From one of the most daring mountaineers of modern times, Walter Bonatti’s The Mountains of My Life is an account of years spent conquering the most intimidating peaks on Earth, translated and with a foreword by Robert Marshall in Penguin Modern Classics. The Mountains of My Life is the breathtaking collection of Walter Bonatti’s classic writings, detailing a life on the world’s toughest ascents. He describes the staggeringly basic equipment he used and the fear, joy and serenity he finds on these daring ascents, as well as the importance of finding his courage and challenging himself. Included here too is the real story behind the feuds and controversy that were sparked by the K2 ascent that changed his life. Bonatti, one of the greatest mountaineers of all time, perfectly captures here in this awe-inspiring and passionate work the adventure, tragedy and sheer magnitude of his craft.
Walter Bonatti (1930-2011) was born in Bergamo, Italy. As a young man he dedicated himself to extreme alpinism, and from the age of 19 to 35, he became an expert climber. In 1954 he played a vital role in the success of the Italian expedition that achieved the first ascent of K2. After 1965 Bonatti gave up mountaineering, turning to photojournalism for the Italian magazine Epoca, and travelling to remote places. If you enjoyed The Mountains of My Life, you might like T.E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom, also available in Penguin Modern Classics. ‘Bonatti’s voice reaches us from another world’
The Press ‘One of the most driven, audacious and successful mountaineers … of all time’ Andy Cave, Guardian