Description
Book SynopsisFreedom Climbers is the multi award-winning book by Bernadette McDonald, now available in the UK and Ireland thanks to Vertebrate Publishing.
Freedom Climbers tells the story of the 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 war-ravaged landscape, with seemingly no hope of creating a meaningful life, these curious, motivated and skilled mountaineers built 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 Himalayan climbers the world has ever known. In her most engaging book to date, renowned and award-winning author Bernadette McDonald weaves a passionate and literary tale of adventure, politics, suffering, death and - ultimately - inspiration.
Trade ReviewOne of the most important mountaineering books to be written for many years. – Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature
Climbers everywhere have much to l learn from this bold, tragic, ultimately magnificent story. – Grand Prize Winner, Banff Mountain Book Festival
A brilliantly crafted tale of mountain and political adventure that reveals a golden era in Himalayan climbing that was as glorious as it was tragic. – Sir Chris Bonington
This important volume documents a defining chapter of Himalayan climbing history. – Reinhold Messner
Painstakingly researched and well crafted, this remarkable book acknowledges the significance of Polish mountaineers during the golden age of Himalayan exploration. Fascinating. – Andy Cave, author of Learning to Breathe
McDonald deserves special praise for bringing to light the stories of these remarkable men and women, and doing so in a manner that does honour to their memory. – Wade Davis, author of Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest
A gripping read, bound to become a classic of mountain literature. – Maria Coffey, author of Explorers of the Infinite
Takes the reader from deep within Communist-controlled Poland and into the lonely, dramatic landscapes of the world's most formidable mountain ranges. – Jim Curran, author of High Achiever: The Life and Climbs of Chris Bonington
Freedom Climbers is a very enlightening and captivating look at the Polish climbing superstars. – Ed Viesturs, author of No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks
