"He was a **", was allegedly Joe Brown's sole contribution to this warts and all biography of Don Whillans by Jim Perrin. Fortunately others were more forthcoming.
Don Whillans has an iconic significance for generations of climbers. His epoch-making first ascent of Annapurna's South Face, achieved with Dougal Haston in 1970, remains one of the most impressive climbs ever made - but behind this and all his other formidable achievements lies a tough, recalcitrant reality: the character of the man himself. Whillans carried within himself a sense of personal invincibility, forceful, direct and uncompromising. It gave him sporting superstar status - the flawed heroism of a Best, a McEnroe, an Ali. In his own circle, his image was the working-class hero on the rock-face, laconic and bellicose, ready to go to war with the elements or with any human who crossed his path on a bad day.
Having said that, and having read the book, you may still agree with Joe!
Joint 2005 Boardman-Tasker Award winner.
A few photos.
Card cover, 20cm x 13cm, 368 pages.
First published 2005. This edition 2006.
ISBN: 978-0-099416-72-2.