The world beneath their feet Mountaineering, madness, and the deadly race to summit the Himalayas

It was 11:30 on the morning of May 29, 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, the "the roof of the world," the tallest mountain above sea level. But before that landmark moment, numerous lesser-known mountaineers from across the globe pursued daunting summits, some successfully, others with tragic results. Focusing on the 1930s and the war years of the 1940s, Ellsworth introduces some of those climbing pioneers here, effectively blending world events into the stories of the various treks. Notable subjects include eccentric Englishman Maurice Wilson, who--determined to climb Mount Everest solo in 1934 with minimal experience--flew a single-engine plane to India and crossed into Tibet by foot, disguised as a Buddhist monk, and American Paul Petzoldt, a combination of "Woody Guthrie and a character out of Mark Twain," who played a key role in the first American Alpine Club Karakoram Expedition to K2 in 1938. Overall, an exceptional account of trailblazing mountaineers who persevered during a turbulent time in history.

Ellsworth (The Secret Game) writes a comprehensive introduction to high-altitude mountaineering, from the interwar period through the early 1950s, when the first 8,000 meter mountains (Annapurna, Everest, and Nanga Parbat) were summited. The background of each expedition is enhanced with intertwining cultural and society events, from the influence of Nazism in Europe to India's push for independence. After the large expeditions of the 1920s, later ones became smaller, though remained a source of national pride. Though some expeditions are thoroughly detailed elsewhere, their inclusion here places them in the wider exploration and spirit of the era. The people, dangers, triumphs, and tragedies are exquisitely detailed, though the crux is in the details and emotion of the lesser-known expeditions that contributed to later climbers reaching the summits. These include the summit of Minya Konka in China, an audacious solo attempt on Everest, and numerous climbs throughout the Himalayas and Karakoram. A helpful appendix details important figures in the sport as well as expeditions and climbing terms. VERDICT An excellent overview of mountaineering and exploration in the Himalayas and Karakoram, set against the backdrop of 20th-century history, that will appeal to mountaineers and armchair adventurers.--Zebulin Evelhoch, Deschutes P.L., OR

The dramatic saga of the race between nations to climb the planet's highest mountains.In his latest, Ellsworth (African American History, Southern Literature/Univ. of Michigan; The Secret Game: ABasketball Story in Black and White, 2015, etc.) focuses on the 1930s and the men and women who risked their lives to climb the "deadliest mountains on Earth." In vivid, novelistic prose, the author describes the significant expeditions and delivers engaging portraits of climbers from many different countries and their invaluable Sherpas. In 1931, the Germans stunned the British and their famous Alpine Club when an expedition led by former soldier Paul Bauer reached the summit of Kangchenjunga, thought to be the world's second-highest mountain. For Bauer, Ellsworth writes, the success was "a way to reclaim the honor of Germany, the honor that had not been lost in the trenches but in the treachery of the Treaty of Versailles." The British responded with a 1933 expedition to Everest. Equipped with newly designed boots, suits, and a new type of glacier glasses, Frank Smythe and Eric Shipton were hopeful but still failed. The Americans, with their Explorer's Club, entered the race when Terris Moore and Dick Burdsall reached the summit of Minya Konka. In 1934, a German team failed to climb Nanga Parbat; four Germans and six Sherpas died. Inspired by James Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon, the British were the first to reach their Shangri-La, Nanda Devi's pristine, massive, circular amphitheater, the Sanctuary. Maurice Wilson, who fought on the Western Front during World War I, flew from England to India and then crossed the Tibetan border to take on Mount Everest. He perished. In 1937, a German team took on Nanga Parbat a second time without success. In 1950, a French team led by Resistance fighter and mountaineer Maurice Herzog climbed Annapurna. Finally, as Ellsworth recounts triumphantly, on May 29, 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, shook hands on Everest's summit.A captivating, rousing adventure story. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.