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For three quarters of a century, adventure enthusiasts around the globe have speculated about the fate of British mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Did they reach the peak of Mount Everest before disappearing on June 6, 1924? How did they die? What was their fatal mistake? In 1999, the Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition set out to answer these questions by retracing the steps of the doomed climbers, and in The Ghosts of Everest, they share their findings. William Nothdurft has gracefully woven the testimonies of expedition members Jochen Hemmleb, Eric Simonson, and Larry Johnson, all the while counterpointing the modern ascent with a captivating reconstruction of what befell the earlier one. There are also stunning photographs, which manage to be inspiring and beautiful and gruesome--occasionally all at once. And while it's impossible to establish exactly what happened to Mallory and Irvine, this account is persuasive enough to fascinate rock climbers and couch potatoes alike. --Melissa Asher--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
One of the great mysteries of modern exploration and adventure is whether British climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine reached Mount Everest's summit on their pioneering 1924 expedition in which both men vanished. Were they the first to scale the world's highest spot, decades before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made their successful ascent in 1953? On the 75th anniversary of the ill-fated duo's disappearance, a 1999 Everest expeditionAwith Simonson as team leader, Hemmleb as historical adviser and Johnson as team coordinatorAattempted to retrace Mallory and Irvine's probable route and solve the mystery. Incredibly, they discovered Mallory's bodyAremarkably intact, badly bruised and with a broken legAfrozen in the snow. In a taut narrative that skillfully jump-cuts between the 1924 Mallory/Irvine expedition and their own, the authors make a compelling case that Mallory fell to his death and that he appears to have been roped to Irvine, who also fell and was injured. (Irvine's body was reportedly sighted by a Chinese climber in 1975, but this awaits further proof.) Did Mallory and Irvine make it to Everest's summit? "It is more likely than had previously been thought that they did make itAbut it is still far from certain," conclude the authors. They base their analysis on their findings atop Everest, including personal letters and an inventory of oxygen tanks they found in Mallory's pockets. Their report, a work of historic importance that reads like a detective thriller, includes a moving foreword by Mallory's daughter, Clare Mallory Millikan, plus 100 photographs (80 in color, 20 sepia) illustrating both the 1999 search expedition and Mallory's 1924 attempt. First serial to Outside; author tour. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
YA-Here is the inside story of the search for the long-lost British mountaineer. Mallory, one of the most accomplished high-altitude climbers of his time, and his companion disappeared from the slopes of Mount Everest in 1924 when they were close to becoming the first humans to reach the highest spot on Earth. In this skillfully crafted story, readers learn how Hemmleb, the young German graduate student and historiographer of Everest expeditions, linked up with Larry Johnson, another Everest enthusiast, and high-altitude expedition leader Eric Simonson in 1999 to put to rest the mystery of what became of Mallory. Stories of the original trek are intertwined with details of the modern research expedition. This beautifully composed, slightly oversized volume with heavy glossy pages has copious, lustrous photographs, including many from the earlier expedition, and several maps that perfectly support the text. This absorbing book evokes a reverence for Mallory and all those high-altitude mountaineers who have succeeded him in the climb to the roof of the world.
Cynthia J. Rieben, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
This is a truly amazing account of how a group of well-prepared modern mountain climbers made an effort to solve the mystery of a 75-year-old attempt to summit Mt. Everest. Others had tried and failed to locate the frozen remains of English mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. The two perished atop the mountain in 1924, but their bodies were never recovered, leaving it unclear whether or not they had reached the top nearly three decades before Sir Edmund Hillary. While the recent team never solved the question of Mallory and Irvine's summiting, in May they did discover Mallory's frozen body on the North Col in an amazing state of preservation. Along with describing the preparations and personnel of their own team, the authors provide a detailed account of the activities of the 1924 expedition. The new group (which included Larry Johnson, who gave up his publicity job at Stackpole Books to make the climb) was astounded at what Mallory and Irvine were able to accomplish with what by today's standards seemed like very primitive equipment. A good read for adventure lovers and a historical standout among the escalating numbers of Everest climbing books. [With accompanying articles in Outside, New York Times, and Vanity Fair.--Ed.]--Robert F. Greenfield, formerly with Baltimore Cty. P.L.
---Robert F. Greenfield, formerly with Baltimore Cty. P.L.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The New York Times Book Review, Susan Reed
...a tedious account by some of the Mallory & Irvine Research Expeditions members, as told to William E. Nothdurft.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Washington Post Book World
Makes for fascinating reading, and, with its well-chosen illustrations and handsome design, The Ghosts of Everest is the standout among [other] books.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Diane Daniel, Boston Globe, 11/8/99
"Ghost of Everest" alternates between the unfolding of both the 1999 and the 1924 expeditions, and both stories are riveting. The book contains photographs of breathtaking scenery, 1924 artifacts, and climbing shots from both trips, as well as bone-chilling photographs of Mallory's body on the day it was found.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. |
Ghosts of Everest
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