What do you think?
Rate this book
Above All Things
The Paris Wife meets Into Thin Air in this breathtaking debut novel of obsession and divided loyalties, which brilliantly weaves together the harrowing story of George Mallory's ill-fated 1924 attempt to be the first man to conquer Mount Everest, with that of a single day in the life of his wife as she waits at home in England for news of his return. A captivating blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction, Above All Things moves seamlessly back and forth between the epic story of Mallory's legendary final expedition and a heartbreaking account of a day in the life of Ruth Mallory. Through George's perspective, and that of the newest member of the climbing team, Sandy Irvine, we get an astonishing picture of the terrible risks taken by the men on the treacherous terrain of the Himalaya. But it is through Ruth's eyes that a complex portrait of a marriage emerges, one forged on the eve of the First World War, shadowed by its losses, and haunted by the ever-present possibility that George might not come home. Drawing on years of research, this powerful and beautifully written novel is a timeless story of desire, redemption, and the lengths we are willing to go for honour, glory, and love.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2012
118 people are currently reading
7972 people want to read
About the author
Tanis Rideout
5 books57 followersTanis Rideout is a poet and writer living and working in Toronto. In the fall of 2005 she released her first full-length book of poetry Delineation, exploring the lives and loves of comic book super-heroines, which was praised as a “tantalizing, harrowing read.” It has been featured on CBC Radio’s Bandwidth with Alan Neal and Definitely Not the Opera with Sook-Yin Lee.
In the spring of 2005 Rideout joined Sarah Harmer to read a commissioned poem on Harmer’s I Love the Escarpment Tour to draw attention to damage being done to the Niagara Escarpment by ongoing quarrying. Subsequently a performance of the poem appeared on the DVD of the tour - Escarpment Blues. In 2006 she was named the Poet Laureate of Lake Ontario by the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and toured with the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie to draw attention to environmental justice issues on the lake.
Her poetry and fiction have appeared in numerous quarterlies and magazines and received grants from local and national arts councils.
An excerpt from her new poems Arguments with the Lake received second prize in the CBC Literary Awards and was called Macewanesque in scope, [it] invokes in the reader a sense of timelessness and breathless wonder. The full collection will be released by Wolsak and Wynn, Spring 2013.
Her first novel, Above All Things will be released in Canada on June 19, 2012. It has already been praised widely – Joseph Boyden called it “simply breathtaking,” and Alison Pick said “Prepare to be dazzled.” Above All Things was named one of the five “Big Buzz” books at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2011 and will be published in the US and UK in early 2013.
In the spring of 2005 Rideout joined Sarah Harmer to read a commissioned poem on Harmer’s I Love the Escarpment Tour to draw attention to damage being done to the Niagara Escarpment by ongoing quarrying. Subsequently a performance of the poem appeared on the DVD of the tour - Escarpment Blues. In 2006 she was named the Poet Laureate of Lake Ontario by the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and toured with the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie to draw attention to environmental justice issues on the lake.
Her poetry and fiction have appeared in numerous quarterlies and magazines and received grants from local and national arts councils.
An excerpt from her new poems Arguments with the Lake received second prize in the CBC Literary Awards and was called Macewanesque in scope, [it] invokes in the reader a sense of timelessness and breathless wonder. The full collection will be released by Wolsak and Wynn, Spring 2013.
Her first novel, Above All Things will be released in Canada on June 19, 2012. It has already been praised widely – Joseph Boyden called it “simply breathtaking,” and Alison Pick said “Prepare to be dazzled.” Above All Things was named one of the five “Big Buzz” books at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2011 and will be published in the US and UK in early 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 666 reviews
July 13, 2020
England, 1924. After two failed expeditions, “for good or ill it was his name that had become synonymous with Everest.” Now, a new team is preparing for the third time. George Mallory, a British explorer, promised his wife that he was done. But what if they summit “his” mountain without him? After many sleepless nights, when he receives his final invitation to join the team, he doesn’t hesitate to make the decision.
I enjoyed the team despite the fact that they didn’t seem to be best suited in characters, especially to be heading for such dangerous expedition. The team included a naturalist Noel Odell, who was constantly staring at his feet in search for fossils. He was trying to prove that the highest peak in the world was once at the bottom of the ocean. “Each member of the expedition had his role to perform. (…) (John) Noel documented everything,” taking pictures in hopes of securing his own fame.
The expedition is intertwined with the voice of George’s wife. She reveals how they’ve met and how things progressed in their marriage. At first, I enjoyed her voice. But there are constant thoughts of worries, which is understandable, but it was making the story less and less interesting.
The same was happening with the expedition, once it was explained who was who, then the story was slowly progressing. On the Everest, George drifts with his thoughts to his childhood or some past events. It was interesting to get to know him better through those glimpses, but at the same time I started drifting from the story.
3.5 stars. The first third of the story is fairly interesting and I greatly appreciate stories as this one based on true heroes. The writing is certainly of a talented writer, but the pace for most of the time is slow. I wished the characters that were involved in the expedition were better developed as they seemed pretty interesting.
P.S. Kudos to the cover designer. This is the most stand-out cover I have ever seen.
I enjoyed the team despite the fact that they didn’t seem to be best suited in characters, especially to be heading for such dangerous expedition. The team included a naturalist Noel Odell, who was constantly staring at his feet in search for fossils. He was trying to prove that the highest peak in the world was once at the bottom of the ocean. “Each member of the expedition had his role to perform. (…) (John) Noel documented everything,” taking pictures in hopes of securing his own fame.
The expedition is intertwined with the voice of George’s wife. She reveals how they’ve met and how things progressed in their marriage. At first, I enjoyed her voice. But there are constant thoughts of worries, which is understandable, but it was making the story less and less interesting.
