Peak and Everest

Says one guide, "The most dangerous thing about Everest is everyone else who's trying to climb it."

I put these two books under the same post since they share many similarities and both involve mountain climbing, specifically Mt. Everest. Though both books feature pretty cheesy plots, the pages turn easily and the stories are likely to grab reluctant readers, especially male teens with an interest in adventure and sports.

One reason I could see using these books in class is because of the abudant non-fiction texts they open up. Students interested in Peak (2007) and The Contest: Everest (2002) could try Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer and Touching My Father's Soul by Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay, who along with Edmund Hilary, were the first to summit Mt. Everest (Sixty years ago last month!). Additionally, there are a plethora of stories about Mt. Everest every year, unfortunately many are tragic though others relate directly to Peak and The Contest as new records are set. The May 2013 edition of National Geographic has an excellent story about overcrowding on Everest.

Crossing the Khumbu Icefall

While the plots are somewhat predictable and cliche, the books do raise important questions about people's different motivations for achieving the same thing. Additionally, the character relationships in both stories are worth further examination. In Peak, the eponymous title character has a bizarre and distant, yet sometimes touching relationship with his father. His relationship with the Nepalese, particuarly with Sun-jo, is crucial to his development throughout the novel.

The Contest features several teenagers all competing for a chance to summit Everest. It's interesting to see how different characters handle the pressure and their treatment of each other evolves as the field is winnowed down. There's a hint of Lord of the Flies set at 10,000 feet.

Another common thread is the poor behavior of adults, specifically the climbing guides. Both stories feature incredibly talented, ambitious, celebrity guides who push the boundaries of safety in attempt to put the youngest climbers on the summit. The several climbers who die on Everest annually due to storms, summit fever, or other reasons are testament to the reality of this potentially fatal allure and real danger.

I like prayer flags; Nepal, Annapurna range, 05/2011

These books hooked me for all of the above reasons -- the lure of adventure, character relationships, and non-fictional comparisons. Though The Contest (Book One) takes place primarily in Colorado -- most of Peak is set in Nepal -- I think it's a positive influence for students to read books set in other countries. Some students may have traveled abroad but many others will have not (a resort in Mexico doesn't count!). Having stories with teenage protagonists traveling abroad shows them that it is possible. My passion for travel and ability to learn about yourself, and other people and cultures through international adventure is something I hope to pass on to my students.