Ghosts of Everest [Paperback]

Jochen Hemmleb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2000

Did Mallory and Irvine reach Everest's summit 30 years before Hillary and Tenzing? Until now, clues about what happened to these two Everest pioneers had been scant and misleading. Until now, no one has known whether they reached the summit. Until now, no one has known where or how they perished. This is a detective story of the first order. It is the story not just of Mallory and Irvine's last climb, but of the team of climbers and researchers who, together, found the body of perhaps Britain's greatest mountaineer and uncovered the startling story he had waited so long to reveal. Written by the three key members of the team, and incorporating extensive interviews with other team members, "Ghosts Of Everest" is the dramatic unfolding of both the 1999 and 1924 expeditions, woven together into a compelling narrative. This book is the definitive account and has become an instant classic.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan (October 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330393790
• ISBN-13: 978-0330393799
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,830,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is a superbly written and illustrated book., November 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ghosts of Everest: The Search for Mallory & Irvine (Hardcover)

I thought it had all been said about this expedition and Everest in general until I read this book. The accounts published by the authors in magazines such as National Geographic, and Outside are good but pale in comparison to the quality of the presentation of this book. The photos of the primitive equipment Mallory, Irvine and their colleagues used almost 100 years ago tell a compelling story. I cannot imagine achieving the heights they achieved with the hobnail boots. I had never seen a pair up close. The photos of the mountain from each expedition are remarkable and unique. This book is more than just a climbing tale. The author does a superb job of portraying the people on the 1924 and 1999 expeditions, and the cultures in which they immersed themselves. Mountaineers Books also did an outstanding job of producing the best quality Everest book I have seen to date. It is beautifully designed and executed. It is one of those rare books that I hated to finish and will no doubt refer to and savor again. You will want a quality hardback copy for your library or coffee table.

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a story, well-written!, November 10, 1999

By 

Betsy R. Armstrong (Boulder, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Everest: The Search for Mallory & Irvine (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful look back in time to the amazing geographic curiosity of the British in the 1920s. Coupled with it is the incredible and true story of another group of curious American explorers who set out in 1999 to accomplish the impossible by attempting to find traces of the 1920s expedition.

That all these characters are mountain climbers is only part of the story. That the 1999 team DID find the body of a member of the 1924 expedition is also only part of the story. The real story is the human drama of both eras. The 1999 team does a great job in this book of paying their tribute to heroes of a by-gone era of exploration, while demonstrating that the will to seek and find new truth and explore new horizons is still alive and well in some of us. The rest of us can live it vicariously through great books like this one!

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great read!, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ghosts of Everest: The Search for Mallory & Irvine (Hardcover)

The authors of Ghosts of Everest manage to gracefully pull off the telling of two fascinating stories at the same time: one about the historic 1924 expedition of Mallory and Irvine, and the other about the authors' own expedition in 1999 to search for clues and pay homage to the 1924 climbers. The two stories work wonderfully together and are set within the context of interesting and appropriate photos and poignant quotes from Mallory himself. The whole work flows flawlessly and is not only a "must read" for Everest afficionados, but also for the broader reading public sharing admiration and interest in the human spirit of adventure. The spirit of risk and adventure and human grit demonstrated within this book is truly compelling. Of special note also is the tasteful way in which the authors present a few photos of the body of Mallory as found on Everest 75 years after his disappearance. Despite early public criticisms for the publishing of these photos, I saw them as a deeply moving, almost breathtaking, but absolutely necessary part of the story. Without them, the impact of the team's find, the sights and the moments they shared upon the discovery, would be lost to the reader. No words can begin to tell us what those men experienced with Mallory up there that day. The reverence toward Mallory has been well documented, and the photos of Mallory's final resting pose do him justice. All in all, a research job well done, a book well written, a story well told!