Karen Ownby was 17 when she was thrown from a horse, and disabled for life. Her spinal cord was pushed into her brain, causing a stroke, and coma. She had many surgeries and therapy for many years. She was a fighter. She told of how she held her mouth in place to learn how to smile again. In her book, now at the age of 56, she tells of her struggles to have some kind of life. She has been married for 25 years, and her wonderful husband Jim has dedicated his life to help her to fulfill hers. She has been a volunteer for many years, and from her home she mans a hot line helping people to cope. This wonderful, couragous woman is still volunteering from her wheelchair helping people with special needs. She types with her left hand, preparing her first manuscript for this book HALFWAY UP THE MOUNTAIN, and she has written two children's books, ONCE UPON A TIME TALES, VOL 1 AND VOL 2. She sells her books on the internet, and at book signings. You will be encouraged to help with special olympics and any disabled chairity when you read of this wonderful woman's plight. I & L Publishing- IOLA MOORE AUTHOR/PUBLISHER/AGENT

This book has been published and is already available at the Geological Society of America (3300 Penrose Place, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301). The volume contains an Introduction and 23 research articles on various aspects of the geology of the Himalaya and Tibet. The book is the outcome of an international conference (the 11th Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet Workshop) held in Arizona in April 1996. Geologists interested in the High Asia will find it useful in their research work.

Few mountaneering authors can match Reinhold's ability to describe his own experience and state of mind. Part of this ability must be attributed to his native tongue German, where deep and emotional narratives must be especially long and precise due to the inherent form of the language. But for me this translates to English especially well and I understood (as best as one can understand another's world) all the different emotional states Messner experienced with a rare clarity.

Some may find relating to Messner a bit of a stretch and even be dismissive of his romanticism and general intensity. Personally I can very much relate to his personality and I found insights into his inner nature an invaluable look into someone who has explored the human spirit way beyond what many of us will know. He was, after all, the first to climb Everest solo and completely unassisted from base camp. This is a feat that is becoming harder to repeat due to the increasing popularity of climbing Everest and other 8000m peaks.

The book is essentially a series of excerpts from his most notable climbs (and previous writings), usually with a short abridgement to link each story together. Overall the book Reinhold seems to be using it as a vehicle to not only explain himself put also push his mountaneering philosophy (which I tend to agree with on most points). There is also the occasional excerpt from the diary of his basecamp companions that set the scene nicely (but also seem to make the object of some feminine hero worship at times!)

Absolutely worthwhile read, especially if you want an overview of Messner's major achievements. If you want the detail read the original books of each climb.

In "To The Top of the World", Reinhold Messner not only solidifies his legend as a pioneering mountaineer, he also succedes in translating his innermost feelings and thoughts into words. Messner's tales of his climbing exploits are interspersed with expression of his deep-seated fears and struggles to find meaning in life and death. Messner has clearly been affected by the death of his brother Gunther, and the reader gets the sense that Messner climbs these mountains to exact revenge on the mountains, and himself for his brother's death. Messner himself is constantly drawing the reader into the depths of the human soul on the brink of death. The details of the climbs are broken by the ever-present underlying theme of the profound relationship between mountaineering and life and death. Messner's eloquence and ability to draw on the reader's emotion is sensational. The frequent photographic images, although welcome, almost detract from the spiritual nature of the book. Messner gives the reader the ability to feel the climb and experience the elation and despair that is Himalayan climbing. The one fault I find is in the slick omission of details of his relationship with Nena Holguin. We move from a married Messner, to a single, loving Messner without even a segue in the form of an explanation. Nevertheless, the book is a fabulous read, and a great accomplishment by the prolific Mr. Messner. It is painfully clear that in high altitude mountain climbing, longevity may indeed be decided by fates out of our control, and Mr. Messner is the master of his domain.
Anthony M. Frasca,M.D.

Mr. Messner climbed Mt. Everest solo and without oxygen. On the way he fell into a crevasse and was doomed. Praying and promising God he would go down the mountain, he jumped to a ice shelf not knowing whether it would hold or not. It held and he continued up Everest to the summit. This is just one example of this man's extension of himself beyond all limits expected of mortal man. He was lucky this time, but as he describes in the book, luck was not all on his side. A must read for anyone interested in mountaineering or adventure. Mr. Messner is indeed the greatest mountaineer who ever lived.

Jamling Tenzing Norgay is many things. He is a husband, father, climber, Buddhist, featured star of the IMAX film Everest and last, and by no means least, son of the Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who in 1953 summated Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary. His book, Touching My Father's Soul: A Sherpa's Guide to the Top of Everest (told with Broughton Coburn), is his successful attempt to relate and reconcile these identities.

Throughout this is a very personal account in every sense. It is a tale of his life, his father's life, his climb to the top of Everest, his father's climb to the top of Everest and his attempts to address his feelings about his upbringing, family and flagging religious beliefs. Added to this mix is the literal and emotional climate of the Everest summit attempt during the tragic spring of 1996.

He relates his story in a manner which makes for a very interesting, inspirational and insightful read. He moves fluidly from his climb to his father's, from his life to his family's, from his spiritual issues to the material world, from the tragedy to his personal investment in being a climbing Sherpa, without losing the overarching narrative.

The famous and fateful climb of the IMAX and other teams in 1996 during and after the tragic events of that climbing year are well known, but Jamling gives us some further insight and perspective into those events.

Four audio tapes read by Norbu Tenzing (Jamling's older brother) energize this inspiring tale of a son's search for his father's spirit. Norbu, an experienced film narrator, brings a smooth, authentic Darjeeling Sherpa accent to Broughton Coburn's beautifully written text.

