1. ISBN13: 9780395485903
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Customer Review :

A so so effort - too much self pity

This book, which details the tragic summer of 1986 when 13 people died on K2, is a somewhat tepid story, that is filled with too much of the author's marginalized attempts at self-pity, but does manage to capture a trace of the tragedy that unfolded that year.

Jim Curran never makes it far up the mountain, (only slightly higher than advanced base camp) and spends far too many pages talking about his trouble with skiing the glacier and his climbing difficulties, and far too little time capturing the drama unfolding at 8000+ meters. For instance, when Wanda Rutkiewicz decends through a storm that claims half her climbing team, we have maybe two or three paragraphs of the author's perception of her egotism and 'obsession' with 8000 meter peaks, and very, very little detail or reporting on what actually occurred on the mountain.

The later disasters, which involved his close friend Alan Rouse, are described and detailed more thoroughly, but again, too much of his own self-pity intrudes on what otherwise would have been the finest part of the book.

All in all - if you are interested in learning about some of the peopole involved in that summer of tragedy, it's worth reading. If you are looking for an adventure/mountaineering book, then there are better alternatives.

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ET TU...K2?...

It is summer...1986. Twenty seven climbers triumph at the K2 summit. Thirteen climbers die in their quest to conquer K2. Therein lies the tale.

The author, a photographer who calls himself a climber, though that is debatable, attempts to make sense of the events which unfolded on the mountain that summer. Relying upon the anecdotes and narratives of others, as well as his own personal observations, he tries to put the events into perspective, even though he has no first hand knowledge of what transpired up on the mountain, for the most part. Although he was there, he rarely ventured past base camp.

The book does make for an interesting read, as we look at events as they unfold before the author. It is amazing that with all the tragedies that seemed to occur at almost every turn, the climbers still kept climbing, never losing sight of their quest. At times this singlemindedness on the part of the climbers comes across as somewhat meglomaniacal.

The author is very candid in his commentary throughout the book and, surprisingly, he does not hesitate to speak ill of the dead. His candor, while somewhat disturbing, is refreshing, and it is interesting to find out that the gods do, indeed, have clay feet.

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Great Information for K2 Climbs

As a fellow mountaineer interested in climbing the mountain myself, I found the information in this book very helpful. It is a solid piece of mountaineering literature with something for every adventure enthusiast. If you are thirsting for high country adventure epics like this one (albeit on a much smaller scale), you should also explore "Rocky Mountain Adventure Collection", also available at Amazon.com.

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A very engaging read

Ten years before the 1996 climbing disaster on Mt. Everest, 13 people died on the world's 2nd highest mountain -- and far greater climbing challenge -- K2. Although this book isn't as dramatic or well written as Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, it's still an excellent book full of true to life adventure and tragedy.

Part of this is due to the fact that the adventure genre wasn't quite as developed or palpable in 1987. Part of it is that few of the characters are described in any depth. But mostly, the problem was that Jim Curran was there to film the expedition and never had any intention of summiting. Had he attempted to climb K2, I'm sure the story would have been richer.

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The title says it all -- and Heartfelt Account

Aside from being a great account of the tragic 1986 season at K2, Curran's book has the quality of masterfully weaving the author's sense of humor with his deeply felt emotions about lost friends.

While some may argue that Curran was not at the forefront of leading the climbing on any of the expeditions, his keen sense of a filmmaker allows him to tell a very human story. In the great tradition of English mountaineering tradition he tells with wit and humor about the scrambles in putting the expedition together. His storytelling about the trials and challenges in the walk-up to base camp is equaled in its jovial spirit perhaps only by Greg Child (see "Thin Air").

When true drama begins to unfold with the death of Casarotto, Curran does not simply "recount" the casualties -- his voice is full of passion, heartache and doubt. His reflections upon the dangers of mountain climbing are deeply felt.

A highly recommended read!

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Editorial Review :

This finely detailed political map shows up-to-date country boundaries and place names, as well as beautiful shaded relief.

The map covers a broad geographic area ranging from northern Africa through the Middle East to the western edge of China and India. Includes complete coverage of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Cyprus, and Eritrea.

Also includes parts of India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

Laminated (30'' x 23'')
Scale size: 1:6,087,000

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Editorial Review :

Though not as tall as Everest, the "Savage Mountain" is far more dangerous. Located on the border of China and Pakistan, K2 has some of the harshest climbing conditions in the world. Ninety women have scaled Everest but of the six women who reached the summit of K2, three lost their lives on the way back down the mountain and two have since died on other climbs.

In Savage Summit, Jennifer Jordan shares the tragic, compelling, inspiring, and extraordinary true stories of a handful of courageous women -- mothers and daughters, wives and lovers, poets and engineers -- who defeated this formidable mountain yet ultimately perished in pursuit of their dreams.

Customer Review :

Great book

Great book. A well written account of six great women mountaineers, their travails and the agony and ecstasy of climbing the world's second highest mountain. Very highly recommended .

