Peter Hillary Knihy

"It was coming right for us. Giant armchairs of green water ice and a great wave of smaller ice debris rumbling down the face itself. I grabbed hold of the axe and hammer in front of me, trying to leave only my pack and helmet vulnerable to what would very soon be on me . . . Ten strong men pulled on my legs, an angry crowd beat on my helmet and shouted in my ears. The rope slackened; I could hold no longer. Ice, rock, freefall; bounce, tumble in a storm of meteorites rushing across the heavens. An incredible silence . . . Ken was gone. Our friend was gone."These deeply-felt words convey the shock and despair the author felt after the avalanche had swept him and his three companions off the mountainside, killing one, leaving Peter badly injured and his two friends shocked and hurt. The attempt on Ama Dablam was the climax to Peter Hillary's year in Nepal. Earlier he had worked with his father Sir Edmund and a Himalayan Trust team on bridge and school hostel construction. This was followed by an attempt on unclimbed Kusum Kang and a monsoon jaunt with his Canadian girlfriend, Nena, in southern India. The story has zest, humour, romance and excitement as Peter describes his adventures with the observant eye of an enthusiastic young man. This, indeed, adds a new dimension to modern mountaineering, with rock music among the peaks. It shows Peter Hillary to be not only an accomplished adventurer, but also an author of considerable promise. Readers will eagerly await his future books."

In Nepal , internationally renowned photographer Richard I'Anson presents a vibrant photographic portrait of this fascinating Himalayan country.Nepal first established itself as a travelers' mecca in the 1960s, when Kathmandu became an important stopover on the Asian overland route. It has been captivating visitors ever since with its impossibly picturesque villages, soaring snow-covered mountains, grand monuments, and ancient towns whose narrow streets are dotted with temples, tiny shrines and priceless art.Since his first visit in 1986, I'Anson has returned to Nepal every year to photograph people and places all over the country, from the crowded streets of old Kathmandu to remote mountain passes and high Himalayan viewpoints.For Nepal he has selected more than 400 stunning photographs covering five regions that always capture the imagination of visitors. Nepal celebrates a unique, ethnically diverse culture living amid incredible natural and urban environments - a heady mix that also includes accessible wildlife, outrageously colorful festivals, an artistic heritage spanning hundreds of years, and a welcoming people who inspire so many traveler to return again and again.