The Ascent of the Matterhorn by Edward Whymper

The Ascent of the Matterhorn by Edward Whymper

Few thought of travelling to the Alps until John Ruskin extolled their rugged beauty in 1842. More than anyone, it was 25-year-old Edward Whymper who imbued them once again with a sense of alarming mystery after his Alpine memoir and first ascent of the Matterhorn. Inspiring the birth of mountain climbing, his book is still as fresh as when he wrote it as a love letter to the unique Alpine world and the fierceness of nature he discovered. Armed with a pick-axe, he climbed in tweeds and leather shoes, alone or with local hunters and craftsmen who carried the ropes, stores, tents and hacked steps in the ice. Even today, the mountain is treacherous and has recorded over 500 deaths since Whymper reached its peak. As an engraver, Edward Whymper enthusiastically embraced the rapidly advancing art of photography. In 1874, he took a portable camera and plates up the Matterhorn-a first-to turn photographs into engravings for a new edition of his book, and, in 1883, to include as lantern slides with talks (inspiring in teenage Winston Churchill, for one, a lifelong passion for the Alps). In this volume, these photographs are added to Whymper's original engravings and Alpine advice, to accompany his dramatic story-and many appear in print for the first time.

'Unapproachable in Alpine literature.. vivid memories of his happy time... you can almost hear the tinkle of bells on the Alps; you breathe the fresh fragrance of the pine trees.' THE TIMES; 'A classic of mountaineering literature and all storytelling.' ; DAILY TELEGRAPH; 'The vigour and power that only personal observation can give.' BIRMINGHAM POST; 'An exceptional book.' HERALD (GLASGOW); 'Still a better introduction to the Dauphine Alps and some of the finest valleys and high passes of central Europe than from modern climbing guide books.' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Edward Whymper was born into a family of engravers in Lambeth, South London, and soon became a celebrity engraver, illustrating Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species and Heinrich Schliemann's books on Troy and Mycenae. After ascending the Matterhorn, he travelled the world and explored Greenland and the Andes, while dreaming of conquering the Himalayas and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Theresa May was Britain's Prime Minister and MP of Maidenhead from 1997 to 2024 and is an author. She shares her passion for the Alps with Edward Whymper and he was one of her choices for a dream dinner party.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781783341825
Title	The Ascent of the Matterhorn
Author	Edward Whymper
Condition	Unavailable
Publisher	Gibson Square Books Ltd
Year published	2024-07-15
Number of pages	288
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable