The Ghosts of Everest: The Authorised Story of the Search for Mallory and Irvine - Softcover

Hemmleb, Jochen; Johnson, Larry A.; Simonson, Eric R.; Nothdurft, William E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0333783158 ISBN 13: 9780333783153

Publisher: Macmillan, 1999

Synopsis

This is the dramatic inside story of the 1999 expedition to find the bodies and solve the enigma of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, who tragically and mysteriously died on Everest on 8th June 1924, in an attempt to reach the peak. What happened to Mallory and Irving the day they set out on their summit bid only to disappear without any evidence of their fate or possible achievement? Were these two brave pioneers the first to reach the summit 29 years before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay? How did they perish and where? What part of the mystery remains to be solved? Set against the backdrop of the 1924 expedition and historical clues from subsequent expeditions, "Ghosts of Everest" weaves a story from early preparations to the day-to-day, blow-by-blow events of both expeditions to create an adventure narrative that captures the voices and the action as it unfolds on the mountain.

About this title

Review:

It is one of the most famous and powerful stories of humanity pitting itself tragically against the elements. In 1924, when Mallory and Irvine set out to make history by reaching of the summit of Everest and become the first men to stand on the world's tallest mountain, their place in the history books was already assured. But then Odell, also climbing with them, saw the two vanish within 800 feet of the summit--and they were never seen again. Ever since, many have wondered what really took place in the rarefied air at 28,000 feet. Did they in fact reach the summit and perish on the way down? Or were Hilary and Norgay the first men to reach the summit three decades later?

In April 1999, the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition team set out to retrace the steps of the 1924 expedition. Their aim was to find out the truth behind the many theories about what happened on that fateful first climb. The Ghosts of Everest describes in carefully researched detail the two expeditions, weaving together both climbs with blow- by-blow accounts of the challenges and dangers encountered. Combining a lucid text with archive photographs of the original expedition and breathtaking colour shots of the new climb, this is a fascinating book of considerable power. --Barry Forshaw

From the Publisher:

One of the most highly publicized expeditions of the century
History was made on Mount Everest last May when the 1999 Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition discovered George Mallory's body and provided new evidence to unravel Everest's greatest mystery - the fate of Mallory and Irvine in 1924. This is the inside story of the 1999 expedition from team historian Jochen Hemmleb, team leader Eric Simonson, and expedition coordinator Larry Johnson, plus contributions from all of the team members.

This riveting story has captured the world's attention, three-quarters of a century after the mystery began. What happened to Everest climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine on June 8, 1924, the day they set out on their summit bid only to disappear without any evidence of their fate or possible achievement? Were these two brave pioneers, whose determination has inspired generations of climbers, the first to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain, 29 years before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay? How did they perish? Seventy-five years later, do we now have the answers?

Set against the backdrop of the 1924 expedition and historical clues from subsequent expeditions, and illustrated throughout with archival photographs and exclusive photos from the 1999 climb, this book brings to life the events surrounding the original ill-fated climb, while following the 1999 expedition team as it retraces the route up the North Col and makes its astounding discovery. Meticulously researched and with new evidence and artifacts found on the mountain, it sheds revealing light on the 75-year-old mystery and two of the greatest heroes of our time.

About this edition

• Publisher: Macmillan
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0333783158
• ISBN 13: 9780333783153
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208