Nanda Devi: The Tragic Expedition

by John Roskelley

In 1976, John Roskelley joined an expedition to climb Nanda Devi, a 26,645-foot peak in India's remote northwest frontier. What unfolded during this climb was a story of strong emotion, conflicting ambitions, death and victory, desire and regret.
This is the story of Will Unsoeld, the expedition leader who supported the participation of his young daughter, who was named after the mountain they were climbing, and Nanda Devi Unsoeld, the idealistic, free-spirited woman determined to scale the mountain with her father. It is also the story of John Roskelley, who was instrumental in the success of putting three people on the top of Nanda Devi. Roskelley is outspoken and honest about an expedition that unraveled in the face of adversity, pulled itself together under torturous circumstances to fulfill its ambitions and goals, yet ended tragically high on the mountain.

Genres: Mountaineering, Nonfiction, Adventure, Nature

236 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1987

Reviews

[Sonja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read another book about the Nanda Devi expedition featuring Willi Unsoeld and his daughter Devi to get another perspective from someone else who had been a member of this climbing team. This book was the exact opposite of the one I read which was full of philosophies and psychological studies of the members. Mr. Roskelley's book is basically, the day was Aug/Sept whatever, the weather was good/snowy/awful/rainy, we went from this camp to that camp, I did my share of breaking trail and getting to the top with Lou/Jim. Only at the very end of the book did he mention the troubles that Devi had been experiencing all through the climb. It was mostly about the personality conflicts among the climbing members, what worked and what didn't, and that was about it. I found it disappointing although some parts were interesting in how they actually climbed the mountain. Mostly, though, I thought it was a waste of time.

[Andrew Caldera · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is good at the beginning but is very redundant and repetitive. It just says they did this and then this and then this and bad porters. The only really good part of the book was at the end like the last 10 pages. It’s dull

[Nikko Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I read this book:

Whenever I visit Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington Vt, I always look for an outdoor book. I wasn't familiar with the Nanda Devi expedition or John Roskelley, but I am always fascinated by tales of survival and tragedy.

My one sentence summary:

Expeditions are as much about team dynamics as technical skill.

Kudos:

Roskelly's narrative is a straight-forward, first hand account of the expedition he joined to climb Nanda Devi. There are a lot of interesting personalities that clash regularly. Despite the sharing the goal of climbing the mountain, the consequences of interpersonal conflicts and a team divided are laid out. I loved the description of how Nanda Devi was summited in stages. Himalayan style mountaineering is about logistics and perseverance.

Quibbles:

I don't really have much to say in regards to quibbles. The afterwords from the various editions give an interesting perspective from the author's point of view at different time points after the incidents. Admittedly, this is one man's account of an incident involving many people.

Final verdict:

Very interesting and engaging read. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in mountaineering in general and mountain tragedies.

[Kevin Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an especially sentimental read for me as I have spent many nights on the water with Dr States talking about his expeditions, he is often gripped with grief and deep sadness. This book is the most accurate representation of technical high altitude climbing I have ever read. Other reviews wrongly slam this book for repetitiveness… but this is completely accurate to the experience. Running lines, carrying between camps, moving people strategically, all logistical elements were critical to the expedition despite its repetitive nature. This book is a must read for anyone interested in sports medicine, climbing, even those interested in group dynamics communication. There’s something here for everyone.

[Stephanie Josine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book because I attended a talk by the author at the Lahore Lit Fest, from which I got the impression that it was centred on the story of espionage, nuclear mishap, and the surrounding diplomatic/political machinations. It reads more like a mountain climbing journal and gets bogged down in the detail of the characters and minor interactions - which at times is really interesting, but other times, just doesn't move the plot along. I didn't finish it, but it just wasn't doing it for me so I put it aside.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about this expedition, tragic that there was a death that occurred primarily due to the climber’s stubborn determination to ignore her health problems.

[Jean Dupenloup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Roskelley’s tale of an ill-fated expedition to the remote and formidable peak of Nanda Devi is a landmark in the expedition literature genre.

In the book, Mr. Roskelley breaks with tradition and airs his and his teammates’ dirty laundry in this tell-all account that left many of his colleagues fuming.

Far removed from the majesty and elegance of the old-school “there is no I in team” spirit of older expeditions, Mr. Roskelley asserts the climber as individualist, fostering a new era of alpine climbing.

With no pulled punches, he tells it all: the beautiful, the incongruous, and even the tragic.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little rambly at times (a lot of play by play on parts of the climb that aren't relevant to the rest of the story) but if you read this viewing it as more of a journal than a book, it'll work for you.

