The Vast Unknown : America's First Ascent of Everest (Hardcover)

from nancnn2

This review refers to an advance copy received through the Early Reviewers program. I was surprised the publisher sent out an advance review copy without historical pictures and maps in it! These seem planned for the final version as they are referenced in the advance copy. Nothing makes the his...

from amerynth

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of this book through LibraryThings' Early Reviewer program. Broughton Coburn's "The Vast Unknown: America's First Ascent of Everest" is a solid, factual account of the first successful American expedition to the summit of the world's highest p...

from ursula

I love books about mountaineering. I'm not entirely sure why, since I have no interest in ever climbing a mountain myself. But I find it fascinating to read about. The United States' first ascent of Everest took place 10 years after the Sir Edmund Hillary had conquered the mountain, so it would s...

from jshrop

Coburn's account of the first American expedition of Mount Everest is well researched, thorough, and evocative of the romantic Everest that existed before corporations providing guided summits for profit. For me, the best part was the detailed description of Hornbein and Unsoeld's summit from the...

from annesion

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing early reviews program. I have long had an interest in all things Everest. I have read several books on the subject. The first American ascent in 1963 was a very different ascent than those I have read about in more recent accounts. Everest itself ...