FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2009
Appalachian Mountain Club Books is pleased to announce the release of the Tenth Anniversary Edition of the acclaimed adventure narrative Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire. Among the most beautiful and deadly mountains in the world, Mount Washington has challenged adventurers for centuries with its severe weather. From the days when gentlefolk ascended in hoop skirts and wool suits to today’s high-tech assaults on wintry summits, this book offers seventeen extensive and intimate profiles of people who found trouble on New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, from the nineteenth century through the present day.
Recognized by the
Boston Globe as one of the 100 Essential New England Books, the first edition of
Not Without Peril garnered commendation from the Banff Mountain book festival for its gripping tales of exploration and tragedy.
New to the Tenth Anniversary Edition
- Foreword from Mohamed Ellozy, former accidents editor of the mountaineering journal Appalachia
- Afterword from author Nicholas Howe, offering a personal account of an evening spent at the Mount Washington Observatory while 160-mile-per-hour winds raged outside
- Updated chronology of deaths on Mount Washington
- New historical photos
Praise for the first edition of Not Without Peril
“Nick Howe has combined extensive research with his rich personal knowledge to weave an articulate tale of adventure, challenge, and tragedy. Today’s mountain travelers can ignore these historic lessons only at their own peril.” —Dr. Peter Crane, Director of Programs, Mount Washington Observatory
“A masterfully written book chronicling 150 years of disaster and near-disaster in these rugged mountains, it serves as a warning to all overzealous newcomers to the range.”
—Lloyd Feriss, Portland Press Herald
“Howe’s well-written, diligently researched chronicle not only recounts the sad ends of the victims—it is cautionary to note that more have died in the three seasons other than winter—but is chock-full of mountain lore and history.” —Michael O’Connor, Boston Herald
“A well-crafted collection of stories, exciting yet sobering, and hard to put down. As a hiker and rescuer living in the shadow of Mount Washington, I have gained an even greater respect for the mountains. Never again will I look at them in the same light after having read Not Without Peril.” —Frank Hubbell, D.O., medical director of Mountain Rescue Service, founder and co-director of SOLO
“In essays that preface each episode, Howe examines the odd circumstances that surround it and the occasional ripple effects of death in the mountains.”—D. Quincy Whitney, The Boston Globe
“Fans of outdoor disaster and unpleasantry, as well as collectors of New England mountain lore, will find Howe a generally satisfying guide to New Hampshire’s dark side.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Not Without Peril is an outstanding addition to the literature of mountaineering. Howe’s work gives us a masterful, riveting, and meticulously researched account of some of the most tragic encounters with the wrath of the White Mountains. These stories are made even more chilling because of the accessibility of these mountains to the recreational hiker.”—Donna Urey, President, New England Booksellers Association
“This should be required reading for anyone who will be—or has already gone—hiking in the mountains.”—Nelly Heitman, Foreword Magazine
“Howe tells the stories straightforwardly, deftly blending in the historical and geographical information needed to make them complete. Not Without Peril makes a memorable, informative, and ultimately sobering read about the high peaks of the Northeast.”—Sentinel & Enterprise, Leominster, Massachusetts
“Between the excellent prose, the interesting historical details and the riveting accounts of misadventure, Not Without Peril will be appreciated by anyone with an interest in outdoor recreation or in the Presidential Mountains of New Hampshire. Reading about these mountains is gripping.”—The Bridgton News, Bridgton, Maine
“Nick Howe has tramped virtually every inch of Mount Washington’s surface, and with this book he becomes its preeminent historian. That he happens also to be a graceful and charming storyteller is pure bonus. Not Without Peril is a compulsively readable thriller—actually, a series of thrillers. It will hold equal fascination for mountain lovers and flatlanders and for anyone who enjoys a good read.”—John Jerome, author of On Turning Sixty-Five, The Elements of Effort, Stone Work, and The Sweet Spot in Time
About the Author
Nicholas Howe has been a journalist since 1977. His widely-published work focuses on outdoor recreation and history. He lives in Jackson, New Hampshire, and is an avid hiker of the White Mountains.
Ordering Information
AMC Books are available wherever books are sold, and are distributed by The Globe Pequot Press, Inc., Guilford, CT 06437. Booksellers please call 888-249-7586. The general public may order directly from the AMC at www.outdoors.org/amcstore or by calling 800-262-4455.
About the AMC
Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the nation. With more than 100,000 members, advocates and supporters, including 12 local chapters, more than 16,000 volunteers, and over 450 full- time and seasonal staff members in the Northeast and beyond, the nonprofit AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and stewardship of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of the Appalachian region. The AMC supports natural resource conservation while encouraging responsible recreation, based on the philosophy that successful, long-term conservation depends upon first-hand enjoyment of the natural environment.
