Continental Divide: A History of American Mountaineering (Norton, 2016), by Maurice Isserman, the Publius Virgilius Rogers Professor of American History, was recently awarded honorable mention in the outdoor literature category of the 2016 National Outdoor Book Awards (NOBA).
NOBA is an educational program that honors outstanding writing and publishing in the outdoor field. The managing body of the awards is the NOBA Foundation, a non-profit, volunteer organization.
A review that accompanied the award announcement on the NOBA website said, “There are several comprehensive historic works on American mountaineering and climbing, but Maurice Isserman ups the ante with this book. Part of the book’s appeal is the way he approaches the subject, deftly blending notable achievements in the climbing world with social and cultural history. Works such as this can easily drag after the first couple of chapters, but not this one. Isserman has a lively and engaging writing style which holds one’s attention and keeps the pages turning.”
