3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Historical Book, April 12 2009
In Paths to Glory, Jeffrey Archer tells the story of George Mallory, the first man who may have made it to the top of Mount Everest. This fictional telling of this incredible man and story grabs the reader right from the beginning and I found myself unable to put it down, despite knowing the end of the story in advance. In typical Archer style, the story flowed seamlessly and you found yourself wanting Mallory to make it to the summit. With the information learned with the discovery of Mallory's body in 1999, Archer takes the approach that Mallory did make it to the top of the mountain before falling on his descent. Archer follows history closely and brings this man who deserves to be remembered alive again.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, July 4 2009
This tale supports the theory that mountain climber George Leigh Mallory may have been the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest during his second expedition in 1924.
Written with vivid imagination, Mr Archer relates the life and some of the events surrounding this historical man. From Mallory's infancy, up to his dark experiences in the trenches of the First World War and on to those two famous expeditions which ultimately brought him to the Himalayas.
The story is very dramatic but we won't find any twists of faith as the outcome has left many unanswered questions from the start. When Mr Mallory's body was found in 1999 some facts where discovered that opened many new scenarios. The whereabouts of his climbing partner Mr Alexander Irvine is still an unsolved mystery.
This is not a conventional biography; it reads more like a movie script, broadly covering the facts, simplifying and embroidering events. It ends with a moving memorial service and a post 1924 update of family and followers.
I enjoyed "Paths of Glory" for its simplicity and its entertainment. It is a great story one hard to put down. For those wanting a more precise account of these two heroes, there are many other resources.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Paths of Glory is glorious, Jun 24 2009
Jeffrey Archer knows how to weave a story. I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I bought my Mom a copy as I knew she would love it. Mr. Archer makes you want to meet the characters in his books, I was moved to tears at the end. There is no murders, sex or shootings, just a darn good tale told by a very good storyteller.
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