New Mountain Book: 'Upland' by Ed Douglas

Today marks the publication date for Ed Douglas’s new book, Upland: The Strange History and Vital Future of Britain’s Mountains (Bodley Head). Douglas previously wrote Himalaya: A Human History, but this time he’s turned his attention closer to home, tracing the story of Britain’s own mountains. Or, perhaps it is the story of Britain through its mountains, as Richard Smyth suggests in his review of the book in Literary Review (paywall). Smyth says, the book “is not so much a history of our uplands as a history of early Britain with the uplands left in.”

Marketing materials describe Upland as “the first complete history of Britain’s mountains, capturing their beauty, tragedy and the pivotal role of these dramatic landscapes in the nation’s past and future.”

Douglas discussed the book on the Travels Through Time podcast (Apple Podcasts), and the conversation suggests a well-researched work of history that touches on current debates in mountain studies. Per the conversation, the ghost of Marjorie Hope Nicolson appears.

Upland is out now in the UK, but it’s unclear if or when it will reach other markets. For reference, Himalaya took a little over a year to arrive in North America after its UK release. In the meantime, ebook and audiobook editions are available through UK retailers like Amazon UK and Bookshop UK, which should make the book somewhat easier to access from abroad.

I’ll report back if and when I get my hands on a copy.