|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 An amazing and unique perspective Jun 10, 2009
This is simply one of the best books I have ever had the opportunity to read. An amazing journey into the story of a Sherpa who struggled with his famous father's absence and celebrity, yet longed to share his dream and understand what drove the both of them to climb the highest peak in the world.
I was surprised at the depth of this book. Aside from Jamling being a member of the IMAX expedition, the usual references to the hardships on Everest, and the backdrop of the 1996 tragedy, this book contains what so many others lack - real depth and honesty. Jamling doesn't just tell a story, he takes you on a journey - into his life, his culture, his history and the unique perspective that can only come from being a Sherpa. Indeed, we experience not only his journey in touching his father's soul, but we are treated to a sacred and fascinating view into Jamling's soul as well.
If you are offended hearing about the culture and religion of another country then you will not like this book. It delves deeply into the Buddhist religion that is such an integral part of the Sherpa people, and forms the basis for their beliefs about the mountain itself. Using sensitive, yet honest observations, he also details how the culture of the Sherpa and their land has been changed by the constant influx and influence of the West, even when that picture is not flattering.
Honest, insightful and thought-provoking, this is a deeper look into Everest, and the people who call the Khumbu valley home. This book, along with Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, are in my opinion, two of the most honest honest and enlightening books ever written about Everest.
 A Sherpa in quest of himself, just on the mountains Apr 04, 2009
Even with a foreword of the Dalai-Lama and an introduction of Jon Krakauer! If this is no blessing! The author is the first Sherpa who wrote a book on mountaineering in the Himalayas and about how Sherpas look at it. He climbed the Everest himself in 1996 as a member of the filmteam IMAX. So far he was really in the footsteps of his famous father Tenzing, who was the first man to make it to the summit.
Since meanwhile it is custom for the Sherpas to surpass each other in performance to attain reputation in the Sherpa community it cannot be surprising that the author had to emulate his father. He succeeded in that of course, otherwise we would not have this book. Here it is, the report of an accomplishment!
Yet the book is more than that! You have to know that his father was in his times not only a national hero for the Sherpa, but also for the Nepalese and Indians - his home was India - even the English Queen conferred him the medal of St. George. In the USA a honorary doctorate was added.
It is also understandable that his son is reporting in this book a lot about the difficult relationship to his father. Jamling was destroyed when his father rejected his participation of an Everest expedition at the time when his son was a student. He did it with the words: "I climbed the Everest that you do not have to do it!" A reasonable decision which fell on his son`s deaf ears!
All the more since the relation to his father was formed by severity and tradition. Tenzings fame was a burden not only for his son but as well for his family, because he was steadily on journeys, there was no time for the son whose way could have been foreseen.
In 1986 his father died. Now he wanted to climb the Everest all the more. The opportunity came with the invitation of the film maker and mountaineer David Breasheares. Just when there was the season that again the nonsense of mountaineering in high altitudes at all costs overshadowed the sense of pure mountaineering! That was more the case than ever before, because meanwhile there were more commercial summit enterprises than genuine sportive enterprises. Clients who were no real mountaineers bought the "summiting". Catastrophies included!
1996 was practically the year when also Krakauer made his fortune - not by summiting but by writing about it and about the most tragic mountain accident ever at the Everest.
Jamling does the same here. Not too bad certainly for the sales figures of the book! Whether the book is the best what the literature on Everest climbing has to offer, as asserted by Krakauer? I do not think so. Too simple the style, pensive, yes, but not reflecting enough! He climbs higher than he thinks deep.
The tragedy on Everest gives the frame incidence of the book from which there are always flashbacks. Interesting is the inner change which the author is trying to picture us. It began with the mission to find to himself, to step out of the giant shadow of his father: "I was driven foremost from the wish to attain understanding. I had the feeling that only when I follow my father on the mountain... I really could experience something about my father...I wanted to find out what moved him and what he had found on the mountain".
Jamling, who had mainly visited secular schools and colleges, called himself a cynic. He, who did not really believe in the teachings of Buddhism! In face of the catastrophe of the mountain he has something like an aha-experience which brought him to turn to religion: "When I found myself in the womb of the mountain, surrounded by believing Sherpas and confronted with death cases which took place and had taken place here my cynism had quickly flew off."
Besides he is describing how he admired the Americans until he started to study in the USA and realized how disrespectful the students behaved in front of their teachers.
