Freedom Climbers
2011 Boardman Tasker prize-winning modern history of Polish Alpinism / Himalayan climbing

Format	Book	Category	Fiction
Title	Freedom Climbers	Pages	352
Author	Bernadette McDonald	RRP
Publisher	Rocky Mountain Books	Reviews	1
Edition	2011	Ave Rating	(4.00 of 5)

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technogeekery 9/24/2012

Blurb: Freedom Climbers, the most honoured book of mountaineering literature published in Canada, tells the story of a group of extraordinary Polish adventurers who emerged from under the blanket of oppression following the Second World War to become the world's leading Himalayan climbers. Although they lived in a dreary, war-ravaged landscape, with seemingly no hope of creating a meaningful life, these curious, motivated and skilled mountaineers created their own free- market economy under the very noses of their Communist bosses and climbed their way to liberation. At a time when Polish citizens were locked behind the Iron Curtain, these intrepid explorers found a way to travel the world in search of extreme adventure;to Alaska, South America and Europe, but mostly to the highest and most inspiring mountains of the world. To this end, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Nepal became their second homes as they evolved into the toughest group of Himalayan climbers the world has ever known. Review: A very competent and well-written account of a fascinating group of climbers. McDonald has chosen a few representative Polish climbers to illustrate and add depth to her account of Polish climbing over the last 50 years. She covers an extraordinary group of climbers at a fascinating period in history, and her in-depth profiles add depth and human interest to a very impressive list of achievements. A good read for anyone interested in Himalayan climbing.