The Ghosts of K2

Summary:

At 28,251 ft, K2 might be almost 800 ft shorter than Everest, but it’s a far harder climb. In this definitive account, Mick Conefrey grippingly describes the early attempts to reach the summit and provides a fascinating exploration of the first ascent’s complex legacy. From the drug-addicted occultist Aleister Crowley to Achille Compagnoni and Lindo Lacedelli, the Italian duo who finally made it to the summit, “The Ghosts of K2” charts how a slew of great men became fixated on this legendary mountain.

Through exclusive interviews with surviving team members and their families, and unrivalled access to diaries and letters that have been archived around the world, Conefrey evokes the true atmosphere of the Savage Mountain and explores why it remains the ‘mountaineer’s mountain’, despite a history steeped in controversy and death. Wrought with tension, and populated by tragic heroes and eccentric dreamers, The Ghosts of K2 is a masterpiece of mountaineering literature. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Review:

This book was AH-MAY-ZING.   It was a totally random pick-up as someone had left it on the plane and I was hooked.  (Sorry random person who may or may not have lost their book.)   Conefrey does a fantastic job weaving in the history of K2 and building on it to explain the significance of K2 and the accomplishments of the climbers who made it.  There was so much about the mountain that I had no idea about.  This is the kind of book that sucks you in and is hard to put down once you get into the story.

I have read a decent number of climbing books and they risk getting repetitive, but “The Ghosts of K2” was still fresh and interesting the whole way through.  I loved that Conefrey included an explanation of the controversy after summitting because it’s not always all rainbows after such an achievement.  For those who are not mountaineers or hikers, you’ll still enjoy the read if you enjoy sports books or overcoming challenges!  

Rating: 5 stars!

Who should read it? Any fan of sports or books on major human achievement.