Authors relate first-hand experiences in high-altitude archaeological sites in the Andes, remote hidden valleys of Tibet, the icy reaches of northern Greenland, the view from the sky in a cross-America paraglide flight, the wind-scoured fjords of Chilean Patagonia and the alphine meadows of Scotland's Cairn-gorn Mountains. These are parts of the world that many are curious about and few will actually visit. LURE OF MOUNTAIN SPACES AND EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS: McDonald addresses how challenging landscapes shape people's lives and how people impact extreme landscape. 17 authors write on a host of issues related to landscapes around the world, including culture, spirituality, consumption of landscape, psychology of extreme landscape, corporate responsibility and mountains as inspiration. PREVIOUS PUBLICATION SUCCESS: Editor Bernadette McDonald's most recent book Voices from the Summit was widely regarded as an important collection of the world's greatest climbers. At a time when climbing has become mainstream and there is controversy surrounding all aspects of it, this publication tackled the issues past, present and future. TIMELY SUBJECT MATTER: the United Nations has declared 2002 to be International Year of the Mountains. This book is a celebration of extreme mountain landscape. COLLECTOR'S ITEM: a unique collection of original, new work by 17 internationally acclaimed leading authors, built around a common passion for Extreme Landscape.