Ascent: The Climbing Experience in Word and Image [Paperback]

Allen Steck (Author, Editor), Steve Roper (Author, Editor), David Harris (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

From the American Alpine Club Press, the long-awaited fourteenth issue of the premiere collection of mountaineering writing, photography, and art.

For three generations of American climbers and mountaineers, Ascent has represented the literary and photographic pinnacle of creative self-expression. Published almost annually from 1967 to 1984, each edition of Ascent was greeted with universal acclaim by the world climbing community. Edited by legendary Yosemite climbing pioneers Allen Steck and Steve Roper (and joined this year by former Canadian Alpine Journal editor David Harris), Ascent launched the careers of such well-known authors and photographers as Galen Rowell, Jeff Long, Gordon Wiltsie, Ed Webster, and others.

Now published by the American Alpine Club, Ascent will be the first new edition of this renowned journal in 15 years. As in previous editions, Ascent contains the full spectrum of climbing, writing, photography and art.. Contributions to this new edition range from adventure narratives to fiction, to humor by such authors as John Harlin, Steph Davis, and Bob Viola. Two 8-page color inserts feature the best of modern climbing art and a photo-essay by some of mountaineering's finest photographers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A collection of words and images so well executed and challenging that one might call it art. -- Climbing Magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 14th Revised edition edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930410807
• ISBN-13: 978-0930410803
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #402,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime words, mixed visuals, February 4, 2000

By 

Bryan O'Sullivan (CA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ascent: The Climbing Experience in Word and Image (Paperback)

The scope, quality and depth of the prose in this issue of Ascent are of astoundingly high quality. Each one of the essays and stories in this collection provokes thought, and the sheer variety of the material, from farce through introspection to commentary, makes this a trove for climbers who love to read.

Alas, I cannot comment on the poetry, as I skipped all of it without reading a line.

The images in this issue are of more varied quality than the prose. While the colour photgraphs are crisp and rich, the monochrome photos are genreally poorly-reproduced, being flat and lacking in contrast. I was not impressed with much of the non-photographic art, as little of it has any quality that might draw attention to itself other than its subject matter.

Overall, I think that the 1999 issue of Ascent easily justifies its purchase price for the wonderful prose alone. If you are looking specifically for photography or artwork that pertains to climbing, though, you would do well to look elsewhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent installment..., May 16, 2000

By 

K. Freeman (Apple Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ascent: The Climbing Experience in Word and Image (Paperback)

This issue of Ascent is superior to some of the others. More professional and less flaky, it contains gripping trip reports and hilarious satire. The poetry is overall good, though very focused on the work of one author. The photography is beautiful but too much of it is in black and white. I found the reproduced paintings to be luridly colored and uninteresting. Overall, though, this book is well worth reading, with highlights including excellent work by Kelsey and Viola.