Everest: Eighty Years of Triumph and Tragedy [Hardcover]

Peter Gillman (Author), Leni Gillman (Author), Audrey Salkeld (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

• Updated to include all the major events since the first edition was published in 1993
• Offers an up-close-and-personal view of the world's highest mountain
• Lavishly illustrated with stunning photographs

Everest is a unique climbing history of the world's highest peak, featuring major ascents and the first-person perspectives of climbers from around the world. Included are classic accounts by Edmund Hillary on the first-ever ascent; Wang Fu-chou and Chu Yin-hua on the controversial 1960 Chinese ascent; Tom Hornbein on climbing the West Ridge; and Carlos Buhler on the first ascent of the Kangshung Face. New stories include first hand accounts of the 1996 disaster; the story of the remarkable photographic self-portrait taken by Bruce Herrod, who disappeared after reaching the summit; and the discovery of George Mallory's body in 1999.

Just as impressive as the written pieces are the book's awe-inspiring photographs showing Everest from every side and in all its moods, ranging from historic 1920's panoramas to moments of triumph on the summit.

Peter and Leni Gillman are long-time mountaineering writers, investigative reporters, and journalism teachers. They are the authors of a dozen books, including The Wildest Dream. They live in London, England.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 2nd Rev edition (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898867800
• ISBN-13: 978-0898867800
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #711,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > History > Asia > Nepal

More About the Author

Peter Gillman was born in Bromley, Kent, in 1942. He attended Hawes Down school, Dulwich College (1953-61), and University College Oxford (1961-64). He was editor of Isis magazine at Oxford. He became a journalist on leaving Oxford and was soon writing for the Sunday Times, first as a freelance, then on the staff, where he spent five years on the newspaper's Insight team. He became a freelance journalist in 1983 and has written for most British newspapers since. He has also written or co-authored a number of books, including Eiger Direct (with Dougal Haston) (published 1966); The Plumbat Affair (with Paul Eddy and Elaine Davenport) (1978); The Falklands War (with Paul Eddy and Magnus Linklater) (1982); Collar the Lot, co-authored with his wife Leni Gillman (1980); Alias David Bowie, with Leni Gillman (1986); The Duty Men (1987); In Balance: 20 years of mountaineering journalism (1989); Everest: the best writing and pictures (1993); The Wildest Dream (biography of mountaineer George Mallory) with Leni Gillman (2000) - winner of Boardman Tasker prize for mountain writing; Everest: 80 years of triumph and tragedy (2001). He has a specialism in mountain writing and has won a record six annual awards from the Outdoor Writers Guild. He has worked in television and cinema and also works as a trainer in journalism and writing. See website www.peterleni.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely awe-inspiring!!!, May 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Everest: Eighty Years of Triumph and Tragedy (Hardcover)

Much more than a standard coffee-table book with spectacular pictures of the tallest mountain in the world, the stories in here can be read fluidly from front to back, giving a riveting and inspiring saga of man's explorations to this increasingly sought-after spot of our planet.

Lacking a little in the pre-western views/mythologies of this spectacular mountain and surrounding landscape, the book does make mention of most of some sherpa tradations, but basically focuses on some of their climbing aid to modern climbs.

Full of actual news clippings, excerpts from articles written by climbers, interviews, and of course incredible photography, this book is a great buy.