The Kangchenjunga Adventure

By Frank Smythe,

Book cover of The Kangchenjunga Adventure: The 1930 Expedition to the Third Highest Mountain in the World

Book description

'We went to Kangchenjunga in response not to the dictates of science, but in obedience to that indefinable urge men call adventure.'

In 1930, an expedition set out to climb the world's third-highest mountain, Kangchenjunga. As yet unclimbed, a number of attempts had been made on the peak, including two…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Kangchenjunga Adventure as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I first read this among my father’s books as a child. I believe he had met Smythe in London in the early 30, thus his signed copy of The Valley of Flowers. This is the quintessential book of that era of passionate amateur climbing and exploration, the age of Shipton and Tilman, of highly knowledgeable and deeply eccentric personalities. The writing is lyrical, just this side of purple, earthed by Smythe’s passion for botany, photography, and close observation. In the true sense of amateur, Kanchenjunga is a great adventure expedition in a time that will not come again. This…

From Andrew's list on from the other side of the mountain.

Want books like The Kangchenjunga Adventure?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 63 books like The Kangchenjunga Adventure.

Browse books like The Kangchenjunga Adventure

Book cover of The Living Mountain
Book cover of Tents in the Clouds: The First Women's Himalayan Expedition
Book cover of Calculated Risk: Adventure and Romance in Scotland and the Alps

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,355

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in mountaineering, mountains, and the Alps?

Mountaineering 44 books
Mountains 16 books
The Alps 14 books