6 Mar 2008
2008 National Year of Reading.
It shouldn't take the World Book Day to push you towards picking up a book and skimming its pages. With a rich vein of mountain and climbing literature spanning back several decades, there's good reason to flick through the covers of some awe-inspiring writing all year round. Mountain and climbing literature has long had its own festivals and competitions which are not short of entrants. Our own detailed book reviews are an effort to bring the importance of this genre of writing to a wider climbing audience; with the aim of reviewing those books considered by many to encapsulate the passion of climbing and mountaineering. Here are what we consider to be the top three Mountain Literature Festivals and the winners, entrants and those short-listed from each in 2007, with (where applicable) dates for the upcoming 2008 festivals and book awards. The Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature This annual mountain literature prize was set up in memory of Alan Boardman and Joe Tasker in 1982 after they had lost their lives on the North East Ridge of Everest. The prize in their remembrance is also a fitting reminder that their passion in climbing was mirrored in their own writing - two elements that often go hand in hand. This competition has seen some exemplary writers and climbers take the prize, notably Joe Simpson, Jim Perrin and Paul Pritchard. The winner of the 2007 Boardman Tasker prize was Robert McFarlane's ‘The Wild Places' - a personal exploration and account of the authors' visits to numerous areas of remote wilderness within Britain. Further information about the Boardman Tasker Prize can be found here. The list of winners from previous years can be found here. The Kendal Mountain Book Festival A relative newcomer to the mountain literature prizes, the Kendal Mountain Book Prize incorporated the International Mountain Literature Prize recently as an integral part of its annual mountain festival programme. This takes place as part of a weekend of all things climbing and mountaineering, including the Mountain Film Festival, guest lectures and the Art Festival. Just to confuse issues, last years Boardman Tasker Prize for mountain literature was announced at the Kendal Festival. Guest speakers are sure to keep audiences entertained throughout the weekend, along with lively debate, live music and readings. Further information regarding the festival can be found here. This year's proposed dates are 21st/22nd of November. Firm dates will be listed at reddo10 when confirmed by the organizers. The Banff Mountain Book Festival Slightly further afield than the two festivals listed above is The Banff Mountain Book Festival, hosted in Canada. Similar in content to the Kendal Festival, The Banff Festival runs over several days and includes not only the Book Festival but also Film, Photography and Arts Festivals. This is an incredibly popular event in the international mountaineering and climbing calendar and last year attracted 113 entries into the Book Festival from over nine countries. There are several ‘Best Book' categories but last years Grand Prize went to ‘Forever on the Mountain' by James M. Tabor. This book investigates the accounts and controversy surrounding the Mount McKinley disaster in 1967, when seven members of the twelve man expedition found themselves stranded in a vicious artic storm and subsequently perished. Further information about The Banff Mountain Book Festival can be found here. Winners, short-listed books and all books entered can be found here. For a selection of books reviewed on reddo10 click here.
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