Dermot Somers'' short stories have won several awards and is recognised as one of the finest and most original writers in the mountaineering / mountain travel milieu. Though rooted in Irish culture, his range is far wider. Much material is drawn from his Alpine and Himalayan experiences, but in a series of more general stories his themes concern legend, politics, religion and relationships.
The mountain as a metaphor underpins many of these stories, but the main focus is on the dynamics of human relationships while still drawing energy from an activity that can cram a lifetime of sensation into seconds of experience.
