The Story of Everest, by W. H. Murray. 195 pages, 24 photographs, 14 maps and diagrams. English edition: London, J. M. Dent & Sons, 1953. Price, 15/—. American edition: New York, Dutton, 1954. Price, $3.75.

Murray’s book is opportune, not only because of Hunt’s later record which concludes the Everest saga, but because a summary of the former expeditions has been needed now that the earlier volumes are difficult to obtain. Neither Young husband’s nor Ullman’s summaries are satisfactory.

Murray is an experienced writer and has produced a clear, well-balanced book. Over half of it is occupied by the first three expeditions—1921, 1922, and 1924—which is just, for the expeditions of the 1930’s added little that was fundamental to what had been learned on the earlier attempts. In 1936 and 1938 the weather precluded any hope of success.

The author has not just compiled an anthology; he has reinterpreted the stories in the light of later evidence. He shows (p. 111) how the lessons from 1922 and 1924 were appreciated in 1933; and, equally (p. 181), how the Swiss failed to appreciate them fully in 1952. It may be hoped that the success of 1953 will rub home once more the need for acclimatization that the hazardous victory of the French on Annapurna has tended to obscure. Had the Swiss not underestimated this and other factors in 1952, Everest would very possibly have fallen to them.

Some of Murray’s views are controversial; he seems to incline toward the post-monsoon period as being the best for climbing Everest; he is dubious about the need of oxygen. He is unlikely to have many supporters of the first opinion but, in view of the experiences of Houston’s party on K2 in 1953, he may have powerful backing in his dislike of oxygen. Still, those last 800 to 1000 feet on Everest may make all the difference ...

It may be noted that Murray (p. 104) holds that Odell saw Mallory and Irvine at the first and not the second step; and he agrees (p. 120) with the view put forward by Smythe that the ice-axe found by Wager and Wyn Harris marked the site of a slip. He suggests that this was probably on the ascent, not the descent. In this case they would (see the line drawing on p. 126) have fallen before they ever reached the first step and the question of whether Odell really saw them at all is in doubt.

S. B. T.