Savage Arena - Joe Tasker

Joe Tasker lies, struck down by illness, in a damp, bug-infested room
in the Himalaya, wondering if he will be well enough to climb Dunagiri,
his first venture to the 'big' mountains. One of Britain's foremost
mountaineers and a pioneer of lightweight climbing, he is about to
attempt one of the first true 'Alpine-style' climbs in the Greater
Ranges.
The Dunagiri attempt forms part of Tasker's striking tale of
adventure in the savage arena of the mountains. A superb writer, he
vividly describes the first British winter ascent of the North Face of
the Eiger, the first ascent of the West Wall of Changabang - considered a
'preposterous' plan by the climbing world - and his two unsuccessful
attempts on K2, the second highest mountain on Earth.
Savage Arena is both moving and exciting, an inspirational
tale of the adventuring spirit which follows its own path, endlessly
seeking new challenges, climbs and difficulties to overcome. It is not
reaching the summit which counts, it is the journey to it. It is also a
story of the stresses and strains of living for long periods in constant
anxiety, often with only one other person, and of the close and vital
human relationships which spring from those circumstances.
'The most riveting book on climbing that I have ever read.' Sir Chris Bonington
'A gripping story of tremendous courage and unbelievable endurance.' Sir Edmund Hillary.