Gemma Wiseman

'From Snow to Ash' documents Anthony Sharwood's challenging trek in the Australian Alps. But it offers far more than the wonder of physical survival, combatting the odds of the environment and the whims of Mother Nature. A feast of sidetracks provides subplot entertainment - from a Wordsworth acknowledgment to an Elynn Mitchell perspective (she was a champion skier) to the quirky possibilities of the alpine town of Guthega's name. On the surface, we hear the plea to save the Australian Alps. But the plea is captivatingly garnished with the many windows on Sharwood's multi-faceted personality. A book to indulge the senses and come out refreshed...and maybe a little more knowledgable.