True Summit: What Really Happened on Maurice Herzog's First Legendary Ascent of Annapurna (Hardcover)

"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 serves to contribute to its success.

I would, however, highly recommend that one first read Maurice Herzog's "Annapurna". Herzog's fascinating, first person, romanticized account of the expedition is 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 and comprehensible.

After the ostensible summit of Annapurna (more about this in "True Summit") by Herzog and Louis Lachenal, who were aided in their harrowing descent of Annapurna 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 remarkable memorial to their efforts during that ground breaking expedition and well worth reading.

This work of non-fiction is a very interesting read in terms of its research, as well as its historical and archival detail. Its author 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 that expedition and the source for much of what is analyzed in this book. It will ground readers of "True Summit" in the context out of which this book arose and will make reading it that much more enjoyable.

After the highly publicized summit of Annapurna 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, as a result. 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 forgotten. It is a memorial to their efforts during that historic expedition and well worth reading.