Giants of the Himalayas

In the book, Grošelj presented all of the fourteen world's eight-thousanders and outlined the history of ascents to their peaks with a special focus on the activity of the Slovenian alpinists, whose outstanding achievements in the Himalayas place them among the best in the world. The book includes all the data on participation of Slovenian alpinists, be it in Slovenian or foreign expeditions. It is written in the author's characteristic lively and interesting style, and the text is richly accompanied with numerous photos.

The book's author Viki Grošelj, born on 3 June 1952, is a renowned alpinist, Himalayan climber, mountain rescuer and mountain guide. By profession, he is a PE teacher. As an alpinist, in addition to numerous ascents accomplished in domestic and foreign mountains, he participated in more than thirty expeditions in the mountains outside of Europe. In the Himalayas, he has accomplished eleven ascents to the peaks of ten eight-thousanders. With the exception of Makalu, Everest and Kangchenjunga, he climbed all of the peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen. Although his climbs to eight-thousanders present the core of his alpinism, Grošelj is also the first Slovenian who has climbed the highest peaks of all continents. In addition to his projects 8000+ and Highest Peaks of the Continents, he completed his third alpinistic project On the Skis from 0 to over 8000 Metres, on which he had worked for thirty years.

Grošelj is the author of fourteen books and a co-author of more than twenty, including Seven Summits by the British publisher Mitchell Beazley in 2000, and Die Grossen Wände by the German publishing house BLW in the same year - two books which particularly celebrate the Slovenian alpinism and its achievements globally. He has published many articles in Slovenian and foreign magazines and newspapers. 

He was twice a member of the team that received the Bloudek Award (1975 and 1979). He was also a member of the team who were awarded the national Gold Star of Merit and selected for the best sports team of Yugoslavia for their climb to Everest in 1979. He won the Bloudek Plaque in 1984. Grošelj also won the Alpine Association of Slovenia Award for the Most Successful Alpine Skier in 2001. He received it for his descent from the 8201 metre high Cho Oyu. In 2001, he initiated the establishment of the Slovenian section of Mountain Wilderness International, an international association that fights to protect the unspoiled mountain nature at home and abroad, and to protect and preserve the natural heritage in the mountains, especially the last remaining pristine mountain wilderness. From 2001 to 2004 he also acted as its Secretary General.

In May 2002, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, awarded Grošelj with the Honorary Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding alpinist accomplishments, important for the promotion of Slovenia in the world, and especially for his work with youth and his contribution in mountain rescue. In 2005, Grošelj led and coordinated the successful rescue mission for Tomaž Humar in the south face of the Pakistan's eight-thousander Nanga Parbat. In 2009, the Alpine Association of Slovenia awarded him with a special recognition for the dedication shown in coordinating the most demanding rescue missions for members of the Alpine Association of Slovenia in the Himalayas.

In the years between 2005 and 2013, Grošelj prepared a documentary TV series in collaboration with TV Slovenia - Giants of the Himalayas, in which he presented the fourteen mountains of our planet which are more than 8000 metres high, and the history of the ascents to their peaks.