The same was happening with the expedition, once it was explained who was who, then the story was slowly progressing. On the Everest, George drifts with his thoughts to his childhood or some past events. It was interesting to get to know him better through those glimpses, but at the same time I started drifting from the story.
3.5 stars. The first third of the story is fairly interesting and I greatly appreciate stories as this one based on true heroes. The writing is certainly of a talented writer, but the pace for most of the time is slow. I wished the characters that were involved in the expedition were better developed as they seemed pretty interesting.
P.S. Kudos to the cover designer. This is the most stand-out cover I have ever seen.
March 24, 2013
You don't need to be a mountain climber to get hooked on the subject, especially when it comes to Mount Everest. Three years ago I read Jon Krakauer's
Into Thin Air
and was hooked. Since then I have read seven more books on Everest, followed online coverage each season, and watched a handful of films. However, Above All Things is the first dedicated piece of Everest fiction I have read. Though I was intrigued by author Tanis Rideout's NPR interview plugging the book, it left me suspicious. Her qualifications, historical knowledge and mountaineering experience, seemed limited.
Nevertheless, I snatched up my public library's copy and gave it a chance. After all, I find the legend of ill-fated George Mallory as engrossing as any fan of Everest literature does. The chance to experience his story as historical fiction, and the story of his wife Ruth, was irresistable. From page one, I was encouraged by Ms. Rideout's narrative style. The delivery is delightfully straightforward and focused.
The novel's major drawback, initially at least, is the choice to limit Ruth Mallory's plotline to a single day. While it affords readers great insight into the plight of loved ones waiting for news, it means much of the story is excruciatingly stationary. Rideout compensates for this with increasing effectiveness as the novel progresses and the characters develop. In particular, she includes a pivotal supporting character named Will. His turbulent bond with George, revealed in flashback, and the exquisite affection he exhibits for Ruth in the present, provide tension and flow to scenes that would otherwise be nothing but relentless waiting.
After a slow start, I read the latter two-thirds of Above All Things in a single day. This is comparable to my experience with other Everest books. Even readers get summit fever. As Rideout and her characters press into situations undocumented by history, she keeps the novel on task by exploring post-war national angst, as well as the competing pulls of familial commitments and personal quests. By her own admission, Rideout takes some significant liberties with the facts but does so for the sake of effective storytelling. Her depiction of the final summit bid is mesmerizing. At any time, this book is on the verge of plummeting into schmaltzy romance. Yet, through good writing, empathetic characters, and with the help of an irresistible legend, Rideout offers up a novel well worth reading.
Nevertheless, I snatched up my public library's copy and gave it a chance. After all, I find the legend of ill-fated George Mallory as engrossing as any fan of Everest literature does. The chance to experience his story as historical fiction, and the story of his wife Ruth, was irresistable. From page one, I was encouraged by Ms. Rideout's narrative style. The delivery is delightfully straightforward and focused.
The novel's major drawback, initially at least, is the choice to limit Ruth Mallory's plotline to a single day. While it affords readers great insight into the plight of loved ones waiting for news, it means much of the story is excruciatingly stationary. Rideout compensates for this with increasing effectiveness as the novel progresses and the characters develop. In particular, she includes a pivotal supporting character named Will. His turbulent bond with George, revealed in flashback, and the exquisite affection he exhibits for Ruth in the present, provide tension and flow to scenes that would otherwise be nothing but relentless waiting.
After a slow start, I read the latter two-thirds of Above All Things in a single day. This is comparable to my experience with other Everest books. Even readers get summit fever. As Rideout and her characters press into situations undocumented by history, she keeps the novel on task by exploring post-war national angst, as well as the competing pulls of familial commitments and personal quests. By her own admission, Rideout takes some significant liberties with the facts but does so for the sake of effective storytelling. Her depiction of the final summit bid is mesmerizing. At any time, this book is on the verge of plummeting into schmaltzy romance. Yet, through good writing, empathetic characters, and with the help of an irresistible legend, Rideout offers up a novel well worth reading.
November 8, 2012
In 1924, George Mallory set out on an expedition with seven other men for a third British attempt at reaching the peak of Mount Everest. Really, it was an easy decision for him, much to his wife, Ruth's, dismay: like many climbers, but perhaps more than most, George is driven to climb Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. His two previous defeats only make him more determined, though at thirty-seven, he knows this is his last chance. If he fails this time, he won't get another shot.
George hikes up through Tibet (they weren't allowed through Nepal) to Base Camp with expedition leader Colonel Teddy Norton; Dr Howard Somervell; naturalist Noel Odell; photographer John Noel; two British soldiers, Shebbeare and Hazard, to help with managing the Sherpas and supplies; and twenty-one year old Sandy Irvine, who is good at fixing things and hopes that Norton will let him be part of the last push up the mountain, despite his inexperience.
Meanwhile, back at their home in Cambridge, Ruth goes through the motions of a single day, taking care of their three young children, preparing a dinner party she doesn't want to have, and struggling with her feelings of loneliness, dejection, depression even. Ruth misses George, and sadly she knows she can't compete with the mountain. All she's left with is the endless waiting - not once, but several times. Waiting for George to return, waiting to hear word that he's been successful, or something else entirely.
As the two move through their very different lives, the past blurs with the present and memories are relived. And shadowing the story, and George himself, is the true story of his disappearance during his last attempt to climb Mt. Everest, a mystery that wasn't solved until his body was found in 1999.
I have to say right from the start, here, that this is a phenomenal book. It's one of the most atmospheric, compelling, emotionally-wraught historical fiction novels I've read in quite some time, and for a debut novel, it's very impressive. The level of research involved is one thing, but where Rideout really excelled is in her ability to bring these historical figures to life, giving them room to breathe on the page, to fill out their period costumes, to convince us modern readers of every facet of their lives, without any self-conscious second-guessing or fear of "not doing right by her characters", is I think the expression.
