The short listed authors for the 2009 Boardman-Tasker Award have been announced. The winner will be announced on Friday 20th November during the Boardman-Tasker Award Ceremony at the Kendal Mountain Festival. The Friday afternoon's event includes lunch, and a panel discussion where shortlisted authors will read from and discuss their work followed by the award of the prize to this year's winner.The Short ListJohn Allen – Cairngorm JohnJerry Auld – Hooker & BrownDominic Faulkner – The Longest ClimbSteve House – Beyond the MountainJerry Moffatt – RevelationsChic Scott – Deep Powder and Steep RockThe judges for 2009 are Phil Bartlett (Chair), Kym Martindale and Ian Smith. Phil Bartlett gives an insight in to the Boardman-Tasker.The main purpose of the award is to celebrate and publicise mountain books. “Serious” books need all the help they can get these days, and this award is unashamedly serious – though hopefully not boring! Apropos of which, I will be putting my head on the block in my speech and saying something about what I think “literature”, certainly “mountain literature”, means.There were 31 entries this year. We've had stuff in every major genre – autobiography, biography, fiction, etc etc – except poetry. And I can tell you that there is a definite geographical bias this year. Half the books on the short-list are based partly or wholly in the pacific north-west – Canadian Rockies, Alaska – and several other entries also take their inspiration from there.Because there is such a variety of styles of book it is always difficult to choose a short-list. Partly for that reason, I shall be flagging up several books in my speech which we admired but which failed to make the short-list, as well as the shortlisted books themselves. Fellow B-T judges Ian Smith, Kym Martindale and myself have had strenuous and most enjoyable discussions about all of them. There's something for everyone – well, I hope so.Read more about the short-listed booksThe Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature commemorates the lives of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker, who disappeared on the North East Ridge of Everest in 1982, and is given to the author, or co-authors of an original work which has made an outstanding contribution to mountain literature. Read more about the Boardman Tasker Charitable Trust.All of the short-listed books will be on sale at the Kendal Mountain Festival and authors will be on hand to sign these.The Kendal Mountain Festival 2009HOW TO BOOK TICKETSThe dates are 19-22 November and tickets are available now. Book online – www.mountainfest.co.uk – or by phone 01539 725133 – news as it happens at www.mountainfest.co.ukACCOMMODATIONEasily accessible from the M6 and by train and there are plenty of accommodation options in and around the town but you need to be on your toes as they fill up very quickly over the Mountain Festival weekend.For all your questions, accomodation and travel needs go to www.golakes.co.uk here you will find all the information you should need for your visit to Cumbria, alternatively call the accommodation booking line on 0845 450 1199.www.mountainfest.co.ukKendal Mountain Festival Promo 2008 Diesen Artikel inkl. Bilder auf UKClimbing.com anschauen
