Imperial Ascent: Mountaineering, Masculinity, and Empire

Rating:
Summary: Size Matters
Review: "Impreial Ascent: Mountaineering, Masculinity, and Empire" is a tightly crafted analysis of the formation of masculinity told through the fanstastic prism of mountaineering and exploration literature. Bayers treats the reader to a journey consisting of a comparative study of seven key 20th century mountaineering narratives. From Frederick Cook and Belmore Browne's adventures in Alaska to Jon Krakauer's account of more recent forays on Mt. Everest, he brings to bear both his keen insights into mountains as imperial icons and his infectious passion for adventure. "Imperial Ascent" will endure for students of masculinity, empire, and mountaineering alike. Bravo Dr. Bayers!

Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and Well-written
Review: Often in works of this type the author preaches more than informs his readers about the various political, cultural, social and ecomonic oppressions that the West has perpetrated against native peoples. However, Bayers book avoids the easy knee-jerk academic responses to the complex question of "imperialism." While his book clearly has a theme--that of the West's need to impose its waning will for empire in the early part of the twentieth century by conquering the last frontier, great mountains--Bayers is able to create an intelligent, fair-minded critique of the multiple forces at work in the narratives of early to mid-twentieth century climbers in expeditions to Mt. McKinley (Denali to the natives) or Mt. Everest. At the same time, his character study of the "heroic but flawed" men who made these climbs is as fascinating and as perceptive as any novelist's, and the story he tells is riveting to both academic and layman alike. I would highly recommend this book.