We first meet George and Ruth in 1920 when they are both filled with excitement by the news of his first impeding trip to Everest, and it is a superb place to start, because it gives us an intimate, first-hand glimpse at the couple when everything must have seemed so bright and promising to them. Contrast that with the shell-shocked Ruth who moves through the day on autopilot, trying to hold it together but completely worn out by the endless waiting, aware that her sister and servants don't consider her "stoic" enough. Their three children, Clare, Berry and John - who barely remembers his father because of all the absences - are likewise very real characters, young beings with growing personalities, hot breath on their mother's neck, and youthful demands - among them a strong need for the father.
The expedition itself is rendered in clear, artful detail, from the list of supplies -
-- to the clothes they wore, their bleeding lips, and most fascinating (and scary) of all, the effect of altitude sickness in all its diverse forms. And not just the altitude, but hypothermia, dehydration and shock as well. I felt like I was right there on the mountain with these men, which was, truth be told, a very uncomfortable and frightening place to be. To think of these climbers tackling Everest in woollen socks and tweed coats! It's amazing what they achieved, considering how ill-equipped they were. The descriptions of their hallucinations, or how they would zone out and hours later realise they'd just been sitting there, staring, were chilling and all too believable. The atmosphere, the setting, was so vivid, the effects on the men so tangible, it only emphasises - and justifies - Ruth's anxiety, her fear.
As well as Ruth and George's narrative - Ruth in first person present tense over the course of a single day, George in third person past tense - we also get the perspective of George's expedition partner, Sandy Irvine. Young, hopeful, strong, with a bit of climbing experience behind him but not enough for Teddy Norton to consider letting him try for the summit, he gives us a third perspective on George, not just to flesh out Ruth's idea of George, but to flesh out the story of the attempt to climb Everest. You can't help but warm to Sandy, and coming to care for him too.
Part of the expedition is spent debating the use of oxygen in summiting. They've never used it before, and some of them consider it cheating if they use it now.
The climbers' motivations for tackling Everest time and again are touched upon throughout the story, especially George, who is compelled to leave his wife and young family to conquer the mountain. From the exhilaration he feels, climbing - "You know that feeling - when you're pushing yourself and pushing yourself and then you leap for that hold you think is just out of reach. You know you're going to fall. Then you don't. And for just that moment, the world sharpens. Comes into focus." [p.155] - to what the people back home expect from them, especially after the first world war; to George's personal ambition, how he feels he doesn't even have a choice but to try, and try again. Rideout tacks back and forth in time, revisiting the time George and Ruth first met, to other scenes in their past, each time making George (and Ruth) feel ever more inevitable, more tangible, until that ending, that mesmerising ending at which point George feels so alive, and then suddenly isn't.
The only problem I had with this novel, my only struggle, was that the prose was a bit... erratic? It didn't always read smoothly, the sentences didn't always link up neatly together, so that you could start reading and never find a place to stop. On the contrary, I found it surprisingly slow to read, easy to forget whose memories I was reliving - surprising that such a well-written novel could still suffer from jagged pacing.
But if the story was an unexpected slog to read (and I use the word "slog" for the sake of metaphor, not for its negative connotations), it matched the character's slog through life (Ruth) or up a mountain (George and Sandy). And when you get to the final push to the summit, the step-by-step slow detail of it all not only builds tension but makes you feel each and every painful step they make, the struggle to breathe, to put one foot in front of the other. Maybe it was a tad too slow and a bit too long, but the effect can't be denied.
Between Ruth's raw emotions and sympathetic story, George's obsession with summiting, and Sandy's youthful yearning, it's a novel of depth and insight. Add to that the impressive and incredibly real atmosphere, the sensation that you're there on the mountain with them, and it's a story that claws its cold grip into you. I also learnt a lot from it - like the fact that this mountain is named after a man who never even saw it, a British surveyor based in India. I learnt about their attitudes towards the Sherpas (like children, who needed to be constantly watched and told what to do). And I learnt what it was like to try and climb Everest in the 1920s. Even with all our advanced fibres and clever tents, high-protein bars and other gadgets, nothing appeals to me less than the idea of trying to climb Everest. Experiencing it vicariously through this novel was enough for me! Not to mention how emotionally wrung-out I felt, for it is a heartbreaking story, all told (this isn't a negative - I love a book that makes me feel that way; it's the mark of great writing!).
And on a final note, I have to add that this particular edition (McClelland & Stewart, hardback, first edition) is just stunning, from the typeface on the cover to the font on the pages (Perpetua, perfect for the time period depicted); from the tinted photographs to the texture of the jacket - hard to describe, but wondrous to feel. Honestly I don't think I've seen a more perfectly put-together book in a long time. Probably the only thing I'd add is a map, because I love map, and as a visual-conceptual person, it helps me visualise in relation to other things. But it's not really necessary. And definitely read the author's note at the end, about how she started on this long journey of research and writing, her personal motivations, and some other details behind this finely crafted story. Highly, highly recommended.
George hikes up through Tibet (they weren't allowed through Nepal) to Base Camp with expedition leader Colonel Teddy Norton; Dr Howard Somervell; naturalist Noel Odell; photographer John Noel; two British soldiers, Shebbeare and Hazard, to help with managing the Sherpas and supplies; and twenty-one year old Sandy Irvine, who is good at fixing things and hopes that Norton will let him be part of the last push up the mountain, despite his inexperience.
Meanwhile, back at their home in Cambridge, Ruth goes through the motions of a single day, taking care of their three young children, preparing a dinner party she doesn't want to have, and struggling with her feelings of loneliness, dejection, depression even. Ruth misses George, and sadly she knows she can't compete with the mountain. All she's left with is the endless waiting - not once, but several times. Waiting for George to return, waiting to hear word that he's been successful, or something else entirely.
As the two move through their very different lives, the past blurs with the present and memories are relived. And shadowing the story, and George himself, is the true story of his disappearance during his last attempt to climb Mt. Everest, a mystery that wasn't solved until his body was found in 1999.
