A Walk in the Clouds
50 Years Among the Mountains
Don’t worry, be happy, and just continue to climb; Reynolds shows us how.
Amazing snow-capped mountains, rocks, and glaciers, along with new friends and old, set the backdrop for A Walk in the Clouds: 50 Years Among the Mountains, by Kev Reynolds.
The author of more than fifty books, many of them well-known guidebooks, Reynolds here records the stories not included in the guidebooks—the ones of bad weather (where he is nevertheless content), amazing beauty, pure happiness, and agonizing remorse. He writes of the Atlas Mountains, the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Himalayas, and other mountain ranges. The book is organized thus, with chapters being stories of his times hiking and climbing a particular range. Through it all, there are two main underlying themes: one of being happy, no matter the surrounding conditions, and another of living life to the fullest. Both themes are best highlighted in the chapter on the Himalayas: “On the frost-glistening snow of the Larkya La I was thankful for ‘now,’ for this moment in time.”
Reynolds writes with a passion for his subject and an eye for description and detail. Readers can hear the creeks rush and the rocks fall; they can feel the wind, rain, or snow on their faces. Imagine being with the author and experiencing this: “Now we had a stream for company, its water eager to reach the plains, surging forward towards the north, tumbling over projections as it went, swirling along pebble corridors—the perfect companion on such a day.” Or, cling to a ladder with the author during a rock fall: “The landscape was changing before our eyes, and the sound and smell of the destruction was awesome.” Reynolds engages all senses with seemingly little effort.
This book on travel and adventure—a memoir of sorts—could be improved by only two things: more explanation for the non-hiker and non-mountain climber, and the inclusion of some of the photos he took and maps he made during his hikes and climbs. A history of the author’s many hikes and mountain-climbing excursions, this detailed book can transport the reader to far-off mountainsides. More than that, it can teach them what it means to be content and to live life fully.
Reviewed by
Beth VanHouten
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
