The Evidence of Things Not Seen

The Evidence of Things NotSeen is the autobiography of remarkable mountaineer, writer andenvironmentalist W.H. Murray. After being introduced to climbing in hisearly twenties, Murray’s relationship with the outdoors was shaped as much byhis time on the mountains as away from them. His early Scottish climbs werebrought to a halt by the Second World War, which saw him spend three years as aNazi prisoner of war. These years were devoted to not only to philosophicalstudy, but also to writing his classic Mountaineering in Scotlandnot once, but twice, on toilet paper. The time to write aboutmountains only fuelled Murray’s enthusiasm to climb them. The regeneration inmountaineering that followed the war saw Murray complete three Himalayanexpeditions, alongside other iconic figures such as Doug Scott, Tom MacKinnonand Tom Weir, and Eric Shipton. He not only explored Himalayan peaks neverbefore attempted by westerners, but also established the crucial Khumbu Icefallroute up Everest, which paved the way for the mountain’s first ascent in 1953. Later life saw Murray return toScotland and begin the fight to conserve the wild places that motivated him. From pioneering the John Muir Trust to fighting threats to forestry, Murray’swriting is laced with a philosophical edge and a contagious appreciation for Scotland’swild places, capturing the essence of why Murray’s work has been inspiringreaders for decades. Written just before his death in1996, and with a foreword by renowned Scottish mountaineer Hamish MacInnes, TheEvidence of Things Not Seen is a must-read for anyone for which themountains are still a source of wonder.