Banff Grand Prize Winner!

‘A Line Above The Sky’ won both the Jon Whyte Award and the Grand Prize at Banff!

“This quiet masterpiece of a memoir offers a bold new line through very old and complex terrain—mountains, families, the joys and hazards of both. What stands out is the sheer grace of Helen Mort’s sentences, her humility and questing heart, as she reckons with what climbing and having children can give or take from a life. If you’ve ever tied into a rope or been a parent, read this book. If you have no interest in climbing or having kids, read this stunning book. It is a work of art so much larger than the sum of its parts.”

- Kate Harris, 2023 Book Competition Jury

“A Line Above the Sky draws a riveting and visceral exploration of risk and the personal choices that individuals make in pursuit of it. With poetic eloquence and reverence rarely seen in story, Helen Mort recounts the lifeline of Alison Hargreaves intertwined with her own life choices in a reflective lyrical voice that can only be described as a privilege to read.”

- Jennifer Lowe-Anker, 2023 Book Competition Jury