I plucked the Novel Banner in the Sky off my bookshelf a few days ago. It caught my interest because I read it when I received the book as a gift at 7. I had fond memories of pouring through it before bed but could not remember, for the life of me, what the story was about.

It was a fun quick read, and I understand why I had the recollection of enjoying it when I was so young.  This book, geared for young readers, is a fictionalized account of the first accent of the “Citadel” by a 16-year old named Rudi Matt.  Set in Switzerland, and based loosely on the first climb of the Matterhorn, Rudi Matt must overcome his doubts and the doubts of his village to conquer the mountain that killed his father.

Truly a classic mountaineering book, the descriptions of nailed boots, and camping on the mountain in canvas tents and wool blankets illustrates how far we have come from the roots of mountaineering.