadliest of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks The best mountain climbing in the world, Steve Swenson will tell you, is in the Karakoram. Swenson has been climbing in these mountains since 1980 and has a perspective on the land and its people like few others. A complex place, the Karakoram Range is located in Kashmir, a western Himalaya border region that has a long history of tension and conflict between China, India, and Pakistan, tensions that have only been magnified since 9/11. Over the course of more than thirty years climbing there, Swenson’s experiences have been laced with daunting challenges, exhilarating successes, and terrifying moments―caused by the risks inherent in alpine environments, as well as politics below spilling into the peaks above. In Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict , Swenson writes evocatively of his naiveté on his first visit to Pakistan for an attempt on Gasherbrum IV, during which he faced the teeming, bewildering streets of Islamabad and new challenges of dealing with a confusing array of bureaucrats, hiring hundreds of porters desperate for work, as well as the business of attempting to climb a towering peak just shy of 8,000 meters. By 2015 when he invited climbers to join him on an attempt of K6, Swenson had become the old-hand; it was his familiarity with the region that got them through the planning, the trek, and the climb. Even as he managed a busy career and family at home, Swenson returned to the region more than a dozen times, making attempts on well known giants such as K2, Everest, and Nanga Parbat, as well as other, less familiar, peaks. While he often succeeded, he was often turned back, forced from the mountains by weather, failed logistics, fractured team dynamics, or unexpected skirmishes in the region. What drew him, again and again, was that he always learned something new and forged strong bonds with his climbing partners, including Doug Scott, Alex Lowe, Steve House, and others. Stronger still became his friendship with Haji Ghulam Rasool, a local Balti man whom he first met as a young cook in 1984. Rasool and other Pakistanis have served as Swenson’s window on this restive region, revealing how territorial conflicts can affect not just international climbing expeditions, but also the day-to-day livelihood of the local people. Karakoram is Swenson’s personal story of adventure in one of the most dangerous mountain environments on the planet. His love of climbing led him to these summits; his deep respect for the rugged landscapes and local people inspire his return. Review: More than just a book about mountain climbing - As a former professional colleague of Steve Swenson I knew that he was a good engineer and from the stories and photos of his climbs of K2 and Everest I knew that he was a world class mountain climber, but until I read his book KARAKORAM, Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict, I had no idea that he is also an excellent writer. His stories of climbing in the Karakoram mountains of Kashmir, located in the conflict zone between India and Pakistan, are more than just about climbing. He describes in detail the reasons why Kashmir is divided and the site of constant tension not only between two nations, but also between two religions and various terrorist groups. With all of that as a backdrop, over a 35-year period he was still able to navigate the local politics and ascend the highest peaks while helping the local people who live in and near those mountains the best he could. These stories are all told with amazing detail in a way that allows the reader to imagine the strength, determination, and skill needed to literally go where no man had gone before, conquering previously unclimbed summits. As an outdoor enthusiast I have read a number of mountaineering books, this one is the best. Review: Climbing and Conflict One in the Same - A thorough story telling about the perilousness of climbing the world's greatest peaks and the equally perilousness of leaving in a land filled with specter of war. A story of triumph and tragedy it keeps the reader ready for the ongoing adventure.
| Best Sellers Rank | #646,094 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #587 in Mountain Climbing #4,005 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 117 Reviews |
D**N
More than just a book about mountain climbing
As a former professional colleague of Steve Swenson I knew that he was a good engineer and from the stories and photos of his climbs of K2 and Everest I knew that he was a world class mountain climber, but until I read his book KARAKORAM, Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict, I had no idea that he is also an excellent writer. His stories of climbing in the Karakoram mountains of Kashmir, located in the conflict zone between India and Pakistan, are more than just about climbing. He describes in detail the reasons why Kashmir is divided and the site of constant tension not only between two nations, but also between two religions and various terrorist groups. With all of that as a backdrop, over a 35-year period he was still able to navigate the local politics and ascend the highest peaks while helping the local people who live in and near those mountains the best he could. These stories are all told with amazing detail in a way that allows the reader to imagine the strength, determination, and skill needed to literally go where no man had gone before, conquering previously unclimbed summits. As an outdoor enthusiast I have read a number of mountaineering books, this one is the best.
R**Y
Climbing and Conflict One in the Same
A thorough story telling about the perilousness of climbing the world's greatest peaks and the equally perilousness of leaving in a land filled with specter of war. A story of triumph and tragedy it keeps the reader ready for the ongoing adventure.
D**T
His stories are true. His words are thoughtful. His book is worthy. Read it.
Swenson's book is a great account of his life spent alpine climbing. His stories made me laugh and reminisce. His great memory and copious note taking on expeditions has served him well in crafting a wonderfully entertaining and accurate portrait of his accomplishments. The book, like Steve, understates his own drive, skill and general bad-assed nature that his climbing partners witness every trip. The book is mostly about climbing big mountains and friendship, but Steve also weaves a political and historical narrative about Pakistan and India giving his expeditions context in a pre and post 9/11 world. His stories are true. His words are thoughtful. His book is worthy. Read it.
J**W
If you read one book on the Karakoram, this is it!
As a friend of Steve Swenson since the 1980’s, I highly recommend this riveting account of his remarkable climbing adventures in the Karakoram, the greatest mountain range in the world. Steve is one of the great climbers of his generation, but what separates him from others in the genre is the sensitive way he writes about the local inhabitants and their cultures, and illuminates the political landscape in this complex and war-torn region. If you are planning a trip to the Karakoram, this is a must read!
D**N
awesome collection of stories
Excellent read, for climbers and non-climbers alike. Through remarkably descriptive detail, Swenson's writing brings the reader along on decades of high adventure in one of the worlds most rugged and wild landscapes. The factual content of the epic stories is itself worthy of an important piece of mountaineering literature, but it was Swenson's surprisingly gentle side -- his the personal connections to the people and places that stuck with me. Highly recommended.
M**R
Loved the Book - Glad I'm not a mountain climber
I just finished reading this book. Steve writes well and the book is very interesting. But as someone who has never climbed mountains the technical information was lost to me. His stories of his travels and climbing in these vast ranges of high mountains is amazing to read. The sacrifices, obstacles created by the governments in these countries, hardships, health problems, dangers from climbing and from terrorism, and the wonderful people he encountered upon his travels make the book a good read.
L**S
A great mountaineer, and a great storyteller.
Steve Swenson is one of great mountaineers of his generation, and his book is a joy to read. No climber knows the Karakoram better than does Swenson, and no one has told personal stories of adventures in this region more eloquently or accurately than Steve does here. If you are going to the Karakoram, or if you just dream of going there, read this book. It is a wonderful account both of the area's history, and of the people who have felt compelled to probe its ultimate extremes. Thank you, Steve, for sharing these tales and this history. This is a book that will help others comprehend why people venture into the rugged and forbidding high regions of the Karakoram. Reading it brought back many memories.
H**R
Great Book!!!
This was an awesome read! If you are a climbing book buff you will really enjoy it. The author gives you great insight into the people of the Karakoram and Pakistan. He talks of several well known climbers. Its a book of who's who in the climbing world. If you are new to climbing history, its a great book to start with. Im so proud to have it, read it and added it to my collection!
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