Mountain Names. Robert Hixson Julyan. The Mountaineers, Seattle, 1984. 233 pages, black and white illustrations. $11.95, Cloth; $8.95, Paper.

Being a trivia buff, and a climber, I was very happy to receive a copy of Mountain Names for Christmas recently. At first perusal, the book appears to be rather humdrum; but it can soon become engrossing stuff. The book doesn’t have a huge selection of mountains, and where and how their names originated, but what there is will be useful knowledge for your next game of Trivial Pursuit. Perhaps a wee bit expensive—but where else will you find out how Mount Sowbungy in Maine got its name?

Todd Swain