Mountains of the Mind

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Mountains of the Mind is a non-fiction book by British writer Robert Macfarlane, published in 2003 by Granta Books. It asks why people are drawn to mountains and how mountains captivate the imagination, even though they are dangerous. The title comes from a line by poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. The book blends history with personal travel writing to explore the long human fascination with mountains. It discusses figures such as mountaineer George Mallory and cites writers like Simon Schama and Francis Spufford. Macfarlane also questions Mallory’s priorities, suggesting he cared more for climbing than his wife, and he says he has sworn off high-risk mountaineering himself. The New York Times praised the book for its clever ideas. Mountains of the Mind won the Guardian First Book Award and the Somerset Maugham Award. It was followed by The Wild Places.