author, mountaineering writer – books, blog, opinion
In this era of fake news, the BBC has launched a Reality Check series to analyse popular news stories that sound plausible and assess whether or not they’re bollocks. I thought it might be fun to run one the BBC’s own stories through a reality check.
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My old Everest tent mate Grant Axe Rawlinson specialises in a form of travel he calls human-powered adventure – carrying out long personal challenges without resorting to motorised transport. I’ve been reading his book and following his latest challenge.
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Just a quickie to let you know that I’ve just released my latest travel diary The Everest Politics Show in paperback format, for those of you who like to read something that you can grasp firmly in your hands.
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A book by a writer with no publishing company to back him up, who doesn’t give any promotional talks, and whose books have never been reviewed by a single outdoor magazine, was a no.1 bestseller last week. I have you to thank.
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A quick note to let you know that those of you who pre-ordered my latest travel diary from Amazon should receive it on your Kindle tomorrow (24th). If you’ve bought it elsewhere, such as Apple iBooks or Kobo, then you should receive it on Monday, 28th.
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When I watched the documentary Nawang Gombu: The Heart of a Tiger last weekend, it had only been watched 151 times before me. This is ridiculous. It has some flaws, but it deserves to be watched more widely because of its subject matter.
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It’s been aaaages since I last published a travel diary; more than two years, in fact. But I’m pleased to announce The Everest Politics Show, the diary of my traumatic expedition to Lhotse in 2014, is now available for pre-order from Amazon, iBooks, Kobo and Barnes and Noble.
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The American operator Alpenglow is pioneering a new approach to Himalayan mountaineering with its Rapid Ascent trips. These expeditions are unaffordable to most ordinary people, but I believe it won’t be long before cheaper operators follow suit.
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Why does The Guardian so often commission people who haven’t got a clue about Everest to write self-righteous opinion pieces about it, instead of asking someone knowledgeable to write them instead? It’s an exercise in shit stirring that achieves nothing useful.
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For those of you who still prefer the waft of ink on the page, and have steered clear of reading any of my travel diaries because they’re only available in digital format, you no longer have an excuse for not reading them.
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