Technique de L’Alpinisme, edited by Bernard Amy, Paris: Arthaud,

1977. 404 pages, 266 sketches, 325 photographs.

Finally, the book I wish I had written on climbing has appeared. Technique de L’Alpinisme, edited by Bernard Amy, is an authoritative collection of information on mountaineering. Its contents range from personal ethics to legal responsibility as well as from techniques to objectives. Certainly, the material on the legal aspects of roping with a stranger is unusual. That is the nature of climbing on the continent, but more important, there are some technical discussions useful for all climbers. For example, there are answers to questions like: What are the best ways to solo with a heavy pack? Which way does lightning flow down a mountain? How can meteorological conditions be interpreted in an unfamiliar area? What can the climber expect from certain types of rock or ice? Essentially, the text deals with the concerns of all climbers without lapsing into the banality of other instructional books.

However, I did have a complaint. The book’s binding reminded me of a Walt Disney special at the A&P.

Even without a knowledge of French, the book is worth looking at. The illustrations and photos clearly convey the content of the text—so much so, that I’m a little taken aback by the thought of how Bernard Amy views the literacy of the international climbing community.

John Bouchard