Conquistadors of the Useless [Paperback]

Lionel Terray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2011

An engagingly written portrait of the times and climbs of premier French Mountainerer, Lionel Terray including the Eigerwand, Fitzroy, Annapurna and more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If my library was to somehow catch fire and I could only save one book, the long out of print Conquistadors of the Useless, by Lionel Terray, would be it." -- Explore magazine --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

This biography of LIONEL TERRAY is filled with first-time feats and acts of bravery in the face of unspeakable odds. He climbed with legends such as Maurice Herzog, Gaston Rebuffat, and Louis Lachenal. He made first ascents in the Alps, Alaska, the Andes, and the Himalaya. Terray's gripping story captures the energy of an optimistic world shaking off the restraints of war and austerity. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Cordee (October 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1898573387
• ISBN-13: 978-1898573388
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true masterpiece of clasic climbing., January 23, 2006

By 

Sebastian (Temperley, Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquistadors of the Useless (Paperback)

Lionel Terray was one of the great clasic climbers and this book captures the spirit of those days. The accounts of the climbs are very richly told, they are not technical descriptions but beautiful stories told by a man who devoted his existence to the mountains. Anyone interested in the sport of climbing can benefit from this book, not from the technical side but from the spiritual side and the historical value of the many first ascents by Terray.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Conquistador!, July 17, 2009

By 

Anthony M. Frasca (East Setauket, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna (Paperback)

Lionel Terray's book is a hidden gem. Terray was a well-rounded true mountaineer. He got his start in the French military mountain patrol during World War II. His unit would scale mountains in proximity to, but higher than, German camps and then spread machine gun fire in the camp's vicinity. Never really aiming at the camp itself lest they hurt someone. How French! This book is richly narrated and includes chapters on Terray's ascent of the Eigerwand, and Annapurna among others. If you read this book you may get the idea that there are some mountaineers who do have some common sense. Terray was satisfied at times to put up a second ascent (Eiger) rather than risk all on a daring first-ascent, which in those days was usually suicide. He was on Maurice Herzog's Annapurna team and luckily was not on the summit team , most of whom survived but with fewer limbs. I highly recommend this book. It's great armchair reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any mountain climber who wants to embrace the activity's history, January 12, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna (Paperback)

Not just anyone has it in them to take on the more modern adventure of mountain climbing. "Conquistadors of the Useless" is the autobiography of French adventurer Lionel Terray, telling of his long and eventful life. Born in 1921, he began his adventuring at only the age of twelve and let up very rarely until a freak accident caused his death at forty-four years of age. An edition updated with much more information on the man who revolutionized post-World War II Mountain climbing, "Conquistadors of the Useless" is a must for any mountain climber who wants to embrace the activity's history.