Alan V. Goldman has been climbing mountains around the world for more than 30 years, and his observations and musings on humanity and the natural world are the basis of his book of poetry, REFLECTIONS ON MOUNTAINEERING (A Journey Through Life as Experienced in the Mountains). Goldman expresses himself through an extensive collection of poetry written in several formats – the traditional rhyme scheme of blank verse that readers know from the plays of Shakespeare, free verse, and short observations in prose. He frequently alludes to the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is part of both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and includes various phrases in both Latin and French. His language runs from a very sophisticated command of vocabulary to on-trend contemporary word choices, plus a mix of terms pertaining to the equipment used by mountaineers, along with terms that are specific to the physical characteristics of the mountains he climbs.
Goldman takes the reader on a lengthy journey of poems describing mountain climbing, survival of the elements, philosophy and psychology. The sections are arranged in titled groups that convey each general topic: “Reality and Dreams”, “Flow”, “Awe and Wonder”, “Hazards of a Climb”, “Confronting Fear”, “The Lure of the Big Mountains”, “Special Conditions”, “Challenge on Fair Terms”, “Rope Partner”, “Role of Luck, Fate & Chance”, “The Quest”, “Last Things”, and “Private Thoughts”. The collection concludes with what he refers to as “Bonus Materials”. Before perusing the poems, it’s advisable to read the preceding section about the author: “Read About What’s At The Top and What Comes Before”, and his own “Introduction”, for a full understanding of his aim in sharing his experiences and reflections on them. It is often said that the best books reflect an author’s experience, and people are often advised to write about what they know. Goldman, with his multiple decades of mountaineering and ample time to reflect on what he has seen and accomplished, is the perfect example of those principles. His poems draw deeply on his experiences, and he shows the depth of his respect for the danger he has faced in his climbs. He makes it clear that he learned when to proceed and when to descend – he tells us quite unambiguously that Nature, as expressed in the majesty of the mountains, and in the changeability of meteorological conditions, always maintains the upper hand over the climber, and reminds us that many who failed to heed that simple truth met a tragic fate. He also explains that luck plays a part in the mountaineer’s ascent and that avalanches and other phenomena are not predictable, and while using the best equipment and drawing upon experience are positives, the mountains are fickle – a blizzard may arrive unexpectedly and wreak havoc. He portrays his experiences with wayward weather in vivid detail.
With this poetic format, interested readers – whether they have some background with climbing or are merely curious – will find Goldman’s combination of knowledge and his reflections on his experience to be both informative and moving. No reader will look at mountainous scenery or photography of mountain subjects in quite the same way after reading these poems.
REFLECTIONS ON MOUNTAINEERING (A Journey Through Life as Experienced in the Mountains) is enjoyable and thought-provoking for both devotees of mountaineering and casual readers who admire and respect the beauty and power of Nature.
~Joan Kirschner for IndieReader