Book Description

In 1953, Tenzing Norgay was at the heart of the successful British Everest expedition as leader of the Sherpas whose hard work brought victory and as one of the two lead climbers to reach the top. But behind Tenzing’s radiant smile is an untold story of courage, tragedy, and ambition, of a man who overcame incredible odds just to reach the bottom of the mountain. Born in a sacred Tibetan valley in the shadow of Everest, Tenzing’s long journey led him from life as an illiterate yak herder to become the friend of Nehru, feted by monarchs and presidents all over the world. Set against the backdrop of one of the greatest chapters in the history of exploration, Tenzing: Hero of Everest recounts the jubilant moments at the summit: “Tenzing was effusive, putting an arm around Hillary’s shoulders, and thumping him on the back with infectious delight. Hillary joined in.... Now all below them...the valleys where Tenzing had grown up. ‘It was such a sight as I had never seen before,’ he said, ‘and would never see again—wild, wonderful, and terrible. But terror was not what I felt. I loved the mountains too well for that. I loved Everest too well.’” Mountaineering historian Ed Douglas reveals for the first time Tenzing’s long climb from obscurity. Drawing on extensive interviews with family members, climbing partners, and members of the Sherpa community in Darjeeling and Nepal, the book chronicles his rise to fame and the aftermath of his triumph. The result is a wealth of new material about a man who made his people famous and whose life was the stuff of legend.