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Adventure and mountain history

This is an excellent account of the 5 women that reached the summit of K2 as well as their extensive backgrounds. Each of the women was from a different walk of life, from women who were nationally sponsored to a house wife who had to live out of her car and bring her children to base camp with her. But one thing was present in all the women, the desire to climb mountains and the draw that the mountains had when they went back to their "normal" lives. The author's research is apparent in the numerous sources for her accounts of the lives of these women, from climbing partners to children, journals to radio transmissions, her writing is filled with accuracy. But this is also an adventure story that you won't want to put down. While you already know the outcome, you want to learn how these 5 women lost their lives to the mountains. An excellent adventure story.

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Inspirational

Savage Summit is essentially a biography of women mountaineers who have climbed K2. A number of world famous female mountaineers are celebrated extensively including Wanda Rutkiewicz, Chantal Mauduit, Alison Hargreaves, Julie Tullis and Liliane Barrard. The book was extremely well-written and extensively researched. It see-saws from uplifting to grievously sad. All the women met their deaths in the mountains between ages 33 and 49 leaving a trail of grieving parents, siblings, friends, lovers, husbands and children. Jordan captures their emotions, as well as her own, in a page turning exhibition of outstanding writing.
Bravo!

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Great Adventure Reading

Savage Summit by Jennifer Jordan is a must read for those who appreciate true-life adventure stories. As a non-climber who lives vicariously through the adventures of others as told in their books, I can't attest to what really goes on during an expedition or the ins and outs of the social-politics of the climbing community, especially high altitude climbers. I can say that Jordan's book seems to be well researched and recounts the adventures of the five subjects in the manner that made me feel a part of their lives and their climbs.
As a collection of adventure stories the book did not disappoint me in the least. I will admit that I was expecting a book about the first five women who climbed K2 that was written by a woman would be heavily slanted with a sexiest bias against the mostly male community of mountain climbers. Instead I found the book to be about 5 people who have that special inner drive to climb who also happened to be women. In telling the stories of these special people, Jordan also describes the bias and prejudice that some were faced with as they joined expeditions led by experienced men. This is especially true in the telling of Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz's adventures when women were a rare sight in climbing and as Jordan tells Wanda's stories and the stories of the other women she acknowledges that each was a person in her own right with their own strengths and weaknesses. Putting gender aside, Wanda Rutkiewicz had a personality that alienated many outside of a handful of people who understood her and even those closest to Wanda admit she could be difficult on an inter-personal level.
In telling the story of Chantal Mauduit Jordan clearly acknowledges that Mauduit, a happy-go-lucky sort who enjoy much luck climbing 8,000 meters peaks, used her feminine and sexual attributes to her advantage and thus enjoyed an advantage as she manipulated the males on her teams to carry the heavy loads and break routes that she could easily follow on her summit attempts.
The stories of Liliane Barrard, Julie Tullis and Alison Hargreaves were all exciting recounts of their climbing careers and their ultimate climbs to the summit of K2. Each of these women were beloved by friends and family, each recognized the dangers in high altitude climbing and each of them struggled with the pull of their loved one against the pull of the mountains. Ultimately, the mountains won and each died as accomplished climbers, not women, doing what they were drawn to do.
Bottom Line: Savage Summit is a great adventure read about 5 people who loved climbing and were eventually drawn to the attraction of solving a problem that is much greater than the well worn routes of Mt. Everest on the world's second highest peak, K2.


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Excellent Adventure Read that touches your heart

Jennifer's book is an excellent recollection of 5 women's stories of climbing an incredible 8,000 meter mountain, K2. There are very few books written about woman mountaineers so this was a sheer pleasure to find. I am a women mountaineer myself. I have yet to get to those peaks and through this book I better understanding their struggles in a man's world, love, desire and views. It truly touched my heart and mountain soul. Thank you Jennifer for all your work in such a wonderful work of love and curiousity! A must read that I have already recommended to several of my fellow mountaineer friends, male & female.

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Editorial Review :

Part of our best-selling classic series of reference maps and the latest and most detailed map of the region, our new Afghanistan and Pakistan wall map is a perfect complement for following today s news stories. Inherent to all National Geographic reference cartography this map contains thousands of place names and accurate political boundaries and designations.
The region s diverse terrain is expertly depicted in shaded relief and symbology, including the elevation of prominent mountains and ocean depths in meters. Superhighways, major roads, canals, railroads, oil infrastructure, and geologic features are also detailed.
Afghanistan s 34 administrative provinces and Pakistan s provinces and territorial boundaries are clearly delineated.
Available for purchase in both high quality paper as well as laminated formats. A tubed version is available for retail.
Scale: 1:3,363,000 :: 1 Inch = 53 Miles

Customer Review :

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Editorial Review :

A bounty of more than 240 recipes from the regions of France reveal the rich and varied produce of the world'srenowned center of gastronomy. France the Beautiful Cookbook gives a rare insight into the less -publicized side of French cooking: a cuisine which has been passed down through families by word or mouth. This home cuisine, so rich in history and tradition -- and so delicious - simmers and bubbles on family stoves and in country inns throughout each region.

