‘[Ruth] is in the shadow when she should share the light. She lost [George] towards death four times; once to war and three times to the mountain. To know only George’s side of things, to see only through his eyes and those of the men who accompanied him, is to see an incomplete Everest, a partial myth, and to further confirm the heroic-tragic male mountaineering/exploration paradigm.’
Robert MacFarlane, author of ‘Mountains of the Mind’

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars The last climb of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, towards the summit of Mount Everest on 8 June 1924, has been shrouded in mystery for a century. Were they the first humans to stand at the highest point in the world? The discovery of Mallory's body in 1999 did nothing to resolve the mystery. Until now, accounts of their climb have been driven by speculation and preconceived narrative. I’ve always been fascinated by this story. Something of the old pioneer/explorer in it really appeals so I was delighted to read this excellent book. It’s well researched and presented. It describes in detail just how Mallory prepared for the climbing of the highest mountain in the world. It also gives an insight on the man himself but, sadly it cannot answer the inevitable question. Did Mallory and Irvine reach the summit or not? It’s a great read however.
NetGalley, Steve Cripwell

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