Book Review: Into The Silence

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Mt. Everest has always captivated the public's attention and spurred our sense of adventure. The mountain isn't just the tallest peak on the planet, it is also a physical manifestation of our need to explore and add a little danger and excitement to our lives. 

Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest by Wade Davis, helps to hammer home this point by tracing the early history of the mountain, how it came to rise to prominence in the minds of explorers, mountaineers, and the public in general. The book features a cast of thousands, with larger than life figures from a bygone era each playing a role in putting Everest on the map – both literally and figuratively. 

As you can probably guess from the title, the book focuses on George Mallory and his early attempts to climb Everest. Of course, Davis gives us a detailed and rich account of those expeditions, beginning with their very origins and leading up to that fateful day in 1924 when Mallory, and his climbing partner Sandy Irvine, disappeared just a few hundred feet below the summit. But before he gets there, he spins quite a tale that will enthrall and amaze you. 

The story gives us an incredible amount of backstory that includes how the British explored the Himalaya, established relations with Tibet, and established a permanent presence in the region. During that time, several prominent soldiers and explorers began to become obsessed with Everest and getting the chance to climb it, even though there wasn't even a route established to the mountain itself, let alone up it. 

The earliest serious discussions of climbing the mountain took place in the early 1890's, between explorer Francis Younghusband and Charles Bruce, a soldier in the British Army. The two men would eventually play a vital role in getting those early expeditions organized and funded, but it would take decades for that to happen, and each of the principle characters would change dramatically over those years, and watch the world change around them. 

In those days, there were a lot of obstacles to climbing Everest, such as the fact that the region was still largely unexplored and there were a lot of politics to overcome before any expedition could even approach the mountain. But the biggest obstacle of all came in 1914, when World War I broke out, putting the world on pause for the next few years. 

The conflict changed the face of warfare and brought a new definition of horror to the men who fought in it. Davis paints a very vivid picture of what it was like on those battlefields and if you're not already familiar with how the first World War was fought, you're likely to experience a little of that horror yourself. It was the bloodiest and most brutal war in history, and it had lasting repercussions that lasted for decades to follow.

Following that war however, there was a renewed interest in Everest and the Royal Geographic Society was able to pitch the expedition as a matter of national pride. After all, the Brits had lost the race to both the North and South Pole, and Everest was viewed as the last great challenge. One that the Empire couldn't afford to lose. 

As we all know, it would be another 30 years before Everest would eventually be climbed, but that doesn't make this tale any less fascinating. The story of Mallory and Irvine and all of the back history that put them on that mountain in June of 1924 is an incredible read, and while at times you'll think you've picked up a history textbook, it all comes together brilliantly. It is hard to believe that there could be a more detailed account of those expeditions or a more accurate portrayal of the men who were involved in the whole affair. 

Mallory is almost as captivating as Everest itself, and the man and the mountain will always be linked to one another. This book puts that relationship in perfect perspective and gives you a better understanding of the climber and the challenge that would take his life. If you're a fan of history, mountaineering, or Everest, than you'll definitely want to own this book. (Price: $19.34 from Amazon) 

Book Review: Pink Boots and a Machete

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've no doubt hear the name Dr. Mireya Mayor before. She is a host on Nat Geo Wild and was part of the team on Expedition Africa which aired on The History Channel back in 2009. The two-time Emmy Award-nominated television personalty is intelligent, personable, and adventurous, which come across on the screen in numerous ways. But if you only know the good doctor from her appearances on TV, you don't really know her at all. But her new book, which released last week, tells her amazing and inspiring tale, which took her from a sheltered childhood in Miami to some of the wildest places on the planet.

The book, entitled Pink Boots And A Machete: My Journey From NFL Cheerleader to  National Geographic Explorer, chronicles Mireya's journey beginning as a youth living in Little Havana who was told that she couldn't join the Girl Scouts because it was "too dangerous." A self described tomboy, even as a child, Mayor enjoyed learning about animals, playing with insects, and being outside. But she also had girlie side to her personality that liked to dress up, wear make-up, and chase boys. Her path through life led her to pursue acting and to joining the cheerleading squad of the Miami Dolphins, but it wasn't until she took an anthropology class late in her college career that she found her true calling. That class inspired her in ways that even she couldn't imagine, eventually earning her a PhD in Anthropology with a speciality in primates. Along the way, she also became a Fulbright Scholar, a National Science Foundation Fellow, and a National Geographic Explorer. Quite a resume for a girl whose mother wouldn't allow her to go camping, wouldn't you say?

