Reinhold Messner (born September 17, 1944 at Villnöss-Funes , South Tyrol, Italy) is by many people's estimation the most accomplished mountain climber of all time.

Messner was the first man to ascend Mount Everest alone, during monsoon season no less, without supplementary oxygen in 1980 (he'd done it earlier as part of a two-man team with Peter Habeler in 1978), first to achieve a solo ascent of the technically difficult Nanga Parbat, and the first to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders (peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level). He has also crossed Antarctica by himself. He has written a number of books about his experiences, many available translated into English and other languages.

He today carries on a diversified business related to his mountaineering skills. From 1999 to 2004, he held political office as a member of the European Parliament for the Italian Green Party (Federazione dei Verdi).

Ben Folds Five released an album titled The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in 1999. The title does not directly refer to the mountain climber, but to a name a friend of the band put on fake IDs back in their college days.

Bibliography

• Free Spirit : A Climber's Life ISBN 0898865735
• My Quest for Yeti: Confronting the Himalayas' Deepest Mystery, ISBN 0312203942
• The Second Death of George Mallory: The Enigma and Spirit of Mount Everest ISBN 0312270755
• The Crystal Horizon: Everest-The First Solo Ascent ISBN 0898862078

External link

• Reinhold Messner homepage (Entirely in German)