We learn that Tenzing was 51 when Jamling was born in 1965. Although Tenzing's six living children enjoyed a good education and family closeness, Father Tenzing was distant. When Tenzing died at age 72 in 1986, Jamling was a college student with many unanswered questions about his father's life and values. Jamling became a capable mountaineer & a father himself. He struggled to overcome doubt in his parents' profound Nyingmapa Buddhist values while retaining his own educated worldview.

That struggle ended during the disasterous 1996 Everest season. After many setbacks, while climbing through fierce winds past the dead bodies of failed climbers, Jamling's heart opened to his father's protectress: Miyolangsangma, goddess of Chomolangma. Jamling not only summitted Everest, his father's mountain; he also entered the inner heart of his father's Buddhist reality. Listeners who love the Himalaya. Buddhism, and Sherpa Culture will thrill this compelling interior and exterior adventure. (...)

Touching My Father's Soul traces Jamling Norgay's two journeys: (i) to the top of Everest with the 1996 IMAX expedition, and (ii) his inner search for spirituality and how to grapple with his father's legacy. It is this latter journey that makes this book a welcome addition to the many books already written about the 1996 Everest disaster and, more generally, about climbing Everest, as his perspective as a Buddhist Sherpa has not been articulated before.

Although Jamling Norgay's story provided the emotional backbone of the IMAX movie, the movie didn't really provide a full portrait of the man, or the way in which he had to grapple with his father's legacy. The book really helps flesh out his character and his spiritual reawakening. Although it's not as gripping as Into Thin Air, for example, the book is reasonably well written and is a page turner in its own right.

I wouldn't buy this book solely to try to find a lot of additional information about the 1996 Everest disaster or much "behind the scenes" information about the Everest IMAX movie, as it really doesn't add much new. Instead, it is a heart-felt story of one man's journey and perspective on Everest.

As a final note - if you have the opportunity to see Jamling Norgay's book tour in support of Touching My Father's Soul, I would highly recommend it. I attended the book signing in Washington, and he has a very interesting 40 minute slide show.

This is very complete as a guidebook to the Flat Tops area. The information about each trail is good, and there are some nice pictures. Since the Flat Tops have such a large network of trails, though, it's sometimes difficult to find a description for a particular stretch. But overall, a nice guide.

Al Marlowe has "been there - done that" when it comes to the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of Northwest Colorado. He shows a love of this area, not only in his book, but because he comes back to the wilderness every year, as much as his busy schedule allows. Al is a wonderful person to know, and a true lover of the Flat Tops. I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering visiting the area. I used the book as a guide while filming "Island Of The Rockies", Sights and Sounds of the Flat Tops Wilderness during the summer of 1997.

It really stunk. I've read other Boxcar Children books, but this stunk

The boxcar children are on another adventure. This time they go hiking. Benny suddenly finds a hole. Is it just a hole or is it a cave? Find out when you read this book.

The Boxcar children embark on another adventure only to run into trouble and then mystery atop a New England mountaintop. The mystery comes in the form of the whereabouts of a long-lost treasure that they learn about from an old Indian woman who says her grandfather hid it. The story takes a touching twist when the children meet a young Indian boy who also is looking for the treasure that he thinks belongs to him as the last member of the tribe to possess the secret goods. You'll be surprised by who eventually finds the treasure and what happens to each of the characters.

Bill Sherwoinit fulfilled my goal of learning more about Denali to help me prepare for my own future climb of this awesome mountain. He covered most of the historical climbs on McKinley, but failed to recognize speed records. Maybe he can include the current speed record in a future printing. If you like reading about high country adventure, you may also like TJ Burr's "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection". Thanks for the hard work in preparing this great book Bill.

This book offers an excellent detailed and informative historical perspective of Denali itself, as well as stories of expeditions, climbers, and a look to the future of the mountain. While well-written and an easy read, some of the stories lack the drama and realism due to the continuing third-person perspective. The book is more of a "factbook" rather than a collection of gripping adventures, and I recommend this read for those interested in true learning about the mountain. The reader is left with a greater appreciation of both nature and human perseverance.

Sherwonit has written an interesting history of the expeditions on Denali. It is not a "page-turner" but anyone interested in climbing will appreciate the stories of successful and unsuccessful first ascents, first winter ascents and first solo ascents.

I have also written in this book, so to me, I really like it. And I look forward to buying it. All poetry helps people cope with certain problems in life, so I believe this book may put to good use.

The book is From the Mountain Top, and it is one of the latest from the International Library of Poetry, It is truly a masterpiece and an ever beautiful decoration for any coffee table or desktop, It is filled with the world's most amazing and ever talented amatuer poets. It is truly a priveledge to own and read. The poets in which the books features have clearly and cleverly been carefully selected and only those who are the best get the honor of a spot in this book.

i loves the book "From the Mountain Top" because i have writin in it. It is a poetry book and published one of my poems in it and other people have writin in it and i loves it. i cant wait to by the book.

This book is neatly split into 2 parts. The first part consists of the training philosophy and practice of one of the most successful high school distance running coaches in the U.S. The second part gives a keen insight into the bio- mechanics of running from a podiatrist who has treated elite and recreational runners alike.

This is a nice pictorial history of Mount Everest with accompanying text. While the text is not wholly factually accurate, it does give one a feeling of the tumultuous history surrounding Mount Everest, ever since modern man attempted to scale its heights.

The ninety photographs will delight Everest junkies everywhere. Those of Mount Everest, in particular, are spectacular, and alone are worth the price of the book. The photographs, however, are not only of Everest, but are also of those mountaineers who braved the elements to try and unravel its mystery. It is a lovely book which has a place in the library of anyone who is a true Everest aficionado.