A Canadian book that takes readers to the top of the world will celebrate its United Kingdom publication next month at the Royal Geographical Society in London. The U.K. launch of Voices from the Summit takes place May 8 and will include an evening of mountain lectures and films.

Edited by Bernadette McDonald and John Amatt, Voices from the Summit is published by the National Geographical Society in collaboration with the Banff Centre for Mountain Culture. This remarkable collection of 32 essays from four generations of the world’s finest mountaineers and adventurers is a panorama of the mountain world, its history and future, its controversies, styles, legends and heroes. All essayists have been past guests of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

The book opens with an essay by the grand gentleman of the mountains, Sir Edmund Hillary, and closes with the thoughts of one of the world’s greatest living mountaineers, Reinhold Messner. Together with a comprehensive history of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Voices from the Summit also features stunning black and white portraits of each contributor taken by Craig Richards, head of photography for the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.

The editors of Voices, Canadians Bernadette McDonald and John Amatt, British mountaineer Mick Fowler and mountaineering writer Ed Douglas will discuss the book at the May 8 launch. Excerpts from Sir Edmund Hillary’s address on his essay, filmed at last year’s Banff Mountain Summit in Banff, Alberta will also be featured.

DATE /VENUE: Tuesday, May 8, 7:00 p.m., Royal Geographical Society,
1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2ARPRICE: £12 available in advance
TICKETS FROM: Kendal Mountain Film Festival 01539 725760 or Stanfords in London 020 7836 1321, email info@mountainfilm.co.uk