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Summary: A book that helped foster my life-long love of mountains
Review: When I was a child of 9, already a precocious reader, I happened to run across this children's book by James Ramsey Ullman in the local library. The story touched me deeply for many reasons, not the least of which was the loss of my father at the age of 4 and my identification with the youthful protagonist, Rudi, who was also a fatherless boy. Somewhat later, while living in Berkeley, I read Jack Kerouac's 'Dharma Bums', in which Kerouac's chaotic ascent of Matterhorn Peak in the Sierras with Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsberg is detailed. Both of these books had an important role to play in fostering my life-long love of mountaineering. In the case of Ullman's classic fiction, based loosely on the first ascent of the Swiss Matterhorn, an identification was created with this symbolic mountain of fears, hope, and dreams. Later in life, I had occasion to spend frequent visits to Zermatt climbing in and around the Matterhorn. Having by this time become ferociously familiar with the whole history of the early Victorian 'Golden Age of Mountaineering', I frequently stayed in the Hotel Monte Rosa, erstwhile headquarters of the English Alpine Club of that era, and reveled in my vicarious associations with the history of both the mountain and its famous climbers. This culminated in an ascent of the Matterhorn via the standard Hornli Ridge route in 1984, which was one of my peak aspirations in life (no pun intended). Today, looking back on my life-passions, I have James Ramsey Ullman's fabulous tale of youthful adventure to thank for giving my life this important and life-sustaining vision of the beautiful, immortal mountains as symbolic trail markers through mortal life. As Ramsey's version of Edward Whymper (Captain Winter) states so perfectly to Rudi in the book's opening chapters, "Youth is the time for dreams, boy...the trick is, when you get older, not to forget them." Amen and "Berg Frei!"
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Summary: you should have a dream to tutch the sky !
Review: I love this book ! I've read it five times,three by my self , and once with my dad , and once with my classmates ! SO read it !
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Summary: Very Good
Review: When I first read this book in later elementary school or Junior High, it began with a mild wonder, that gradually grew into a deep obesession. I couldn't stop reading, and even had to smuggle it in to school to keep going during a boring Social Science class. Oh yeah, and it had the perfect ending, I was very impressed.Recently, I went back and re-read this (age 18), and found that yes, it definitely is a children's book, but that did not prevent it from being nearly as riviting the second time around, and it is written well enough that with my more critical, older eye, I could still find almost nothing to complain about, except that I wished it was longer.
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Summary: I Re-Read Banner in the Sky Every Few Years
Review: I first read Banner as a boy and was so taken away with the drama that I read it so fast and didn't even understand the ending. Did he ever make it to the top? I've since gone on to re-read Banner many times over the years and am always thrilled with the crystal clear writing and cold details. And I always end up reading the final climb all at once. Into Thin Air is amazing, but sorely lacks the quality of writing that Banner has. If you like the outdoors this book will blow you away.
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Summary: Shocking, Suspenseful, and Breathtaking!
Review: Banner in the Sky is a wonderful book. It fills people with hope and love to try things that they never dreamed of before. It is as breathtaking as the real thing, and is unbelievable. You will never be able to put it down. As a winner of the Newberry Honor Award, you will see why once you read this. James Ullman is as stunning as he is a great writer. I rate this book with 5 stars.
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Summary: a great book of suspense and adventure
Review: i thought it was a great book with new tasks and advetures around every corner. it's a story of a swiss boy who loves hiking and is held back from his greatest dream wich is to clim mount cidel wich his father started to but died in his venture and now he thinks he should finish his fathes misson wich has never been accomplished but his mother forbids him one night he sneeks out to fufill his dream!!!! what will happen?will he end up as his father? to find out read and i'm sure you'll love it!!!!!!!e-mail if u want to
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Summary: The most exciting book I have ever read
Review: "Banner in the Sky" is a very exciting book about a sixteen year old swiss boy, named Rudi, who with his uncle, a guide from another town, and an English captain, strives to reach the summit his father had died in the attempt to reach. This is the most exciting book I have ever read! After Rudi's father died, his mother decided Rudi should become a hotel manager and his Uncle (a mountain guide) agreed that there had been too many deaths in the family for Rudi to take any chances. When Rudi defies his mother and starts up the mountain on his own, he finds himself in a snow storm at the very place where his father died. It is then that he realizes the true meaning of his ambition. Climbing back down the mountain he discovers that his Uncle who had been looking for him has decided that he too wants to conquer the mountain that took his brother-in-law and left the whole village in fear. Together with Capt. Winter and another guide they struggle upward encountering many close calls and times when they feel they can not make it. Rudi's determination to fulfill his father's lifelong wish, which was to put a red shirt on the top of the mountain, and, to show his villiage and the world that he had accomplished what had seemed impossible, keeps him going. The author was able to make this book very realistic because he himself was part of a group that succeded in climbing Mount Everest. I recommend this book for older readers who like gripping realistic adventures. This book is great!!! I hope you read it and enjoy it like I did.
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Summary: excellent
Review: this book shows an exciting real life dramma of a boy who wants to reach the summit of a mountain that his father died on, the only problem is that the mountain has never before been conquered!
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Summary: I wish I could give it six!
Review: Being an avid mountain climber, The writing on the back of the book really made me want to read it. At the part when he is cought in an avalanche I could really feel it because I have been up close to an avalance and saw what they can do. This book is tied for my 1st favorite book (along with The Right Mountain) This book deserves 6 stars; you must read this book!
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Summary: A wonderful story.
Review: I read it and loved it when I was in Junior High School. The expert descriptions of mountaineering take you along with Rudi on his great adventure. I still reread it regularly forty years later.
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