I have to say right from the start, here, that this is a phenomenal book. It's one of the most atmospheric, compelling, emotionally-wraught historical fiction novels I've read in quite some time, and for a debut novel, it's very impressive. The level of research involved is one thing, but where Rideout really excelled is in her ability to bring these historical figures to life, giving them room to breathe on the page, to fill out their period costumes, to convince us modern readers of every facet of their lives, without any self-conscious second-guessing or fear of "not doing right by her characters", is I think the expression.
We first meet George and Ruth in 1920 when they are both filled with excitement by the news of his first impeding trip to Everest, and it is a superb place to start, because it gives us an intimate, first-hand glimpse at the couple when everything must have seemed so bright and promising to them. Contrast that with the shell-shocked Ruth who moves through the day on autopilot, trying to hold it together but completely worn out by the endless waiting, aware that her sister and servants don't consider her "stoic" enough. Their three children, Clare, Berry and John - who barely remembers his father because of all the absences - are likewise very real characters, young beings with growing personalities, hot breath on their mother's neck, and youthful demands - among them a strong need for the father.
The expedition itself is rendered in clear, artful detail, from the list of supplies -
44 tins of quail in foi gras; 120 tins of bully beef; dozens of wrapped squares of flaky chocolate; 9 tins of tobacco; 7 tubes apiece of petroleum jelly, to be smeared on chapped faces, to deflect the sun; 63 working oxygen canisters; 26 tents of varying sizes; a crate of cutlery and tin plates; one case of Montebello champagne; 17 bottles of Macallan whisky, not less than 15 years old. Miles and miles of rope, campbeds, tents, tools, and cooking pots. [p.34]
-- to the clothes they wore, their bleeding lips, and most fascinating (and scary) of all, the effect of altitude sickness in all its diverse forms. And not just the altitude, but hypothermia, dehydration and shock as well. I felt like I was right there on the mountain with these men, which was, truth be told, a very uncomfortable and frightening place to be. To think of these climbers tackling Everest in woollen socks and tweed coats! It's amazing what they achieved, considering how ill-equipped they were. The descriptions of their hallucinations, or how they would zone out and hours later realise they'd just been sitting there, staring, were chilling and all too believable. The atmosphere, the setting, was so vivid, the effects on the men so tangible, it only emphasises - and justifies - Ruth's anxiety, her fear.
The Col had shocked him when George took him to see it the day after he arrived at [Advanced Base Camp]. He'd stood at the bottom of the long saddle that connects Everest to her neighbour Changste and looked up: thirteen hundred mostly vertical feet. All ice and snow. Above the Col, nothing was protected. Above it, the wind screamed down in a terrible way that he couldn't quite grasp. That was where they got turned back in '21. Where the avalanche had occurred in '22. George pointed: "On the lower section we'll cut steps and haul ourselves up them. But the last twenty feet" - George drew his attention to the chimney that they would follow, the route he would try to take - "might as well be rock." [p.134]
The air outside felt as though it might snap. Sharp and fragile, edged like crystal. When he inhaled, it cut into his nostrils, his lungs. The moonlight was cold on the mountain, iced blue. Sandy slogged through the snow after Somervell, the snow filtering into his mislaced boots, melting against his skin and cooling fast. His feet would freeze in his boots. The cold in his brain hurt. He pressed forward. [p.204]
Sandy's hands stroked the air near his face. It was agony. It felt as if the mountain had stripped the flesh from his cheeks. There couldn't be any skin left. George reached across to him in the twilight, pushed Sandy's hands away from his face, and smeared petroleum jelly carefully, gently on his skin. [p.279]
As well as Ruth and George's narrative - Ruth in first person present tense over the course of a single day, George in third person past tense - we also get the perspective of George's expedition partner, Sandy Irvine. Young, hopeful, strong, with a bit of climbing experience behind him but not enough for Teddy Norton to consider letting him try for the summit, he gives us a third perspective on George, not just to flesh out Ruth's idea of George, but to flesh out the story of the attempt to climb Everest. You can't help but warm to Sandy, and coming to care for him too.
Part of the expedition is spent debating the use of oxygen in summiting. They've never used it before, and some of them consider it cheating if they use it now.
"With God's help, and not the oxygen's, we'll make it." Somervell's tone was affirming, emphatic.
"Somes, the only thing that's going to tame this thing, this..." He wanted to say bitch. He wanted to curse the mountain, but held his tongue. "The only thing that matters is us."
"Exactly, George. Us! We're the instrument designed for climbing. You pretend to be a skeptic, but you have faith. You believe you're destined for it, for the top. Don't pretend you don't. That's faith, George. That's a plan." Somervell turned to Sandy. "And you? Do you share his skepticism? His humanism?"
George watched Sandy as he glanced from him to Somes and back again.
"I don't know." Sandy's tone was slow and measured, or maybe it was the altitude. George leaned towards him and Sandy's voice picked up. "All that religion seems an excuse. I'll keep God to myself, I think. I want to climb Everest for the achievement of it, not because it's for or against someone's idea of God." [pp.152-3]
The climbers' motivations for tackling Everest time and again are touched upon throughout the story, especially George, who is compelled to leave his wife and young family to conquer the mountain. From the exhilaration he feels, climbing - "You know that feeling - when you're pushing yourself and pushing yourself and then you leap for that hold you think is just out of reach. You know you're going to fall. Then you don't. And for just that moment, the world sharpens. Comes into focus." [p.155] - to what the people back home expect from them, especially after the first world war; to George's personal ambition, how he feels he doesn't even have a choice but to try, and try again. Rideout tacks back and forth in time, revisiting the time George and Ruth first met, to other scenes in their past, each time making George (and Ruth) feel ever more inevitable, more tangible, until that ending, that mesmerising ending at which point George feels so alive, and then suddenly isn't.
