Don’t Tell, Show – Jon Gangdal

“Don’t tell, show,” says Jon Gangdal, author of a couple of bestsellers, investigative journalist and intrepid mountaineer.  And that’s exactly what he does in his book, “Five Treasures of Great Snow—The Story of Kangchenjunga”. Thus, the reader is treated to a veritable feast for the eyes in the form of many fascinating photographs throughout the beautifully produced 274-page book. “Some of the photographs are quite rare,” says the 58-year-old Norwegian. “I had to go digging in the German National Archives for some of the more rare ones.”

Well, besides the treasure trove of photos, some other things hinted at in the above lines should alert the reader on what to expect. First, the reader can expect that the writing will be of a high quality seeing as to how Gangdal is a bestselling author. “I have written about 15-16 books— mostly on crime and extreme sports,” he says. “One book in particular, a true story about a stepfather who beats his stepson to death, became a bestseller in Norway, selling more than 50,000 copies.”  “Five Treasures of Great Snow” is the first of his books to be translated into English.  So, yes, the writing is clear, concise and very readable, taking the reader along for the ride, so to say, in a most engaging manner. That the book had a competent translator in Karl Kerner obviously has helped.

Second, the knowledge that Gangdal worked as an investigative journalist for almost 20 years should lay to rest any doubts about the facts as stated in this book from being anything less than correct. And, of course, this is important since the book is a historic account of mountaineering in the Himalayas, particularly Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world after Mount Everest and K2. He discloses, “I have written for many professional magazines and for four years, I worked for “Dag Bladet”, the leading newspaper in Norway. I have also made TV documentaries (mostly on crime) for TV2, Norway’s first TV channel.”

Third, the reader can expect to gain a good deal of knowledge on mountaineering in the Himalayas. Gangdal summited Mount Everest in 2005 although his mountaineering career actually started way back in 1989 when he first climbed the 7,983 metre Himalchuli.  In 1999, he climbed two eight-thousanders— Cho Yu (8,201 m) and Shishapangma (8,013 m) — within a span of just four weeks.  He climbed another eight-thousander, Manaslu (8,156 meters) in 2002. His latest, and most challenging climb, was that of Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) in 2009. At the age of 55, no less! He says, “The book is also about telling readers what Himalayan climbing is all about.”

Note the word, “also” in the above statement since it points towards another more meaningful purpose of the book, which as stated in the back of the book is, “Kangchenjunga embodies much of the unknown history of Himalayan climbing: the undeclared, but clearly politically motivated race between the British and the Germans to become the first nation to conquer an 8000 m peak. While the British made one failed attempt after another to summit Everest, the Germans split their equally unsuccessful efforts between Kangchenjunga and Nanga Parbat in Pakistan. The Germans’ ability to stay confident under the most adverse conditions even surpassed the British “gentle art of suffering”.”

In conclusion, it can be said that, besides “Five Treasures of Great Snow” helping to fulfill a felt vacuum in books on the world’s third highest peak, it also gives an insight into the history of the times, especially the post World War I period when the Germans, under Hitler, were trying to rejuvenate their crushed morale in various ways, one way being— victory over the lofty Himalayan peaks. An interesting twist on an interesting tale!

“Five Treasures of Great Snow” is published in hardcover by Buddha Publication, Kathmandu, Nepal.