MOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT BLUE DREAM ...

MOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT BLUE DREAM by Robert Leonard Reid (HarperPerennial: $10). An enthusiastic climber, Reid goes beyond the “because it’s there” cliches and tries to communicate the unique challenges and delights of mountaineering. Noting the often life-threatening dangers climbers encounter, he reflects, “Their deep and sustained communion with death has left them, I believe, not indifferent to that essential truth but, rather, speechless. . . . The apprehension I felt so often while climbing was mingled with curiosity and even affection; my fear was blended with bliss.” Reid’s discussions of climbing lead to broader reflections on the need for wilderness and the nature of education. At times, he allows his enthusiasm to carry him away: Although admirable, the image of Socrates discussing philosophy with his students may not be a viable model for education in a large polyglot nation. Reid celebrates the North American landscape with an eloquence and affection that could captivate even a confirmed urbanite.