This is the 20th-anniversary edition of team leader Arlene Blum's best-selling account of the history-making 1978 ascent of Annapurna by the American Women's Himalayan Expedition. A classic story in the annals of women's achievements, Annapurna was the first account of mountaineering triumph and tragedy to be told from a woman's perspective. A huge critical and commercial success, the original edition sold more than 65,000 copies. Updated now with a new foreword by the author to mark the 20th anniversary of the harrowing ascent, Annapurna is as timely and as riveting today as when it was first published. It is a story of challenge and commitment, told with passion, humor, and honesty.