COLLARD, John M. Arnold Lunn. Ski-mountaineer Extraordinary. Conspectus of a great quarter century 1902-1926. Adelboden - Montana - Mürren - Arlberg, being the first history of his ski-mountaineering career and its unique consequences. London, privately printed, [2023].
Tall 4to. Original blue cloth, spine and front cover lettered in silver; pp. 151, with four plates.
First edition, second printing, after the first printing of 2014, one of 100 copies produced. The first full-length monograph of the British skiing pioneer, inventor of the slalom race (1922), founder of the Alpine Ski Club (1908) and the Kandahar Ski Club (1924), writer on skiing, Alpine sports, and critical commentator of materialist tendencies in the 20th century. - With bibliographical appendices and index. 'As a boy, Arnold Lunn explored on ski the spacious untouched snows of belle époque Switzerland, finding a life-long love of ski-ing and mountains. His abilities as author, editor and public intellectual ensured that his exploits on ski were well documented – but the story of this first quarter century, driven by a ski-mountaineering career, was dispersed amongst many sources; only now has this story been presented so that it can be comprehended in one volume. In Arnold Lunn Ski-mountaineer Extraordinary it is possible to follow all his major skiing expeditions, such as: his first ski-tour, at Grindelwald; his baptism on the snows of Adelboden; his dangerous freedom at Montana; his discoveries in the Bernese Oberland; his final High Alpine achievements: and all of these sowing the seeds of his parallel creation of Alpine racing. Extracts from his books and articles bring to vivid life his exploits and the supporting cast of his fellow pioneers and family; wit and humour are constant elements of his engaging prose. Many anonymous journal articles have now been identified as Lunn’s work; some little-known biographical material has been unearthed. Happy skiers! The genius of Arnold Lunn flourishes anew in this unique volume' (publisher's flyer). - A note from the author: 'In respect of this book, I remember visiting Muerren, in the Bernese Oberland, to show it to Peter Lunn - Sir Arnold's son, doyen of the ski-ing world, 96 years old, still ski-ing every morning! He declared that this book, with its chronological format, was just what was needed, I am so glad that you brought it here for me to examine' (email from the author). - The first printrun of only 24 copies sold out quickly.
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