Rating: 
Summary: A Mystery Yet Unsolved
Review: By no means can I be considered an expert on matters concerning Everest, so I can't comment authoritatively on some of the factual issues here. Nevertheless, I can say that this is an excellent primer for the layman who is interested in learning about the mystery of Mallory and Irvine and their 1924 attempt to be the first to reach the summit of the world's tallest mountain.For background, the book provides biographical details about Mallory and a history of Western exploration of Everest. (Apparently, Mallory was a great natural climber, but extraordinarily forgetful about critical details and sometimes suffering from poor judgement.) It also details the events of the 1921, 1922, and 1924 British expeditions, the first organized attempts by Europeans to explore the mountain. Excellent maps are included, along with two sections of black and white photos, primarily from the original expeditions, with some supplements from the 1999 search for Mallory and Irvine's bodies. (For those of a more morbid mindset, note that the photos from 1999 feature only one discreet shot of Mallory's frozen body, and otherwise mostly are concerned with the artifacts found upon him.) The last two brief chapters relate the efforts of a 1999 British/American expedition (funded in part by German interests) to find the missing climbers and hopefully to salvage preserved film from the camera they were known to have been carrying. Should the camera be found, it's possible that photos might still be developed from it and that the question of whether or not Mallory and Irvine reached the summit could be conclusively answered at last. To date, neither the camera nor the body of Irvine have been found (apparently a subsequent 2001 expedition by some of the team members from 1999 uncovered only questionable further evidence from the 1924 climbers), so the mystery endures. However, this book speculates that it's possible, however unlikely, that Mallory and Irvine might indeed have reached the top, albeit at so late and dangerous an hour and with such primitive protection and gear that their doom would have been assured in any case. The last few chapters are mildly repetitious in certain parts, but other than that minor flaw, this is a very readable and fascinating account of one of the greatest tragedies and enigmas of mountaineering.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting for all readers
Review: I approached this book as something that seemed interesting. I am not a climber, not particularly interested in Everest, and not even that much of a history buff. Yet, within I found an amazingly fascinating tale of the desire to achieve and the motivations of the men (sorry, mostly men) involved. This book also strikes me as terrific for teens that want to better understand how people create high goals and then achieve them.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I know nothing about climbing or mountains, but I was recommended this book as a good read. I had no idea about the history of Everest or about Mallory and Irvine. What a great book! I loved the background and the story about these two great climbers. A great read. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: Lost on Everest is an excellent book. I saw the documentary that followed the modern-day climbers on their quest to find the bodies of Mallory and Irvine and watched a program that was almost all about the present day, and only a little of the main story. The book is completely the opposite. Of its 10 chapters, only the last 2 are dedicated to the search team of 1999. The book begins with the early life of George Mallory from a child in rural Manchester to his life as a teacher. It charters the early days of his climbing as well as his marriage to Ruth and other such milestones in Mallory's life. Interwoven with the story of Mallory is the story of Everest itself. From its humble beginnings as Peak XV to its now more recognised name, the history of the mountain is charted from the late 16th Century onwards. It is this that appeals to me the most. British Empirical history is a great love of mine and this book provides a very interesting viewpoint on a world we will never see again. It maintains throughout a romanticism that is constantly hit hard by the tragedies and the politics of the time . This theme is continued throughout the book, until its final chapters, and it is there that we hit the only problem in the book. The difference between the recounting of the 1999 expedition and the rest of the book is marked. For me, too marked. Almost all of the book is swathed in the rich history only for the ugly face of today to rear up. The writing of the "then and now" has proved a problem to the author who has managed to ruin the sense of the book at its end. The recounting of the body search is very much at odds with the rest of the book and does not sit well. It maybe that the historical aspect has been put across in an almost unreal way whilst the 1999 expedition comes across brutally and with little hint of the awe in which the climbers claim to feel as they look upon the body of Mallory. A pity, for this book was for the most part spellbinding. It is a great shame that the modern writing had to be at the end. At the beginning and it would have been forgotten about as soon as we got into the interesting stuff. Unfortunately this is not the case, and we have a somewhat spoilt feel to the whole read. I would definitely advise anyone to read it and many may not agree with my opinions. This fascinating world of mountaineering and the story of Mallory and Irvine have combined to produce a piece of the greatest interest.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and then America gets involved
