For some, the Himalaya is a frontier against which to test themselves. Others find refuge and tranquility in the mountains, a place where they can seek their true selves, perhaps even God. And over millennia, the mountains have cradled civilization itself and nurtured teeming, irrepressible life. With over thirty essays, this comprehensive volume brings together a dazzling range of voices revealing accounts of great ascents and descents. One piece details a "mutiny" on Kanchenjunga from Aleister Crowley, the self-avowed "wickedest man in the world," who dabbled in black magic and devil worship. Mark Twain's essay shares the simple pleasure of riding a hand-car down the railway track from Darjeeling. Looking for the snow leopard in Ladakh, one writer ends up finding himself. A resident of a Sherpa village writes a heartfelt account of the aftermath of an avalanche that killed porters and climbers on Everest; a prisoner in Dehra Dun jail draws solace from visits by birds and small animals; and the fragrance of lime makes a traveler's night in a remote Garhwal village memorable for all time. Seperated into three parts--Adventure, Meditation, and Life--with excerpts from historical travel logs, poetic reflections, and personal narratives, this diverse collection has something to appeal to every reader.