In her autobiography, Mireya shares these stories and much more, and she does so in a style that comes across as very matter-of-fact. You get the sense that she is simply sharing her story and not trying to embellish it in any way. In this case, there is no need to embellish, as the story is one that is fun and fantastic all on its own. 

As the cheerleader-turned-adventurer grows in her ambitions and professional accomplishments, her journeys take her to the far corners of the globe. Throughout the book she shares tales of visits to the Congo, where she survives a terrifying plane crash, treks into the Lost World of Roriama in Venezuela, and Madagascar, where she discovered a new type of lemur. Along the way, she shares details on numerous encounters with wildlife, great and small, without ever losing her sense of humor and unwavering zest for life. 

The book is an excellent, inspiring read, and you'll be surprised at how quickly the 301 pages will pass. It moves along at a harrowing pace, and by the end, you'll still be wanting more. Thankfully, Dr. Mayor still has plenty of adventures ahead of her and we're likely to be reading about her exploits for years to come. 

Pink Boots is the kind of book that I would recommend to each of my five nieces, who are all nearing an age when they'll start to consider what they want to do with their lives. Mireya can serve as a great inspiration to young women everywhere, and while they may not end up trekking through jungle and climbing mountains, there is still a great message to be had about pursuing your dreams and letting adventure take you where it will. But this isn't a story just for the girls. We boys will find plenty to enjoy as well. The message is the same for us too, and Mireya's story still resonates just as effectively. 

The book is available in stores now, and is a great edition to any library. Excellent stuff. 

Book Review: Running Dry: A Journey From Source to Sea Down the Colorado River

As global climate change continues to change our planet in ways that we are still struggling to understand, one of the things that has become clear is that our conservation and usage of water is going to play a big role in our long term survival. Weather patterns are clearly changing, and as they do, once reliable sources of water are now struggling to keep up with the demands that we put on them. It seems that man has an unquenchable thirst for water and not just for drinking. We use it to irrigate our farms, water our lawns, clean ourselves and our possessions, and oh so much more. What effect is our usage, and climate change, having on our water supply? And what does it mean for our future?

That is the overriding theme of the book Running Dry: A Journey From Source to Sea Down the Colorado River by Jonathan Waterman. The book follows Waterman has he makes a spectacular 1450-mile journey along the length of the Colorado River, spending five months exploring those waters, while examining the effects of prolonged drought, climate change, and over usage by man on the river. What he found was an environmental catastrophe just waiting to happen, as the flow of the river is shrinking dramatically, leaving the lands surrounding it in desperate need of moisture.

Despite the fact that this is a book about water, it starts out awfully dry. Waterman spends the first chapter filling us in on the history of man's use of the river and explaining some of the complex issues that are facing how that usage is governed. It can be a bit of a slow way to start a book, but it pays off later when the actual adventure begins, as having that deep background helps us to understand and relate to what the author encounters once he starts his epic paddling journey.

That journey does become the core of the book however, and when Waterman begins to share his aquatic adventure with us, the story picks up quickly. Running a massive river like the Colorado is no small accomplishment, but he manages to do it and share tales of the people he met along the way and the things he saw in his weeks upon the river. Where Waterman excels in his writing is weaving those tales so deftly with the history and law of water rights management in the Western United States. He gives you just enough of both to keep you knowledgable about the important issues at hand while still enjoying a grand kayaking adventure at the same time.

Ultimately however this isn't an adventure book, but a call to action for those who live along the Colorado and beyond. The river is being altered dramatically, and in some ways irrevocably, and this book hammers that message home in some important ways. While the author remains hopeful that we can save the river, and there by save ourselves, the message is one of urgency, as precious time, and water, is slipping away.

Running Dry is an excellent read for environmentalists and paddlers alike. It is also an eye opener for those of us who were unaware of how several factors (climate change, drought, over usage) were conspiring to destroy one of the great natural wonders of the American West. Read it for the adventure but never lose sight of the overall message. You'll be glad you did on both accounts.