[Mihai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the "front line" account of one of the most controversial American expeditions in Himalayan climbing history. Roskelley relates the story in a very straightforward, to-the-point style. Nothing literary or lyrical here, which is why the book will appeal more to serious climbers who understand the dynamics of an expedition than to casual readers. At the same time, the author presents a strong, unapologetic analysis of the psychological challenges that ultimately wrecked the expedition and led to tragedy. Even though Roskelley motivates his actions as working toward a shared goal, I felt he was not considerate enough to help or swap with his teammates while at the same time criticizing them for not doing their jobs. In the end, the objective was achieved, but at the price of one life, leaving many questions and what-if scenarios to be pondered.
NOTE: I read Nanda Devi as Part I of The Roskelley Collection, a 2012 volume that brings together his most famous works. Roskelley added an afterword in 2000, mentioning that he tried to reach out to all surviving members years later in the hope of bringing closure to the events that changed the lives of all who were on the 1976 expedition. He was only moderately successful, so the tragic story will remain a deep wound forever.

[Rajat · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has lots of promise and hope - about an epic and courageous journey to the top of Nanda Devi in the Himalayas. Unfortunately, this book falls so short in many ways. The author is a climber, not a writer. His style of writing is neither engaging nor entertaining. Only the very end of the book, the last 2-3 chapters are actually worth reading. The whole first part of the book is so dry and plainly written. The entire book is more like "we did this, then we had to rest, then we fought, there was tension, then we waited for the weather to clear, then we tried to find a route".

I think the book would have been better if it was not in first person, but rather third person. Really it was just a recount of the events that happened - not worth a full drawn out book but more worth a newspaper or magazine article.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was a grueling experience. This is a tremendously sad and infuriating and exciting adventure story. It’s a fascinating story, even before the ascent of the mountain. Interesting when describing the erratic and ultimately poor plan and the journey to base camp. A great study in flawed human error: the poor judgment, lousy planning, inexperienced and under-qualified climbers, and most of all, the conflict between the expedition members throughout. This is a very honest account of this incredibly tragic story. And I really liked Nanda Devi, the young woman, and the mountain. But the father was inexplicable to me.

[David Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I gave Roskelley's Nanda Devi: The Tragic Expedition five stars, I did so with several caveats. One really has to work to keep all the participants straight and to understand the climbing lingo (from the 1970s). One the other hand, he captures the emotions and spirit of the expedition as well as the time. This book is on my short list of books, along with The Epic of Gilgamesh, to adapt into graphic novel format as a way of learning that art form.

[Jonathan Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A staggering glimpse of the triumph and tragedy that befell the 1976 expedition to Nanda Devi. John Roskelley's gripping story should serve as a standing example of how not to embark on Himalayan mountaineering expeditions. The immense hubris of this expedition cannot help but create a sense of impending dread in the reader as they progress through this book. A phenomenal read, and very hard to put down.

[Deb Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently reading and re-reading mountain climbing and expedition books. This one by John Roskelly is well-written with lots of details. He kept very good diaries that allowed him to write it as such. The expedition pulled in climbers with strong personalities so there was a lot of conflict between those involved. Some of it remains today.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too bad, I initially was worried that it would be an egocentric account with blame being placed on all surviving members. It turned out to be neither that nor terribly tragic. Elicits the landscape and culture of the Himalaya well.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've wanted to read this book for a long time and finally have. It was published in 1987 and chronicles the climbing expedition of Nanda Devi where the young woman named for the mountain perishes. Sad, but now I have a basic understanding of what went wrong.

[Rich Draves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story of an expedition to the greater ranges. Roskelley's account is very open and honest about dissension in the team. It gives a very good feel for what it is like to participate in such an adventure.

[Kurt · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read and a tragic story.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows the true story of a group of mountain climbers set to conquer the Himalayan peak Nanda Devi. Great adventure book for people who love mountain climbing or hiking.

[ChristinaJL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about how an expedition can go wrong. Arguements, inexperienced climbers and the tragic death of a young women.

[Denis Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mountaineering read demonstrating how twisted expedition interpersonal conflicts can affect an effort.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this knowing how it ended, but not the details. It made for a tense read wondering exactly when and how she would die. It is well written, but the title says it all, a tragic expedition.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragic and powerful!

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. After this, I researched on this expedition and the people involved. Looking for more mountaineers' books to read now.

[Richard Kravitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been too long, but a good read. "Tragic" for sure. I don't think anyone can compare with David Roberts, but Roskelley does a good job.