The only problem I had with this novel, my only struggle, was that the prose was a bit... erratic? It didn't always read smoothly, the sentences didn't always link up neatly together, so that you could start reading and never find a place to stop. On the contrary, I found it surprisingly slow to read, easy to forget whose memories I was reliving - surprising that such a well-written novel could still suffer from jagged pacing.
But if the story was an unexpected slog to read (and I use the word "slog" for the sake of metaphor, not for its negative connotations), it matched the character's slog through life (Ruth) or up a mountain (George and Sandy). And when you get to the final push to the summit, the step-by-step slow detail of it all not only builds tension but makes you feel each and every painful step they make, the struggle to breathe, to put one foot in front of the other. Maybe it was a tad too slow and a bit too long, but the effect can't be denied.
Between Ruth's raw emotions and sympathetic story, George's obsession with summiting, and Sandy's youthful yearning, it's a novel of depth and insight. Add to that the impressive and incredibly real atmosphere, the sensation that you're there on the mountain with them, and it's a story that claws its cold grip into you. I also learnt a lot from it - like the fact that this mountain is named after a man who never even saw it, a British surveyor based in India. I learnt about their attitudes towards the Sherpas (like children, who needed to be constantly watched and told what to do). And I learnt what it was like to try and climb Everest in the 1920s. Even with all our advanced fibres and clever tents, high-protein bars and other gadgets, nothing appeals to me less than the idea of trying to climb Everest. Experiencing it vicariously through this novel was enough for me! Not to mention how emotionally wrung-out I felt, for it is a heartbreaking story, all told (this isn't a negative - I love a book that makes me feel that way; it's the mark of great writing!).
And on a final note, I have to add that this particular edition (McClelland & Stewart, hardback, first edition) is just stunning, from the typeface on the cover to the font on the pages (Perpetua, perfect for the time period depicted); from the tinted photographs to the texture of the jacket - hard to describe, but wondrous to feel. Honestly I don't think I've seen a more perfectly put-together book in a long time. Probably the only thing I'd add is a map, because I love map, and as a visual-conceptual person, it helps me visualise in relation to other things. But it's not really necessary. And definitely read the author's note at the end, about how she started on this long journey of research and writing, her personal motivations, and some other details behind this finely crafted story. Highly, highly recommended.
May 20, 2013
Three word review: Romantic, disjointed, slow.
While I liked reading Above All Things, I don’t think it’s a stand-out book or one that I will really think much about again. The characters of George and Ruth really held the book together. The narrative felt flaky but the well-developed characters really drove it along and made me want to keep reading. You can really feel the connection between George and Ruth and understand how in love they are. Their children too, have very sweet personalities and George’s climbing team were also very well-written, each with their own distinct nature.
I liked that the chapters alternated between George and Ruth, thus keeping a balance between them. They had separate voices which suited their characters, helped by George talking in third person and Ruth in first. However, I didn’t like how Rideout played with time throughout the book. George went through weeks – maybe months – but Ruth only through one day. This didn’t seem very natural and bugged me, increasingly so as it neared the climax and time felt so uneven.
I also disliked the points in George’s chapters when the narrative switched to George’s climbing partner Sandy. The book, to me, was about love and the intertwined lives of George and Ruth. Sandy felt like an unnecessary third-wheel whose life I didn’t really care about and who seemed to be getting in the way of the supposed hero.
Perhaps my hopes were too high for this book. Reading the synopsis, I felt excited. The 1920s: in my mind a glamourous decade (maybe because I just watched Gatsby). The setting, too, on Everest sounded exciting and adventurous. However, when I read it I couldn’t connect with the story; with George’s expedition. Interspersed every few pages were flashbacks and memories. While these did build complex characters, it also broke the flow of the story, and detracted from the excitement and building tension. I didn’t want random paragraphs of information about their last ten years. I wanted adventure.
As a result of the disjointed narrative, I didn’t feel as though I was on Everest with George, or in Cambridge with Ruth. I think the book would’ve been enriched by Rideout explaining more about how Everest looked and what it was like to be there, so that I could better imagine what George and his team were going through. The detail and factual knowledge were there, just not necessarily in the right places.
Above All Things was readable and enjoyable at the time but didn’t come without its annoyances. I was so desperate to enjoy it, but I couldn’t. It’s worth a read if you’re interested in 1920s culture and history (it seemed pretty factually accurate) but it was nothing amazing. I’m going to give it 54%. Thinking back over it, all my mind says is “it was okay”. Nothing special or exciting.
This review was originally posted on my blog: http://anabundanceofkathryn.blogspot....
While I liked reading Above All Things, I don’t think it’s a stand-out book or one that I will really think much about again. The characters of George and Ruth really held the book together. The narrative felt flaky but the well-developed characters really drove it along and made me want to keep reading. You can really feel the connection between George and Ruth and understand how in love they are. Their children too, have very sweet personalities and George’s climbing team were also very well-written, each with their own distinct nature.
I liked that the chapters alternated between George and Ruth, thus keeping a balance between them. They had separate voices which suited their characters, helped by George talking in third person and Ruth in first. However, I didn’t like how Rideout played with time throughout the book. George went through weeks – maybe months – but Ruth only through one day. This didn’t seem very natural and bugged me, increasingly so as it neared the climax and time felt so uneven.
I also disliked the points in George’s chapters when the narrative switched to George’s climbing partner Sandy. The book, to me, was about love and the intertwined lives of George and Ruth. Sandy felt like an unnecessary third-wheel whose life I didn’t really care about and who seemed to be getting in the way of the supposed hero.
Perhaps my hopes were too high for this book. Reading the synopsis, I felt excited. The 1920s: in my mind a glamourous decade (maybe because I just watched Gatsby). The setting, too, on Everest sounded exciting and adventurous. However, when I read it I couldn’t connect with the story; with George’s expedition. Interspersed every few pages were flashbacks and memories. While these did build complex characters, it also broke the flow of the story, and detracted from the excitement and building tension. I didn’t want random paragraphs of information about their last ten years. I wanted adventure.
