Smyth, Frank. My Alpine Album. With Forty-Seven Reproductions of Photographs by the Author and a Sketch-Map. Second Edition. By Frank Smythe.

London: Adams and Charles Black, 1947.  [Same photographs as in the first edition (1940) with a few changes to the text. Smythe, who died in 1949, had a good eye for composition and no hesitation in climbing to the right spot to make photographs, which are well reproduced one to a page. Includes the Eastern Alps, Central Alps, Bernese Oberland, Pennine Alps, and the Range of Mont Blanc. Excellent views of the Matterhorn, glaciers (before receding in recent decades), Mont Blanc, etc.] Large octavo, good in red cloth with good edge-worn protected dust jacket. Water stains to edges of a few pages. Summary:

Originally published in 1940 and issued as a second edition in 1947 by Adam & Charles Black, My Alpine Album is a classic work of mountaineering literature and landscape photography by Frank S. Smythe. Smythe was one of the most prominent British mountaineers, authors, and photographers of the early-to-mid 20th century, famous for his climbs in the Alps and his participation in the 1930s British Everest expeditions.

Core Content and Structure

The book serves as a deeply personal, reflective photographic record and written memoir celebrating the majesty of the European Alps—specifically the regions of Switzerland, France, and Austria.

• The Photographs: The core of the volume consists of 47 high-quality photogravure reproductions taken by Smythe himself. Using a precise eye for light, shadow, and scale, his images capture towering peaks, expansive glaciers, remote alpine villages, and dramatic weather formations. Each full-page plate is accompanied by a detailed descriptive caption explaining the topography and the circumstances under which the shot was taken.

• The Text: Interspersed with the imagery are several essays and personal narratives. Smythe writes eloquently about the spiritual and philosophical draw of the mountains, the technical challenges of alpine photography, and his personal climbing reminiscences.

• The Sketch-Map: The volume includes a detailed sketch-map outlining the specific alpine regions, ridges, and peaks traversed and documented by Smythe, providing geographical context for the reader.

Historical and Cultural Context

• The Shadow of War: Written and published during the dark years of World War II (and reprinted just after its conclusion), the book carries an undercurrent of nostalgia and escapism. Smythe explicitly frames the enduring, peaceful grandeur of the Alps as a psychological antidote to the chaos and destruction gripping Europe at the time.

• A Photographic Legacy: Beyond its value to mountaineering history, the book is highly regarded as an early masterclass in mountain photography. Smythe shares his insights on how to handle the extreme glare, altitude, and unpredictable contrast of snow-and-rock landscapes using mid-century camera equipment.