Review: Lost on Everest is an excellent book. I saw the documentary that followed the modern-day climbers on their quest to find the bodies of Mallory and Irvine and watched a program that was almost all about the present day, and only a little of the main story. The book is completely the opposite. Of its 10 chapters, only the last 2 are dedicated to the search team of 1999. The book begins with the early life of George Mallory from a child in rural Manchester to his life as a teacher. It charters the early days of his climbing as well as his marriage to Ruth and other such milestones in Mallory's life. Interwoven with the story of Mallory is the story of Everest itself. From its humble beginnings as Peak XV to its now more recognised name, the history of the mountain is charted from the late 16th Century onwards. It is this that appeals to me the most. British Empirical history is a great love of mine and this book provides a very interesting viewpoint on a world we will never see again. It maintains throughout a romanticism that is constantly hit hard by the tragedies and the politics of the time . This theme is continued throughout the book, until its final chapters, and it is there that we hit the only problem in the book. The difference between the recounting of the 1999 expedition and the rest of the book is marked. For me, too marked. Almost all of the book is swathed in the rich history only for the ugly face of today to rear up. The writing of the "then and now" has proved a problem to the author who has managed to ruin the sense of the book at its end. The recounting of the body search is very much at odds with the rest of the book and does not sit well. It maybe that the historical aspect has been put across in an almost unreal way whilst the 1999 expedition comes across brutally and with little hint of the awe in which the climbers claim to feel as they look upon the body of Mallory. A pity, for this book was for the most part spellbinding. It is a great shame that the modern writing had to be at the end. At the beginning and it would have been forgotten about as soon as we got into the interesting stuff. Unfortunately this is not the case, and we have a somewhat spoilt feel to the whole read. I would definitely advise anyone to read it and many may not agree with my opinions. This fascinating world of mountaineering and the story of Mallory and Irvine have combined to produce a piece of the greatest interest.
Rating: 
Summary: Readable on Everest
Review: More an engaging history of early Everest exploration than a record of the expedition to find Mallory & Irvine, this book still will be of interest to climbers and arm-chair mountaineers. A few proofing errors in the later chapters detract from the quality and several of the photos could use arrows and annotations. It seemed as if the author and publisher rushed this book through to get it on the shelves before Christmas. All that said, the plates are the best collection of early Everest illustrations that I've seen. I found the account readable and enjoyable. When the text finally got the search team on the mountain, it was captivating. Of course, their findings raise more questions: where is Irvine and the missing camera, what happened to Mallory's watch? I'd like to know how close they were to the original camp when Mallory fell. And after they found Mallory, why didn't they spend more time looking for Irvine? I'll probably read the other titles about the search for Mallory & Irvine just because of my mountaineering background. I'll be curious to see how they compare.
Rating: 
Summary: Lost on Everest by P L Firstbrook
Review: One of at least six books that have been published since Mallory's body was found. The book is poorly produced with disappointing photos (largely extracted from archive footage and film stills - one deduces an unedifying row between climbing and camera teams) all with the feel of a token volume to accompany the BBC programme. The author spends 162 pages out of 203 retelling the history of the early Everest expeditions - all good stuff, but his text shows more than a passing resemblance to other, better, secondary sources (in particular David Robertson's 'George Mallory', Walt Unwsorth's 'Everest', and Peter Hopkirk's 'Trespassers on the Roof of the World'). Rows between camera crews and climbers are not new; they have beset expeditions since John Noel underwrote the 1924 expedition with speculative funds based on what he thought the footage might make. But it justifies a raw, cynical view about the BBC for trying to muffle the climbing team from telling their own stories (and thereby losing their first choice of high altitude cameraman and prejudicing a much better book and film) and the American for cashing in once they had found a film crew prepared to back them.
Rating:
Summary: A thorough effort, until the end...
