Overview

The story of Snowdon in Jim Perrin's words. The secrets within its fractured rocks and its shy flora, its folk tales echoing an older race and its beliefs, travellers' chronicles, industry, sport and an anthology of literature all contribute towards our understanding of the mountain. New Paperback edition. First published in hardback in 2012. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru

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9781843235750

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Reviews

Snowdon is the biography of a mountain, as complex and detailed as that of a human being. This is a book about all aspects of Snowdon: the architecture, history, folklore, mood, light-play, drama, atmospherics, aesthetics, richness of human story, wealth of cultural texture, and character. At the book launch the publisher said that the finished book is over twice as long as initially planned. It now stands at 217 pages and is written in a serious and academic style containing a foreword, introduction, afterword, bibliography and many footnotes and references. There are no illustrations or maps. It might be helpful to read it with an OS map at hand to trace the routes mentioned. As every aspect of the mountain is described in passionate, almost obsessive detail, a portrait of the author also emerges. Jim Perrin, an award-winning travel writer and mountaineer, freely admits that he has been under the spell of Snowdon for the whole of his 'outdoor life'. Jim is far from objective: his argument is that Snowdon is the 'British mainland's finest mountain'. He is certainly smitten and enraptured by Snowdon, frequently waxing lyrical. At times there are beautifully poetical descriptions and he paints lovely pictures of the fauna and flora of the area. Now in his seventh decade, Jim Perrin is a man of experience and strong opinions which he expresses forthrightly. If the reader has known the joy and satisfaction of complete familiarity with a path, hilltop or coastline so that every stone, every nuance, is known by heart, if he has the ability to walk it in the mind's eye, instantly recognise a change or violation, then maybe he will sympathise with the proud claims made here. Are they the boasts of the schoolyard or do we detect a slight twinkle in the author's unseen eye? There are no clues to lend credence to this theory. It is up to the readers to decide for themselves. -- Catriona Jackson @ www.gwales.com

Author Information

Jim Perrin is a writer, broadcaster and rock climber. As a writer he has made regular contributions to a number of newspapers and climbing magazines. As a climber he has developed many new routes, and made solo and free ascents of great difficulty. Among his books are River Map (Gomer Press, 2001) and Snowdon: The Story of a Welsh Mountain (Gomer, 2012). He has appeared at many festivals and is the recipient of a number of awards e.g. Boardman Tasker Prize, Wales Tourist Board Wales in Print Award 2002, VisitAmerica Travel Writer of the Year, 2000.

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