As a result of the disjointed narrative, I didn’t feel as though I was on Everest with George, or in Cambridge with Ruth. I think the book would’ve been enriched by Rideout explaining more about how Everest looked and what it was like to be there, so that I could better imagine what George and his team were going through. The detail and factual knowledge were there, just not necessarily in the right places.
Above All Things was readable and enjoyable at the time but didn’t come without its annoyances. I was so desperate to enjoy it, but I couldn’t. It’s worth a read if you’re interested in 1920s culture and history (it seemed pretty factually accurate) but it was nothing amazing. I’m going to give it 54%. Thinking back over it, all my mind says is “it was okay”. Nothing special or exciting.
This review was originally posted on my blog: http://anabundanceofkathryn.blogspot....
June 26, 2012
I met the author of this book at en event last year and was thrilled to see it out in stores, and with such a beautiful cover treatment. I loved the dual-narrative of the book, which alternated between an ill-fated climbing expedition by George Mallory and his team and a day in the life of his wife, Ruth, who is waiting for his return with their three children.
I was worried I wouldn't enjoy the George sections because Mountain climbing and traditional adventure stories do not interest me in any way. However, the trip is just as much about the conflict and group dynamics among the men who are climbing together as it is about the incredibly harsh and unwelcoming Mount Everest. The psychological drama is fascinating, particularly as they get closer tot he summit and exhaustion, starvation, and the high altitudes start to play games with the men's sanity.
I adored Ruth and her quiet struggle and Rideout's portrayal of the children and how they each miss their father and act out at their mother felt heart-breakingly accurate.
More than an adventure story or piece of historical fiction this felt like a love story in the grandest tradition: romantic, sensual, imperfect, and ultimately thwarted. Already Rideout feels like a seasoned and accomplished writer, an artist so at ease with language that this could have been her fifth or tenth novel. Look out for this during award season!
I was worried I wouldn't enjoy the George sections because Mountain climbing and traditional adventure stories do not interest me in any way. However, the trip is just as much about the conflict and group dynamics among the men who are climbing together as it is about the incredibly harsh and unwelcoming Mount Everest. The psychological drama is fascinating, particularly as they get closer tot he summit and exhaustion, starvation, and the high altitudes start to play games with the men's sanity.
I adored Ruth and her quiet struggle and Rideout's portrayal of the children and how they each miss their father and act out at their mother felt heart-breakingly accurate.
More than an adventure story or piece of historical fiction this felt like a love story in the grandest tradition: romantic, sensual, imperfect, and ultimately thwarted. Already Rideout feels like a seasoned and accomplished writer, an artist so at ease with language that this could have been her fifth or tenth novel. Look out for this during award season!
March 6, 2014
I had high hopes for this book. An explorer climbing Mount Everest and his wife's perspective as well! How interesting!!!
But I was so wrong!! Here's a list of what I didnt like:
1. The book is supposed to be from from the perspective of the wife, Ruth, and George the explorer. Although I'm ok with others in the story she pops in explorer, Sandy's, perspective. Why? It doesn't fit. It feels out of place. He's like a third wheel!
2. Ruth is such a boooooring character. All she thinks about is her husband. I understand it was 1924 but I do not believe women were this empty. I just didnt care about her. Her perspective doesn't add to the story.
3. I don't understand why Ruth's written over a day and George over wks or months. This was confusing and annoying. What was the point in this?
4. Why would people climbing a dangerous mountain suddenly get a little snapshot of a dinner they went to. Umm no. I just dont believe it.
5. I found the story very poor in transitioning from scene to scene.
6. George is a jerk. I do think a writer can create a "readable dislikeable" character but not here.
Overall the story had poorly developed charactors. The story felt like it was trying too hard to be good; like most Hollywood movies. I just couldn't connect to the story at all. It was very very very slooooow. I wanted to be interested in exporing and climbing but didn't. I didnt finish it.
But I was so wrong!! Here's a list of what I didnt like:
1. The book is supposed to be from from the perspective of the wife, Ruth, and George the explorer. Although I'm ok with others in the story she pops in explorer, Sandy's, perspective. Why? It doesn't fit. It feels out of place. He's like a third wheel!
2. Ruth is such a boooooring character. All she thinks about is her husband. I understand it was 1924 but I do not believe women were this empty. I just didnt care about her. Her perspective doesn't add to the story.
3. I don't understand why Ruth's written over a day and George over wks or months. This was confusing and annoying. What was the point in this?
4. Why would people climbing a dangerous mountain suddenly get a little snapshot of a dinner they went to. Umm no. I just dont believe it.
5. I found the story very poor in transitioning from scene to scene.
6. George is a jerk. I do think a writer can create a "readable dislikeable" character but not here.
Overall the story had poorly developed charactors. The story felt like it was trying too hard to be good; like most Hollywood movies. I just couldn't connect to the story at all. It was very very very slooooow. I wanted to be interested in exporing and climbing but didn't. I didnt finish it.
September 15, 2013
(See our full review over at Bookkaholic.) The story of George Mallory's fatal obsession with Mount Everest, with historical gaps filled in by the imagination. He tries not once, not twice, but three times to conquer the mountain, leaving a wife and three small children behind for months at a time. The novel mainly focuses on that crucial final attempt in 1924. It is beautifully written (at times too flowery), gripping, and suspenseful even though the ending is well-known.
March 8, 2013
I went into this book not knowing that it was based upon a true story. I think that added to my enjoyment of it. It has always interested my, this fascination with Everest, and to combine that with the first expeditions, I was hooked.
