The Seventh Grade: Most Extreme Climbing

With this little title Messner begat the modern era of mountaineering. By the time he wrote 'The Seventh Grade' most of the world's highest peaks, and many of the great alpine challenges, had been conquered. Realizing this, Messner re-enforced the idea of how, and why, mountain climbing is important. In 'The Seventh Grade' Messner introduced the idea of aesthetics in mountaineering. Doing it without oxygen, or by a more direct route, or in the winter, all counted as worthwhile challenges, that deserved to be considered alongside simply reaching the summit. Messner taught the world that its not just about getting to the top, but 'experiencing the mountain fully.' Messner shifted the emphasis from the outer accomplishment, to the inner. These ideas have helped shape and, in some ways, even define modern man's concept of adventure. It's not just a great book. It's a whole new way of seeing the world and our interaction with it.