Everest: The West Ridge [Paperback]

Thomas F. Hornbein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

The classic, gripping mountaineering saga of the first ascent of Everest's West Ridge.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"If we can pull it off," said the climber, referring to a route up Mt. Everest's West Ridge, "it would be the biggest possible thing still to be accomplished in Himalayan mountaineering." To undertake such a route is to understand that failure is not an option; there is no turning back from the West Ridge. In 1963 Thomas Hornbein, the author of Everest: The West Ridge, and his partner Willi Unsoeld committed themselves to such a glory-or-death assault on the world's tallest peak. Their achievement is told within the pages of this book, one of the classic mountaineering sagas of all time. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The classic book is a must-have for any Everest buff’s library. -- Cedar Rapids Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA

Product Details

• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; First Edition edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898866162
• ISBN-13: 978-0898866162
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Travel > Asia > Nepal

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Classic, Yes, But Somewhat Dated . . ., August 21, 2000

By 

Cat (Northborough, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everest: The West Ridge (Paperback)

Jon Krakauer's provocative critique of the 1996 storm deaths on Everest aroused in many an insatiable interest in the mountain. For others, like me, who are in this position and who would like to extend their knowledge of the mountain and its climbs further back in history, I recommend Dr. Hornbein's account of his climb and traverse of Everest by the West Ridge. Dr. Hornbein was part of the first American expedition to Everest in the 1960s and, together with Willi Unsoeld, was the first to climb Everest by the west route.

The historical nature of Dr. Hornbein's account is both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. Because The West Ridge was written in the mid-1960s, its perspective is very different from the post-1996 Everest books, providing insight into the minds, drives, and cultural attitudes of the true mountaineers who "opened" Everest, rather than the "me-too" climbers who have come after. For this and for Hornbein's direct, spare narrative style, Everest: The West Ridge is exciting and well worth the read.

On the other hand, the book suffers from a stoic heroicism which feels dated and which robs the story of some its narrative power. During the climb, Hornbein experienced a dramatic storm high up on Everest's west ridge and later, on the descent after his summit, was forced to spend the night high above the South Col. Although these events are included in the narrative, they are recorded in a such a matter-of-fact fashion that one unfamiliar with the modern Everest literature would not understand Hornbein's incredible feat in surviving these adventures. While a reluctance to describe these events may evidence an admirable modesty, it does not make for the best possible story. However, neither this nor some shortcomings in the editing alter the significance of Dr. Hornbein's accomplishment or diminish the excitement of the tale that he tells. The book is a terrific addition to any Everest library.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A DRAMATIC , EVEREST ADVENTURE DRYLY TOLD...ZZZZZZZ, November 6, 2000

By 

Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Everest: The West Ridge (Paperback)

This is the story of the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition which made mountaineering history. It saw the first Americans summit Everest via the South Col. It also saw the first climb of Everest by anyone via the West Ridge route, previously believed to be unclimbable.

Not only did Thomas Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld summit Everest via the West Ridge, they traversed the mountain and descended via the South Col route. They were, however, forced to bivouac in the death zone at 28,000 feet without any food, supplemental oxygen, or shelter.

One would think that such a dramatic turn of events high on Everest would be riveting to read. Wrong! Unfortunately, this is the one problem with this book. The story is told in a very dry, dull fashion. It is as if Hornbein were talking about flossing one's teeth rather than about a segment of mountaineering history of which he was an integral part.

Nevertheless, this is a high quality paperback with forty-eight terrific photographs that are sure to delight Everest junkies everywhere. No mountaineering library should be without this book, which recounts with detail one of the most significant climbs in the history of the Himalayas.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling tale of perseverence in the face of adversity, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Everest: The West Ridge (Paperback)

This classic mountaineering volume was written at a time when Himalayan mountaineering was entering a new and exciting phase - a purer seduction of the mountain, where more aesthetic methods and lines of ascent override the basic urge to reach the summit (and nothing else). Tom Hornbein was definitely cast into this new mold, although at the time he was probably not aware of it. This expedition, which was on many occasions threatened with defeat, succeeded in a mountaineering tour de force. Not the ascent by the "yak route", but by pushing a route up one of the most formidable ridges anywhere in the Himalayan chain and traversing the mountain back along the south-east ridge. Without the grit and determination of Tom and Willi, this would have been just another ascent of Everest to add to the ever-growing list. Their dream was borne out in the end. Tom's open and unprepossessing prose is a refreshing change from the pithy accounts of yesteryear, giving the reader more insight into the inner workings, and tensions, of any large mountaineering expedition. A must read for any serious mountaineering scholar.