Monthly Archives: March 2016

K2, The Savage Mountain

What a disaster. I enjoyed the first three chapters and the appendix of the book because they were so detailed. I think this is the first book we have read that went into that much depth about the history and geography of the mountain and the planning before the expedition in one book. Though it quickly…

Final Paper Topic

For the final paper, I am going to focus on the imperial aspect of mountaineering and the effects of westernization on the Greater Ranges’ indigenous peoples. When comparing specific European nations, such as Great Britain and France, there exist distinct narratives that accompany their expeditions. I plan on continuing to examine the difference in the…

Final paper proposal

For my final paper topic, I’d like to do it on the psychology of deadly mountaineering situations. Once a rope snaps, or a leg breaks, instantly an outing of adventure and fun is changed to survival and animalistic tendencies. What are people thinking when they are in a situation they know there is a high…

Final paper proposal

For my final paper, I am thinking about writing how various ancient societies viewed the mountains. We have discussed it a bit in class, and I would like to explore it further. I want to know different philosophies, religions practices, as well as each cultures reason for bedding near the mountains. I will to try to…

Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet Seven Years in Tibet is unlike any of the books we have previously read in this course. Although it doesn’t concentrate solely on a mountaineering expedition, such as his previous book The White Spider and most mountaineering literature, it does provide us with a much deeper look into the Tibetan culture…

Seven Years in Tibet

Although Seven Years in Tibet is not a mountaineering book, it adds to the subject invaluably by giving a deep insight into the lives and culture of the main group of people living near high altitude mountains. Harrer isn’t the most lavish writer, as he admits in the beginning, but the facts speak for themselves. The simple…

Seven Years in Tibet: Week 8

Strangers in Hiding Bryant Lymburn Seven Years in Tibet is a book that accounts the difficulties, hardships, and ultimate joys of Heinrich Harrer’s travels through Tibet in order to escape the POW camps set up by Britain in India during World War 2. Harrer and his companions were in between expeditions to climb peaks in…

Seven Years in Tibet

Harrer’s experience in Tibet definitely creates a unique adventure story. It is educational, mellow, shows friendship, and is a primary historical source as well. I have always wanted to know more about high mountain culture and I am glad I had the chance to learn a little through Harrer’s eyes. The other books we have read…

Week 8 Reading Response

Seven Years in Tibet started off as a very eager read for me! I really enjoyed the introduction and the explanation as to why Harrer took to the mountains; it wasn’t because they were simply there or he was looking for something that would terrify him into finding the meaning of life, but rather, he…

Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet is definitely different than any other book we’ve read this semester. It recounts Heinrich Harrer’s time spent in Tibet after escaping from a POW camp and finding asylum in Tibet. Its purpose, I think, Harrer makes very clear at the end of the book, “My heartfelt wish is that this book may…