La montagna come amica. Piccolo trattato di elevazione

by Pascal Bruckner

Perché le montagne affascinano l’uomo? E come può la conquista di una cima ripagare la fatica, le difficoltà e i pericoli della salita? Sono questioni sulle quali si sono interrogati filosofi, scrittori e anche i più grandi alpinisti contemporanei. Viste solo come gigantesche increspature di pietra, fino al sedicesimo secolo le montagne erano soprattutto temute. Riscoperte in seguito da pensatori e intellettuali, adesso sono identificate come il luogo del sublime, del sollievo e della serenità, in opposizione alla frenesia delle metropoli. Avendo passato alcuni anni dell’infanzia tra Austria e Svizzera, Pascal Bruckner ha un rapporto speciale con la montagna. Arrampicare è per lui ringiovanire nello spirito e ritrovarsi finalmente completo, sfidare i propri limiti e raggiungere una nuova consapevolezza di sé e del mondo circostante. Con uno stile brillante e una prosa ricca di fascino e di poesia, Bruckner mescola in queste pagine ricordi ed esperienze personali, testimonianze di grandi alpinisti e filosofia, considerazioni sul futuro dell’ambiente montano e sulla distruzione del suo ecosistema. Tra memoir e racconto, La montagna come amica è una riflessione sulla passione per l’alpinismo che diventa ricerca del senso della vita e una sincera dichiarazione d’amore per la montagna in tutti i suoi aspetti, meraviglioso specchio dell’assurdità e della bellezza dell’esistenza.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Pascal Bruckner est un romancier et essayiste français, d'origine suisse protestante, né à Paris le 15 décembre 1948. Après des études au Lycée Henri IV à Paris, à l'université de Paris I et de Paris VII, et à l'Ecole pratique des hautes études, Pascal Bruckner devient professeur invité à l'Université d'Etat de San Diego en Californie et à la New York University de 1986 à 1995. Maître de conférences à l'Institut d'études politiques de Paris de 1990 à 1994, il collabore également au Monde et au Nouvel Observateur. Romancier prolifique, on lui doit Lunes de fiel - adapté à l'écran par Roman Polanski - Les Voleurs de beauté - prix Renaudot en 1997 - et plus récemment L'Amour du prochain (2005).

Pascal Bruckner is a French writer, one of the "New Philosophers" who came to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. Much of his work has been devoted to critiques of French society and culture. He is the author of many books including The Tyranny of Guilt, Perpetual Euphoria and The Paradox of Love. He writes regularly for Le Nouvel Observateur.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a nice rumination on why people climb mountains. He called mountains “great stone books” which I liked a lot. However there were a few chapters I skimmed because I was bored. He dedicated an entire chapter to how good milk is.

[Ava Olender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruckner’s writing style is completely unmatched for 21st century literature. The whole book is filled with prose and metaphors that felt musical while reading it. The way that Bruckner ties in climbing history, personal hiking accounts, philosophy, and many other topics makes this work truly masterful. I may be a bit biased as I did read this book in the midst of several hiking/skiing trips.

[Marion Holzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un très beau livre qui nous amène à réfléchir sur ce que l’on voit en montagne sans toujours y prêter attention.
Une parfaite balade méditative !

[Matthew Simms · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Friendship of a Mountain” challenged me to reflect upon my own experiences of hiking and relationship to nature. The author, Pascal Bruckner, finds mountains as places of escape, as many do in the 21st century. Especially as he approaches his later years, the mountains of the world are places he confronts death and the reality of life. It makes me want to hike more, despite the onslaught of cold in the Northeast these past few days. I want to leave you with one of the quotes that I have been reflecting upon the last few weeks. In Chapter 2, Bruckner writes, “There are two kinds of suffering: the one you endure, and the one you choose; the one that afflicts you, and the one that transforms you.” I think we can all escape to the mountains to bask in their glory and wisdom.

*Just a note, as to not ruin the reflection above, I would have loved to give this book 5 stars due to the well-crafted prose. However, Bruckner’s descriptive and tangential reflection on cows in Chapter 3 was out of place, and may I say, unsettling.

[Iulia Vucmanovici · Rating 2 out of 5]

O lectură lejeră, ușoară și distrată, adecvată spațiului unei cafenele, atâta timp cât durează băutul unei cafele, sâmbăta dimineață. La un alt nivel, al lecturii adânci, atente și serioase, cartea îsi pierde farmecul. Autorul ar putea scrie eseuri filozofice și despre cum se bate un ou, ceea ce nu înseamnă, neapărat, că are și ce spune, ci, mai degrabă, o rețetă -și o urticarie- a scrisului. Am rămas cu două idei: despre tați (patrarhii hodorogiți, care compensează cu violență pierderea puterii din epocile ancestrale) și despre renaștere -prin ascensiune, în cazul dat- ca reintrare în starea de efervescență. Un text glossy, soporific ca o cană de lapte fierbinte (laptele fiind o temă căreia îi este dedicată un reconfortant capitol). A doua stea îi este dedicată din solidaritatea cu toți băutorii de ayran, unii dintre ei și scriitori.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it has some interesting thoughts on mountaineering and at least and effort of trying to name some things related to mountains. The first half is interesting, the second one is not that interesting. The point of view of the relationship with the mountain seems to be like a struggle, kind of weird type of friendship that it represents. Maybe I'm kind of bored of the European way of looking at mountains as obstacles to conquer, it kind of gets old.
Looking for more readings from global South perspectives. They seem more rich and nourishing.

[Laney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75!

[Eva Crisafulli · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange book. At times it sung and at others it sunk. The bit about milk lost me. But overall the time spent in the alps was worth it. Will probably read again.

[Tiphaine Dudok · Rating 2 out of 5]

on s'y perd dans les anecdotes, il manque un fil conducteur. J'ai eu un peu de mal avec le ton utilisé pendant certains passages

[Ici93 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assaig imprescindible per a tot aquell que estime la muntanya. Analitza, des d'una perspectiva poètica, l'elitisme, consum i població muntanyenca, tant l'habitual com l'esporàdica.