The Art of Adventure

Rowell's panoramic shots of mountains--and the climbers and skiiers upon them--are well suited to the oversized format of this extravagant volume. One hundred and twenty seven color photographs allow vicarious adventurers to traverse the 285 miles of the Karakoram range in the Himalayas, freeclimb ``Astroman,'' a 1400-foot overhang on the eastern exposure of Washington Column in Yosemite Valley and circumnavigate Alaska's Mt. McKinley on skis. Most of the photos seen here are skillfully executed, exciting pictures of romantic action in obscure locations. And in several instances, Rowell ( Mountain Light ) has captured something magical: a shot of dawn on the Serengeti; an avalanche in full stride near McKinley; a rainbow emanating from Lhasa's Potala Palace in Tibet. (Nov.)