Juxtaposed in the story are the tales of George who feels the need to conquer the mountain, and his wife. How does one be married to a man that loves not only her but an object? We read their love story positioned with such grace within each of the protagonists. We see Ruth, so stoic and brave on the outside, but yet on the inside she is a mess.
I mean, really, if it is another woman you are competing with things would be different, right? But what if that competition comes from a quest that you don't understand?
I found myself alternating between hope that he would make the climb and conquer his beast and hoping that he would realize what is important is sitting at home waiting for him. The author did a great job of imposing learned information (from recovering George's body) and researching effects of altitude. The hallucination sequences fit into everything I have read. Although we will never know the outcome, the pages of this book are realistic.
Juxtaposed in the story are the tales of George who feels the need to conquer the mountain, and his wife. How does one be married to a man that loves not only her but an object? We read their love story positioned with such grace within each of the protagonists. We see Ruth, so stoic and brave on the outside, but yet on the inside she is a mess.
I mean, really, if it is another woman you are competing with things would be different, right? But what if that competition comes from a quest that you don't understand?
I found myself alternating between hope that he would make the climb and conquer his beast and hoping that he would realize what is important is sitting at home waiting for him. The author did a great job of imposing learned information (from recovering George's body) and researching effects of altitude. The hallucination sequences fit into everything I have read. Although we will never know the outcome, the pages of this book are realistic.
November 7, 2012
Somehow I have managed to live my entire life without knowing thing about George Mallory or the 1924 attempt to conquer Everest. Just in case you've managed to do the same I won't give away the ending, but I suspect I'm the only person on the planet who had the opportunity to read this book without knowing what was coming. Consequently I was surprised when the ending happened.
I have since done a bit of reading about Mallory and the early treks up the world's highest mountain and I can say that Tanis Rideout did a stunning job bringing the story and characters to life. This is a tragic book, and not just in relation to mountaineering. This book is about human passions--the drive that pushes us to go farther and to sacrifice everything for a goal. In this novel, obsession takes on human shape, loss is palpable, and you begin to sense that the story isn't really about Mallory at all, but about love and how it isn't enough, even though we believe that it should be.
I don't know what reading this book would have been like if I had already known the shape of this story. I went into this an innocent, and came out shaken. A great book that skirts precipice between fact and fiction.
I have since done a bit of reading about Mallory and the early treks up the world's highest mountain and I can say that Tanis Rideout did a stunning job bringing the story and characters to life. This is a tragic book, and not just in relation to mountaineering. This book is about human passions--the drive that pushes us to go farther and to sacrifice everything for a goal. In this novel, obsession takes on human shape, loss is palpable, and you begin to sense that the story isn't really about Mallory at all, but about love and how it isn't enough, even though we believe that it should be.
I don't know what reading this book would have been like if I had already known the shape of this story. I went into this an innocent, and came out shaken. A great book that skirts precipice between fact and fiction.
April 27, 2012
Just finished racing through the final 80 pages of my advanced reading copy of this stellar book and I am still tingling with breathlessness. Can't wait for its release in June, when I can share it with and recommend it to everyone! It is described as a cross between The Paris Wife and Into Thin Air, which it is, but I would even compare it to one of my all-time faves, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. It takes brilliant writing technique and storytelling ability to take a story out of the history books, when we all know how it's going to end, and still shape and craft an intimate portrait with so much tension that we still hope for a different outcome. I can't tell you how excited I am by this book!
March 10, 2013
Rideout's depiction of George Mallory's pioneer ascent up Everest allows readers to feel the thrill of the climb without paying the agonizing cost of the reality. I felt the chill settle in my own bones as the oxygen thinned and the timing became critical. However, whole chapters should have been cut. The adrenaline of the expedition was interrupted by the chapters which switched the scene to Mallory's melancholy and boring wife waiting in London. I began to skip those chapters entirely and lost nothing. The only place Ruth's story is relevant is at the conclusion of the novel. Even novice climbers know that less is often more for what you choose to pack on a climb.
May 28, 2013
My husband gave me this book, figuring I'd enjoy reading a fictional treatment of George Mallory's doomed ascent of Mt. Everest. Normally I would--I enjoy reading books about exploration and adventure.
Unfortunately, this work blended the expedition story with a melodrama regarding Mallory's relationship with his wife. I'm not a fan of romance novels even when they are well written, and the opening chapter had me flipping back to the cover to see if there wasn't a picture of Fabio there, bare chested, hair flowing, perhaps attired in crampons.
The picture wasn't there, but it should have been.
Unfortunately, this work blended the expedition story with a melodrama regarding Mallory's relationship with his wife. I'm not a fan of romance novels even when they are well written, and the opening chapter had me flipping back to the cover to see if there wasn't a picture of Fabio there, bare chested, hair flowing, perhaps attired in crampons.
The picture wasn't there, but it should have been.
March 4, 2018
I would have expected a book about climbing Mount Everest to be a bit more exciting. It was too slow for me and the alternate chapters told from Ruth's perspective did not hold my interest.
One positive thing I can say is that while reading I became interested in Everest and did a bunch of internet research on stats and people who have climbed it, and watched a video of climbers finding bodies on the mountain. I'm sure I'm probably the only one, but I "spoiled" the ending for myself by reading what happened with the people the book was based on, as I wasn't familiar with the story beforehand.
One positive thing I can say is that while reading I became interested in Everest and did a bunch of internet research on stats and people who have climbed it, and watched a video of climbers finding bodies on the mountain. I'm sure I'm probably the only one, but I "spoiled" the ending for myself by reading what happened with the people the book was based on, as I wasn't familiar with the story beforehand.
February 20, 2013
Beautifully written, a great example how even if you know the ending (I did, being sort of a mountaineering reading junky), you're still swept up in the story of these two people and an obsession.