"A life in abundance might be excusable, but where is thankfulness?" You can also hear that in a marriage love can grow, a love that could have been absent in the beginning, but is destined to become the result of a "shared, true life`s experience". And likewise he is informing many experiences with critical comments. That is how a traditionally educated Sherpa looks at the western world. Read it, it is partly elucidating, although it should not be!
Here you have to consider that he made these sayings after his "conversion". But notwithstanding this, I think, this kind of thinking was already implanted in him. The experiences on Everest only clarified where he was ideological at home. This is becoming apparent when he performs certain rites together with other Sherpas in the preparation for the climbing, from the recitation of mantras to special physical or spiritual exercises. Moreover the author is reporting about many other traditions and concepts of the Sherpas. He is considering what happens when he dies on the mountain. This is getting more concrete when the two previous expeditions meet their destinies. Should they still dare a try? How to overcome the unease? Whence to get the motivation?
The description of the climb, even with all the sufferings and strains and the macabre confrontation with frozen predecessors, has nothing new to offer. We have seen this already. When he stands on the summit, he says: "we are here- we are on the summit! And it is wonderful!"
Lack of Oxygen I say! He notices the presence of his father, even of his father`s pride about the achievement of his son. And he hears him speak: "Jamling, you did not need not go so far, you did not need to climb this mountain in order to be with me and to talk to me!" Nevertheless he was happy. So this is also settled!
In the end the author is confessing to be a follower of the cultures of East and West. He adopted in the West scepticism, but for metaphysical questions the Tibetan buddhism is more competent. The views of West and East would not properly contradict each other, is his message! He is proposing to "expand the sound synergy which - even when just latent - exists between both hemispheres of thinking". True, without the help of East and West neither his father, an eastern, nor Hillary, the westerner, could have made it to the top of Everest.
A nice sentence at the end of the book: "We should not believe that a little sin could not do any damage. Even one small spark can enflame a huge haystack. Quite similarly the value of good deeds should not be under-estimated. Even tiny snowflakes, one upon the other, can cover the highest mountains with pure white."
This book was written by a Sherpa which makes it differ from the mass of other Everest books from the pens of western mountaineers. Alone because of this it has deserved to be read. I found it more entertaining and informing than many other books related to the theme. If somebody wishes to get more information about the psychics and the world, of the Sherpas, he should read Sherry Ortners "The world of the Sherpas".
Jamling Norgay succeeds Jan 18, 2007
I have read many mountain climbing books and this is one of the best. It is such a refreshing perspective from the sherpa's eye view. A great read.
Some Climb Dec 18, 2006
This book recounts the 1996 memoirs of Jamling Norga, son of Tenzing Norgay. In 1953, Tenzing Norgay was one member of the two-man team that first made it to the top of Mt. Everest. Jamling, who was born after Tenzing's historic climb, felt drawn to follow in his footsteps from the time he first understood his father's place in the world. In this book, he details the events leading to his own successful ascent up Mt. Everest. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons his father tried to teach him about ethics, culture, and life. Tenzing had once forbidden Jamling to climb the mountain, telling him that he climbed Everest so that Jamling wouldn't have to. But that's not how it works between sons and fathers--there are some lessons a son must learn solely through personal experience, and no amount of advice or urging will dissuade him from a path he is determined to take.
In this book, Jamling recounts how his family lamas prognosticated a very dangerous season on Mt. Everest. As it turned out, Jamling would lose many friends on the mountain that year, all strong, experienced climbers. Although he had not been a member of the fated climbing teams that were decimated during those fateful days in May, 1996, he retells the stories of their tragic deaths as he witnessed the events unfold from the intermediate camps high on the mountain. All of these stories he tells from his unique vantage point as a Sherpa, a Buddhist, born and raised in India, and educated in the West. Thus, this book is quite different from the average climbing adventure story. It is as much a cultural adventure, a search for identity, and a tale of religious awakening with the Everest climb providing the backdrop.
Three books in one Jul 29, 2003
Excellent book! The way I view it, it's 3 books in 1: a book about Tenzing's climb and personal life told by his
son, a book about his son's 1996 climb and his life and thoughts, and a book on Sherpa's life and Buddhist
customs. I really enjoyed reading it. The photographs include some photos of Tenzing as well.
|
| | |