Review: P. L. Firstbrook, in his ambitious book, depicts man's many attempts to climb Mr. Everest, as well as the tragic deaths of so many climbers. "Lost on Everest" leaves me with a gnawing question. Were the climbers who scaled this forbidding mountain back in the twenties brave or foolhardy or both? Even with the more advanced equipment and clothing that is available nowadays, many people who are experienced climbers still die while trying to reach the summit. The weather on Everest is so changeable and fierce, and the footing is so treacherous, that there is a huge element of danger in making this frightening climb. Firstbrook brings this story to life by focusing on George Mallory, a young man who died on Everest in 1924 after a number of unsuccessful attempts to conquer the mountain. Mallory was experienced, skilled and fearless, but he also had a tendency to be reckless, careless and absentminded. Did Mallory reach the summit before his death? Did Mallory make a fatal mistake that cost him his life and that of his companion, Andrew Irvine? We will never be sure of the answers to these questions. In 1999, an expedition was sent to find Mallory's body, and sure enough, his body was found on the mountain after having lain there for seventy-five years. I found the story of Mallory's adventures and those of his fellow climbers riveting, but I was also saddened by the loss of life brought on by man's obsession with conquering the highest mountain on earth.
Rating:
Summary: Brave or foolhardy? Man's attempts to climb Everest.
Review: P. L. Firstbrook, in his ambitious book, depicts man's many attempts to climb Mr. Everest, as well as the tragic deaths of so many climbers. "Lost on Everest" leaves me with a gnawing question. Were the climbers who scaled this forbidding mountain back in the twenties brave or foolhardy or both? Even with the more advanced equipment and clothing that is available nowadays, many people who are experienced climbers still die while trying to reach the summit. The weather on Everest is so changeable and fierce, and the footing is so treacherous, that there is a huge element of danger in making this frightening climb. Firstbrook brings this story to life by focusing on George Mallory, a young man who died on Everest in 1924 after a number of unsuccessful attempts to conquer the mountain. Mallory was experienced, skilled and fearless, but he also had a tendency to be reckless, careless and absentminded. Did Mallory reach the summit before his death? Did Mallory make a fatal mistake that cost him his life and that of his companion, Andrew Irvine? We will never be sure of the answers to these questions. In 1999, an expedition was sent to find Mallory's body, and sure enough, his body was found on the mountain after having lain there for seventy-five years. I found the story of Mallory's adventures and those of his fellow climbers riveting, but I was also saddened by the loss of life brought on by man's obsession with conquering the highest mountain on earth.
Rating:
Summary: A thorough effort, until the end...
Review: Peter Firstbrook presents, essentially, a two-part text. The initial (and, overwhelming) content of the book deals factually and thoroughly with the history of the various climbing expeditions with the emphasis appropriately placed on Mallory's involvement in the whole process. The detail and insight offered by Mr. Firstbrook seems to have been genuinely and thoughtfully researched, although, I found it strange that more wasn't mentioned about Mallory's apparent disregard for his young family. Romantic letters aside, Mallory's actions clearly placed his wife and children a distant third behind his own ambition and the "chaps" with whom he fraternized. Evidence of this inconsistency in the book is liberally found whenever Mr. Firstbrook describes, in great detail, the trists that developed among Mallory and his fellow alpinist cognoscente. I suspect the omission of detail regarding Mallory's relationship with his family was a choice of the author rather than a lack of available material on the subject... The book takes a turn towards the superficial, however, when Mr. Firstbrook suddenly transitions the reader along with the expedition which found Mallory's body in 1999. Given the level of detail he was able to provide about the early expeditions, I was amazed at how little was provided about the 1999 expedition, its team members, the discovery of the body and actual clues provided by Mallory's remains. How did the team members go about the excavation of the body, for example. And, certainly, some of the dialogue among the climbers back at base camp was worth publishing, wasn't it? Similarly, the paucity of the (only) black and white photos of the 1999 expedition left me wondering why Mr. Firstbrook bothered to include them at. I suppose one can speculate that he either didn't have rights to the photos, or, omitted them out of respect for the families, or, that he was (somehow) bound by contract to Eric Simonson? Again, no explanation was offered. It appears, unfortunately, that Mr. Firstbrook was under presure to complete the work before the next guy(s) did; that may account for the (somewhat) flimsy detail and discussion provided in the last couple of chapters of the book. Doesn't the title of this book suggest an emphasis on what the search team was able to ascertain in 1999? Hell, I learned almost as much about this subject matter by watching the damn NOVA presentation!
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