Frison-Roche, a French writer and climber, has been active in climbing since the mid-1930s; Jouty is editor of Alpinisme et randonnee. Here they collaborate in a history of climbing that reviews major events without chauvinism and discusses how changing technology and culture have altered the sport. The first half of the book is devoted to climbing in the Alps since the 18th century, where the sport began and which, the authors note, it has now outgrown, owing to increasingly sophisticated equipment. The second half deals with climbing in mountain ranges elsewhere. The appendixes include brief biographies of climbers of many different nationalities, a chronology of major events, and an excellent bibliography, all of which add to the value of the work.