Killing Dragons: The Conquest of the Alps [Paperback]

There is a mathematical law which explains why you wait for ages for a bus to turn up and then two appear at the same time. This may be of small comfort to Fergus Fleming, whose Killing Dragons, a thoroughly engaging story of how the Alps were conquered--primarily by the British, has had some of its thunder stolen by another book, Jim Ring's equally excellent How The British Made the Alps which was published a month earlier. Inevitably the two books cover similar ground, but Fleming should not be too disappointed at not having cracked the market first as the Alps are his natural stomping ground. Fleming came to prominence last year with the publication of Barrow's Boys, the story of how the Navy sought to justify its budget in peacetime by organising a series of quasi-scientific expeditions to increasingly remote locations, and Killing Dragons is a natural successor. Fleming has a natural affinity for charming, buccaneering eccentrics and there are more than enough on offer here. He starts, understandably enough, with the early pioneers and the first ascent of Mont Blanc by Balmat and Paccard in 1786; this is chattily written and good fun with it, but the book steps up a gear with the arrival of the Brits, such as Tyndall and Whymper. In the early days of Alpine climbing, scientific endeavour was felt to be far more important than the conquest of the peaks, but the Brits stripped away these pretensions and turned the Alps into an adventure playground where rivalries were played out in the pursuit of glory. Fleming strikes a fine balance in his storytelling. He doesn't bore us with endless details of belays and rappels but he still conveys a sense of the technical difficulties involved. Most of all, though, he has a natural feel for what people want to read. When it comes to the conquest of the North Face of the Eiger he admits that the ascent doesn't strictly fall within his remit, but he tells it anyway as the story is so gripping. --John Crace --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

‘Fleming’s impeccable research makes for infectious reading’

'Fleming shins up the sheer face of Alpine exploration...[and] is excellent at the detail, excitement and danger of specific climbs.' Literary Review; '[A] richly entertaining as well as highly informative read. Highly recommended.' Focus; '[Fleming] has now corne up with another equally stirring tale...a stylistic equivalent of the modern athlete-climber, leaping from peak to narrative peak...it is hard to imagine the story of men and mountains being told with more gusto.' Sunday Telegraph; 'The story [is] as engrossing as any novel. Its wit and erudition make me think I'll never look at a glacier in the same way. [He] leaves us wanting more. Which, of course, after this excellent book, we do.' Scotland on Sunday; 'Fleming attacks his theme with verve, mining entertainment from eccentric Alpinists, sensational ascents and grisly accidents.' Food and Travel Magazine; 'Fergus Fleming kicks off his book as he continues - by spinning one ripping yarn after another, gleaned from exhaustive research into contemporary accounts.' Daily Telegraph; 'Fergus Fleming['s]...excellent book...[is] a tremendously exciting...account of the mountaineers and their adventures. Fleming tells a ripping good yarn, of which there are dozens in the annals of Alpinism.' Times Literary Supplement; '...it is hard to picture the unassailable, mysterious Alps of the past, but in Fleming's book, they come to glorious life...[a] wonderful book...' Evening Standard; 'Fleming's latest is great fun. An invigorating read' Time Out; 'Killing Dragons is more scientifically alluring and anecdotally toothsome than most travel books, as well as being riddled with improbably hilarious tales of doomed Brits striding up the Matterhorn in boating blazers' Tim Moore, Daily Mail; 'Fergus Fleming [has] an eye for a good story, an appalling scandal or disaster, a savoury fact or intriguing character' The Independent

Full of eccentric characters, "Killing Dragons" is the story of the first British mountaineers to tackle the Alpine summits of Switzerland during the late 18th century. Originally the explorers of this area were poorly equipped, wearing ordinary shoes and no protective clothing. The British arrived intent on reaching every Alpine summit, and "mountaineering" was born. The title refers to the legend of dragons inhabiting these peaks: "here be dragons", quoted the old maps.

Fergus Fleming is a freelance writer living in London W8 and Gloucestershire. Educated at Oxford University and City University, London, he trained as an accountant and barrister and has worked as a furniture maker. Fergus is also the author of Amaryllis, a portrait of his aunt, and of several children's books. His recent non-fiction book Barrow's Boys, is published by Granta Books.