Without Ever Reaching the Summit: A Journey by Paolo Cognetti.

3/5 rating. 90 pages.

Book #39 of 2021. Read April 29, 2021.

This is a short book about Paolo’s long journey through portions of the Himalayas.

I really was expecting a lot more from this book. Overall, there just wasn’t a lot that happened. He follows largely the path of Peter Matthiessen who had traveled extensively on a search for a snow leopard (and then wrote “The Snow Leopard” about his time and lack of success actually seeing one). Paolo chooses to go on this long journey with friends, though I don’t think he really even articulates a why – though I do understand sometimes the appropriate answer to why travel? why adventure? is “it’s there” or “to understand myself and this world better.”

This was basically a slightly more fleshed-out journal following his interactions and thoughts along the way. I really wouldn’t recommend it, not because it was necessarily bad, just more like, eh?

There were at least a few good quotes:

“I knew that in the mountains you walk alone even when walking with someone, but I was happy to share my solitude with these companions.”

“It’s only when you surrender that you enter the right spirit for the journey.”

“And yet it was so beautiful, so instinctive and necessary to get back on the road. Leave the known world behind and continually discover a new piece of the world.”

“[L]earn that the path is much more precious than the summit. Find a meaning in every step.”

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