Exploring the complex kinship between mountains and human thought, traditions, and ways of being

Since antiquity, mountains have captured the human imagination. The Mountain takes readers into higher realms, exploring the complex kinship between mountains and human thought, traditions, and ways of being. Told through the author’s own journeys, the narrative ranges across cultures and iconic naturalists to consider how varied ideas and experiences related to mountains—from sacred to scientific, romantic to retreat, to simply home—are all facets of the same intricate topography.

No matter where one starts on the spectrum of understanding, an intimate encounter with a mountain leads to a broader perspective. High places create a simultaneous humbleness at our human insignificance and a sense of belonging within the greater world. That quality of belonging, and the associated commitment of caring for the planet and all that it holds, has never been more important than it is today.

A freelance writer, naturalist, and teacher, Robin Patten has spent years exploring and writing about some of the world’s great mountains. She received the John Burroughs Nature Essay Award for “The Carcass Chronicle.” Her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The Georgia Review, among others.