France the Beautiful Cookbook takes the reader from the countryside to the table. It explains the vital link between each region's history , geography and culina traditions, story, people who make the food so unique. Without the abundance of oysters, withoutcassoulet withouthochepot, without the bourride without the wines and beers that go with them, France would not be France.

Specially commissioned photographs graphically convey the diversity and beauty of France's terrain: the craggy hills of the south, the coastal fishing villages along the western coast, the lush pastures of the Loire, the colorful Mediterranean, and the alpine regions and volcanic plateaus of the center.

The recipes are recorded in this beautiful book by the Scotto Sisters - food writers Marianne Comolli, Elisabeth Scotto and Michéle Carles -- who grew up in Paris, spending the summers of their childhood in the French countryside. Each Cookbook is the story of an ancient treasure trove of French regional gastronony eloquently narrated by Author Pludlowski and superbly captured in color by photographers Pierre Hussenot and Leo Meier.

Customer Review :

Armchair: 5. Recipes: 4.

I got this book on a closeout at my local bookstore, and at that low price the book is wonderful. I'd be a little less thrilled if I paid full-price... but only a little.

I would guess that most "...The Beautiful" books are probably purchased for their coffee table appeal. This is a large format book (12"x18"), with stunning photos of different areas of France and of the food (there's generally one picture of the finished dish for every two recipes). If you want a book to inspire you to travel to France or to go out to eat at a French restaurant, or if you are searching for an impressive and pretty gift, this is a no-brainer. It's gorgeous.

The recipes are very good, too, but I'm tempted to say that they're almost beside the point. There are 240 recipes, divided in menu-like sections (first courses, fish and shellfish, poultry and game, etc.) rather than regionaly. Each recipe is marked with the region it comes from, so you know that the mussels in cream is from Normandy and the veal rolls (paupiettes) are from Provence. There's also a couple of pages, with photos, describing each region. Nicely done.

I'm not knowledgeable enough about French cooking to speak to the authenticity of the recipes, but none of them were jarring. Most of the dishes are kept on the simple side (I get the feeling that the "real" version might require a few more hours in the kitchen), and they do have interesting, if short, introductions. The intro for cassoulet, for instance, gives a little history of this well-known dish, and mentions regional variations ("Toulouse adds Toulouse sausage, leg of lamb and confit"). You'll find the usual suspects of French cuisine; 240 dishes is a bunch, but far from exhaustive.

Most of the recipes are, as I said, very good. Their recipe for sole meuniere matches the one I use, and I have my eye on their recipe for beef braised with Calvados.

However, the book does show that it was written in 1989, when it was difficult to find some "exotic" ingredients. The recipe for chaoucroute (saurkraut with pork and sausage) calls for, among other things, a smoked kielbasa, and 6 Strasbourg sausages or frankfurters. David Rosengarten's _Taste_ has a whole chapter devoted to charcoute (which led me to spend my sole evening in Paris at a restaurant for which it's the specialty -- maybe I'll send him the bill), and it's obvious that these are gringo subsitutions. Kielbasa, maybe; frankfurters, no way. (Oddly, though, they don't shy away from dishes made with venison or rabbit, which I find much harder to find.)

As someone else mentioned, the desserts chapter feels short; there's about 20 recipes here, and I think most of us would assume that the French pastry section would be far larger.

Overall, this is a fine book -- particularly for inspiration purposes. If you can get it at a good price, grab it.

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Beautiful and Easy

This book is really packed and pretty. The pictures are great, but I think it could have included more desserts.

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Tastes Authentic!

Instead of purchasing this book here, I recommend looking for it in stores like Waldenbooks or Barnes and Noble in their section of books on sale. These stores always have a section of huge books that have been marked down to very reasonable prices.

This book isn't particularly huge, but it is legitimate in its recipes. I have tried several recipes from this book and they've all come out wonderful and comparable to the "real deals" that I've tasted over in France myself. There was no need to alter any of the ingredients or amounts, as so far I've had no failures/disasters in cooking from this book. It is divided up into sections (poultry, fish, desserts, etc.) and each section opens first to an introduction to a region of France with a little bit of background. The book provides pictures for almost every recipe they list, which I know can be helpful to some readers/cooks to know what it is they're cooking.

I would say, though, that some of the recipes might require you to be a little adventurous, as of course these authentic recipes require foods that Americans do not normally eat very often (like lamb and rabbit, for example). But I've found that other than that, the ingredients were not so exotic that I couldn't find them in the store and was forced to make adjustments.

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Don't hesitate to buy this!

Wow! What a find! This is an amazing book! You can hardly stop looking at the beautiful photos long enough to try the recipies! But when you do.........you'll be very happy! Be sure to try the Chicken Vinagrette on page 127, as it is the tastiest thing I have ever put into my mouth!

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Love it

I love this book! Great recipes and information about the country. Glossary is extremely useful.

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