High Worlds of the Mountain Climber, photographs by Bob and Ira Spring. Text by Harvey Manning. Seattle: Superior Publishing Co., 1959. 142 pages; numerous color and black and white photographs. This book is an introduction to the mountains of western United States and to the several generations of men who have lived and climbed in them. It is also a plea for the protection of the mountain wilderness against encroachments by man. Quick glimpses are given of the history of mountaineering in the Cascades, Olympic Range, the Sierras and many other areas. Some of the descriptions of early explorations, particularly an early trek to Mount Olympus, make hilarious reading. The latter parts of the book describe present day climbs in the northern Cascades and on Mount Rainier.

The author is justifiably proud of western mountaineering and shows a great deal of enthusiasm and familiariy with the mountains.

The photographs are varied and of excellent quality. The black and white photographs are beautifully reproduced, but some of the color reproductions are not quite as good. The frequency with which people appear in the photographs makes them particularly interesting. This book certainly succeeds in effectively presenting mountaineering to the non-climber, and I found it very much worth reading as an introduction to western climbing.

Edward A. Ames