IN THE SHADOW OF DENALI: Life and...

IN THE SHADOW OF DENALI: Life and Death on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley by Jonathan Waterman (Delta/Dell: $11.95; 246 pp., illustrated, paperback original). Eschewing “because its there” cliches, Waterman strives to convey the special excitement of climbing mountains, especially the tallest peak in North America--Denali, “the high one” in Athabascan: “I wanted insight into this magnificent mountain, but I also wanted to exploit all my weaknesses, and by stripping myself bare to the mountain, discover of what pith my soul was made.” But he also acknowledges the darker side of the sport, conceding that the desire to prove himself sometimes transcended the bounds of rational behavior: He made one ascent while suffering from bronchitis and an injured ankle. Better written and more thoughtful than most outdoor adventure books, “Shadow” launches Delta’s new “Expeditions” series.