- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: National Geographic; First THUS edition (Mar 1 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0792269837
- ISBN-13: 978-0792269830
- Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 16.2 x 2.7 cm
- Shipping Weight: 576 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,811,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
U.K.-based writer, editor and mountaineer Douglas has written what his publisher is touting as "the first full biography of Tenzing Norgay," the Sherpa leader who accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953 on their pioneering 29,028-foot climb to the top of Mt. Everest. Douglas follows in the snow-covered path of last year's books by Tenzing's son, Jamling Tenzing Norgay (Touching My Father's Soul) and grandson Tashi Tenzing (Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest). An illiterate yak herder, Tibetan-born Tenzing grew up in the shadow of Chomolungma (the Sherpa name for Everest), and in 1935 was chosen for his first expedition, although "he couldn't yet speak a word of English and had to gesture that he had no certificate from the Himalayan Club." When he reached the summit in 1953 he became "a role model for ordinary people, someone of humble birth who had made headlines around the world." Douglas weaves numerous Everest adventurers into this tapestry of Tenzing's life, and the author's extensive mountain-climbing experience gives the book an authoritative solidity. He enumerates tragic deaths, compares contradictory passages in various written accounts and examines cultural misunderstandings, commenting on political issues triggered by Tenzing's triumph. He also covers Tenzing's later years, which were darkened by drinking and depression. This is an honest, inspiring look at one of history's great adventurers. Map and photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Fifty years after the first ascent of Everest, the heroism and determination of the climbers who pioneered the route still captures the imagination of people around the world. In an age before commercialism and adventure tourism made ascents of Everest commonplace, the courage and sense of adventure shown by an earlier generation of mountaineers remains an inspiration. Drawing on in-depth interviews with key family members, friends, and climbing partners, this volume throws new light on Tenzing Norgay's childhood and early years as a young climbing porter and how he overcame huge odds to reach the top of the world. The role of Tenzing Norgay in the success of the 1953 expedition wasn't just confined to standing atop the summit. He was at the center of the expedition's organization too, making sure that his team of Sherpas delivered enough loads to high camps on the mountain. Despite his fame and popularity, there is still a great deal to learn about the life of Tenzing Norgay, about his origins, his childhood, and how he managed to become one of the best climbing Sherpas of his era. Only the full story of his life shows the true scale of his achievement and the problems and difficulties behind his bright smile. His story is intertwined with the story of the people he worked alongside, a unique and unrepeatable story in the history of exploration. Part ethnography, part biography, and full of the excitement of early Himalayan climbing, Tenzing: Hero of Everest tells the story of mountaineering's most famous day, 29 May, 1953: Perhaps Tenzing's greatest gift to the story was the human face he put on their success. He took the keepsakes his daughter had given him, the little red-and-blue pencil and some small offerings of biscuits and candy for the deity Miyolangsangma, and scraped away a hollow in the snow in which to place them. He posed for Hillary's camera, holding aloft his ice axe with the flags he had carried with him of the United Nations, Britain, Nepal, and India but these grander messages seem lost in comparison to his thoughts of his family and his god. "All I can say is that on Everest," he wrote, "I was not thinking about politics."
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
history lesson,
By
This review is from: Tenzing: Hero of Everest (Paperback)
When I purchased this book I thought that I was going to receive a thrilling biography of the first ascent of MT. Everest. But instead I got a history lesson on the culture, area, and Tenzing's family. I had a hard time staying awake through the beginning and the end of the book. The middle kept me going while Everest was being climbed. The writing was fine. It just was not exciting. So if you are writing a paper for you college history class, check out this book. If you want an exciting mountaineering book, look somewhere else.
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Hero of Everest Without the Heart and Soul,
By
This review is from: Tenzing: Hero of Everest (Hardcover)
Thorough, informative and well authenticated but wholly lacking in literary style and readability. As I read the book I thought "with all this information a good editor and the benefit of literary style could have vastly improved the effort!" In reading the book I did discover that I am an unswerving 'linear reader'. No matter how bad the writing became I remained steadfast to the end hoping that this book could redeem itself. This effort will not be seriously considered a notable contribution to the history of climbing Everest. For that sort of book I recommend reading elsewhere.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lost In The Details,
By
This review is from: Tenzing: Hero of Everest (Hardcover)
One has to commend Ed Douglas for this, a highly scholarly and thorough look at the life of a very enigmatic and difficult character. One is left in no doubt that he has thoroughly researched and cross referenced his sources in order to provide this highly detailed portrait.Yet this book's main failings may just be this tremendous detail. Whilst an ethnographer would no doubt be fascinated with the complex social, religious and family structures of Himalayan life I doubt many readers would be as interested. Douglas lays out Tenzing's story with the cold accuracy of an experienced climber calmly looking for his next hold. Unfortunately this accuracy translates into a cool detachment from the subjects in question. Non mountaineers will find themselves grasping at their own handholds as Douglas assumes both a knowledge of climbing and an intimacy with Everest from his readers. For example, he references the South Col numerous times, yet no where is this feature of the mountain illustrated or explained to us. A good atlas of the Himalayan region is needed by any prospective reader to begin to understand much of Tenzing's expeditions and I think it is inexcusable for a book of this nature not to include such maps and diagrams. Works on explorers and exploration should contain a wealth of detail but they also need to transcend that information and deliver a passionate portrait of the characters involved. Hero of Everest's textbook-like narrative delivers in the former but is sadly lacking in the latter.
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