True Summit: What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent of Annapurna [Hardcover]

The author does a great job of pulling together information from a variety of sources and debunking much of Herzog's orginal and revised takes on what happened on Annapurna in 1950. Much of this information had already been revealed a few years back when controversy arose in France about the veracity of Herzog's accounts but Roberts manages to put all of that information in one place and makes it clear that Herzog was tooting his horn a bit too much at the expense of accurate information and fairness to his teammates.

What bothered me a bit about the book, however, was that, at times, the author seemed to be all over the place. One minute he's telling you about the expedition, then he's telling you about each of the climber's early upbringing, then he's debunking more of Herzog's story, then he's telling you about what the team members did after the expedition was over, then he's debunking more and then, and perhaps most frustrating, he's throwing in references to his own climbing experiences which I didn't think bore much relevance to the story he was trying to tell. This jumping around made it hard to follow what he was trying to do at different points in the book. It simply was not as cleanly written as many of his past works.

Nevertheless, the book is a great read and definitely worth adding to one's collection of works on the history of moutaineering. Finally, I agree with an earlier reviewer in that one should go back and read or reread Annapurna before tackling Roberts' book so you understand the story Roberts' is trying to debunk.

'True Summit' is a very interesting read in terms of its research, as well as its historical and archival detail. Its author, David Roberts, is himself a mountaineer and has an innate understanding of the subject matter of the book, which contributes to its success.

I would, however, highly recommend that one first read Maurice Herzog's "Annapurna" which is Herzog's first person, romanticized account of the expedition and the source for much of what is analyzed in this book. Reading it will ground readers of 'True Summit' in the context out of which this book arises, and will make it that much more enjoyable.

After the ostensible summit of Annapurna (more about this in 'True Summit') by Herzog and Louis Lachenal who were aided in their harrowing descent by fellow expeditioners, Lionel Terray and Gaston Rebuffat, only Maurice Herzog went on to become a national hero in France. The other three mountaineers, all of whom were more experienced and proficient, were largely ignored in what was to become a carefully orchestrated, media event around Maurice Herzog.

"True Summit" attempts to set the story straight and right past wrongs. It also helps to debunk the self-serving, though gripping, sanitized account authored by expedition leader Maurice Herzog. What emerges is a more realistic picture of what may have actually transpired during that fateful, 1950 French expedition.

This book ensures that the contributions of three of the main protagonists, Lachenal, Terray, and Rebuffat, all highly experienced mountaineers from the Chamonix region of France, will not be forgatten. It is a memorial to their efforts during that expedition and well worth reading.