Regards vers I’Annapurna, by Maurice Herzog and Marcel Ichac. Introductions by Lucien Devies and Maurice Herzog. 84 pages of illustrations, with 12 pages of commentary. Grenoble and Paris: B. Arthaud, 1951.

This excellent picture book in color is, I believe, the best modern photographic record of a Himalayan expedition that has been published. Beautiful and exciting photographs record the outstanding success of the splendid French expedition to Annapurna, the highest mountain in the world yet climbed. That Annapurna, the first “eight-thousander” to be conquered, was a terrible adversary is shown in various ways, including views of the severely frostbitten leader, Maurice Herzog. The several members of the expedition whose photographs are included are to be congratulated for this fine book, even as the expedition itself is to be congratulated on their superb success.

In his introduction M. Devies states: “Annapurna! Plus encore qu’un triomphe sur la nature, c’est une victoire sur soi. Comment montrer, avec plus de force, que le destin de l’homme, c’est bien le dépassement de lui-même.”

R. H. Bates