Wow. If you want the most comprehensive study of George Mallory's 3rd and final climb up Mt. Everest, read this book!
The book Mallory, Irvine, and Everest: The Last Step But One by Dr. Robert Edwards examines the mystery surrounding George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's 1924 attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
The book provides a fresh and original perspective on this historical event, as the author is a mathematician who has applied modern analysis techniques to the available evidence. Dr. Edwards has thoroughly researched the contemporary accounts, letters, and artifacts related to the climb and has identified inconsistencies in previous narratives.
The book's release coincides with the 100th anniversary of Mallory and Irvine's fateful expedition and offers unique insights. Mountaineering experts Jochen Hemmleb and Thom Dharma Pollard have praised its potential to shed new light on whether Mallory and Irvine were the first to conquer Everest. This unique perspective is sure to enlighten the audience.
Mallory picked a strong, young, inexperienced climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, to push to the summit.
Video interview with the author, Robert Edwards
Podcast
SPOILER #1: Nobody knows if either one of them made it. And this book doesn't offer a definitive answer either.
However, this book will enthrall you if you want to learn what the most meticulous researcher has discovered.
For example, Edwards spends pages examining everything about the mysterious ice ax found high on the mountain.
SPOILER #2: The ax is almost certainly Irvine's or Malory's, but we don't know which one. The author concludes that it was placed there and didn't tumble or drop there accidentally.
What I love about this book is that Edwards lets the evidence speak.
Although he speculates, he admits when he's speculating to let the reader reach their conclusion.
After reading this excellent book and interviewing the author, here's my best guess as to what happened:
Mallory probably reached the summit late in the afternoon, forcing him to descend at night. When investigators found his corpse in 1999, Mallory's sunglasses were in his pocket, indicating he descended at night. He ran out of oxygen, which sapped his strength and heat just when he needed to stay warm at nightfall. He had few clothes compared to modern climbers. Without oxygen, he got disoriented and wobbly. His judgment worsened. One slip was all it took to break his leg and slide down to his resting spot, where he was found decades later.
This hypothesis is my speculation, not the book's.
Get the book, and judge for yourself.
WARNING: This book may bore people with only a passing interest in this topic.
VERDICT: 5 out of 5 stars!
