The latest edition of National Geographic, which is appearing on
the shelves right now, is a fantastic Everest 50th Anniversary
special.
It comes with a free fold-out, double-side Everest map and has a
black and white pic of Sir Edmund Hillary on the cover. Inside there
are 50-odd pages devoted to the mountain including a beautifully
illustrated history of climbing on the mountain, Hilary's own
recollections of the first ascent and an outline of how altitude
affects the human body.
There's also a great article looking at the Sherpas, their
culture, history and present, again with some astonishing
photography.
We'd go as far as saying that if you're interested in Everest,
this is a must buy and a bargain even at £3.50.
Web site too...
Also well worth a look, particularly if you have broadband, is the
National
Geographic web site where you can read excerpts from the current
issue, plus the link to the Virtual Everest climb and special
Everest focus.
There's enough there to waste a long, rainy afternoon at work,
guaranteed. Thanks to OM member Alex Ford for reducing us all to a
level of zero productivity...
Gary Gleghorn
