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New book on snow and skiing makes odd reference to (Sir) Arnold Lunn

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
'The Snow Tourist' is a worthwhile new book on finding and enjoying snow by Charlie English, who's described as "an associate editor of the Guardian" on the jacket (which gives virtually no other information about him). The Guardian website has this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/charlie-english . Info on the book: http://www.snowtourist.co.uk
He makes references in the book to his father, but strangely doesn't seem to name him (unless I missed it). He doesn't appear to have been Sir David English (former Daily Mail editor and ski show originator, whose son Neil has done plenty of ski writing).

Despite that slight mystery, Charlie English's approach to the subject - his passion for snow and skiing - is highly autobiographical and he involves his family in aspects of the story. His quest for the meaning and magic of snow starts and ends from his home in London. Legging it and jetting it to places that you won't find in the Crystal brochure: Iqaluit, Qikiqtarjuaq (Baffin Islands), Jericho, Syracuse, Buffalo, Valdez, Thompson Pass. But he also includes adventures in more familiar places: Vermont, Chamonix, Wildstrubel, the Cairngorms, the mountains near Seattle and ... Lewes (I was particularly interested in his five pages on the Lewes Avalanche, since I've been researching this for a couple of years). His account of an attempt on the Haute Route, with a guide called Philippe, is worth a read because it goes wrong and it might strike a note with anyone who's spent days in the company of these 'hard men'. The writing is inquisitive and descriptive, with lots of historical references to snow and skiing, and plenty of 'snowHeads style' diversions.

Despite English's fascination with the subject and his dedication to detail, there are some factual points which raise the eyebrows. References to Arnold Lunn, the British ski racing pioneer and prolific influence in skiing, make him a "travel agent". His father Henry is described as "also a travel agent". 'Understatement of the year' springs to mind - Sir Arnold Lunn's life was a hundred times more encyclopaedic than 'travel agent', which was essentially his dad's affair. For one thing, his involvement with the British intelligence services (and that of his own son Peter Lunn, still alive) is quite intriguing. It's hard to think of anyone internationally who's had more influence on the sport.

However, the book is excellent in its exploration of snow and everything associated with it. A section on the permanence of snow patches in the Scottish Highlands is vividly written and passionately researched. He has some good material on massive snowstorms in New York. And then he takes us to the snowiest mountains of them all - the Cascades in Washington State, which attract annual snowdepths that can be compared to the numbers of storeys in buildings.

Anyone else had a look at 'The Snow Tourist'? (I'm only part-way through it)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
David Goldsmith wrote:
His account of an attempt on the Haute Route, with a guide called Philippe, is worth a read because it goes wrong and it might strike a note with anyone who's spent days in the company of these 'hard men'.


Finished reading it a couple of days ago. I spent a week with the "hard men" in Chamonix and I was also boarding (like the author). His description of his feelings where he reached a point and couldnt go any further - then his subsequent realisation that he was not quite cut out to be the all action mountain man he had always wanted to be were very honest and refreshing. It was good to hear that I wasnt the only one that experiences that sinking feeling when taken out of my comfort zone. Although the guides I had were alot friendlier than the one he was lumped with and I got through the week unscathed and ready for more Smile
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
David Goldsmith, I have a book by Peter Lunn about skiing, which my mother in law picked up in a charity shop. It's very interesting and extremely well written. The cover features an amazing 'seventies white one-piece ski suit.
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