August 22, 2013
a blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction this harrowing story follows George Mallory's 1924 attempt to conquer Everest combined with the telling of the details in a single day of his wife and children, left behind in England. This book was a real heartbreaker and a bit hard to read in August given it's frozen setting. I've never really understood why people continue to go to Everest and sacrifice so much when they push themselves in extreme ways. Even living with Canada's cold gets me wondering how i ended up living in such a cold country. However, when I was working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Bernard Voyer speak and meeting him afterwards. A renowned explorer and mountaineer, Bernard has climbed the highest peak of every continent including Everest in 99 and has stood at all three poles. It was a fancy NCC dinner but by the end of his speech tears were just streaming down my face. I don't know why he moved me like he did, but just for a moment, when he talked about how small he felt standing on those peaks, how fragile life is and how short and how important it is to follow your passion...i think in that moment i had a glimpse into why they do it...they are simply taking a dream to reality.
October 3, 2013
First, if you haven't read a book about Everest, let this not be your first choice. This is my third book on the subject after reading "Into Thin Air" and becoming an Everest fanatic, and so far nothing compares to Krakauer's true account. This however is my first fictional endeavor inspired by true events. Rideout delivers a seemingly authentic narration based on George Mallory's attempt for the summit 1924. The story doesn't start and stop with just Mallory and the expedition though, it takes you into the heart and mind of Ruth; his wife, waiting and bearing the burden and competition that lie between her and the yet unconquered Mt. Everest. It is about love and sacrifice and above all, obsession. Always nearing the summit I am riveted, and this was no exception.
February 1, 2014
This is a powerful book - indeed, harrowing is the word, yet it is also tender. Thought-provoking, it raises philosophical questions about risk and great sacrifice, about what is worth cost, time, pain, suffering - even death, especially death. Many are the reasons given,including those used to justify cost,and the potential loss of lives. When George Mallory is asked why he would leave his wife and three children for extended periods of time and the possibility that he may never return, all so he can climb a mountain - well, Mt Everest - he says, "Because it's there."
This story is exquisitely well written and echoes long after one puts it down.
This story is exquisitely well written and echoes long after one puts it down.
August 31, 2012
4.5.
Graceful, harrowing, mesmerizing. Rideout's subtle craftsmanship is well suited to this almost mythic tale.
Graceful, harrowing, mesmerizing. Rideout's subtle craftsmanship is well suited to this almost mythic tale.
March 14, 2013
There are two reasons I did not give this book 4 stars. One has to do with me and the other has to do with the writing, so you can decide for yourself how that impacts how you feel about this review and what it means for your impression of the book.
I have been fascinated with Everest for many years, which is one of the reasons this book appealed to me. I have read lots of non-fiction books about Everest expeditions (including many of the books mentioned in the Author's Note), and I am already familiar with lots of Everest lore: the mountain-as-goddess, the taboos, the trekking, the setting up of camps, the names of landmarks. I am also familiar with lots of Mallory's story specifically. Therefore, much of what is in the first half of the book is familiar to me from prior reading and I found myself skimming. If this isn't true for you, you won't have this reaction and you'll enjoy this element of the book more than I did.
From the point the men arrive at Camp IV and begin their summit attempts, the book begins to race. I was turning pages rapidly, wondering how the author would handle the big questions at the end. But what this means is that prior to that - the previous 2/3 of the book - was moving rather slowly. I wasn't grabbed until they got high on the mountain. Meanwhile, back at home, George's wife Ruth gets her own chapters intercut with George's, and she's waiting for news. That's pretty much what she does. She waits. She comes across as such a passive, almost whiny, person that one wonders why the charismatic, engaging Mallory is so much in love with her. After the first chapter or so of hers, I found myself rushing to get back to the men of the expedition. But for Ruth, too, once the end of the book hit and the summit was being attempted, her chapters attained greater passion and urgency.
For me, Sandy Irvine might be the star of the show.
Overall, the writing was good and the book was interesting. If you don't know much about Mallory or Everest, I think you would like it better than I did. But I still can't do anything about Ruth... :)
I have been fascinated with Everest for many years, which is one of the reasons this book appealed to me. I have read lots of non-fiction books about Everest expeditions (including many of the books mentioned in the Author's Note), and I am already familiar with lots of Everest lore: the mountain-as-goddess, the taboos, the trekking, the setting up of camps, the names of landmarks. I am also familiar with lots of Mallory's story specifically. Therefore, much of what is in the first half of the book is familiar to me from prior reading and I found myself skimming. If this isn't true for you, you won't have this reaction and you'll enjoy this element of the book more than I did.
From the point the men arrive at Camp IV and begin their summit attempts, the book begins to race. I was turning pages rapidly, wondering how the author would handle the big questions at the end. But what this means is that prior to that - the previous 2/3 of the book - was moving rather slowly. I wasn't grabbed until they got high on the mountain. Meanwhile, back at home, George's wife Ruth gets her own chapters intercut with George's, and she's waiting for news. That's pretty much what she does. She waits. She comes across as such a passive, almost whiny, person that one wonders why the charismatic, engaging Mallory is so much in love with her. After the first chapter or so of hers, I found myself rushing to get back to the men of the expedition. But for Ruth, too, once the end of the book hit and the summit was being attempted, her chapters attained greater passion and urgency.
For me, Sandy Irvine might be the star of the show.
Overall, the writing was good and the book was interesting. If you don't know much about Mallory or Everest, I think you would like it better than I did. But I still can't do anything about Ruth... :)
January 25, 2016
Being the wife of an explorer is most likely one of the worst situations a woman can find herself in. When they are victorious it had nothing to do with you, when they are defeated you bear their misery and disappointment. This is as true today as it was in 1924. Such is the life of Ruth Mallory whose dashing husband is destined to go on yet one more attempt to climb Mt. Everest and be the first to reach the summit. Ruth will once again be left with the children, her brave face a mask to all the well wishers and a deaf ear turned to those who claim her husband George is a fool for trying it yet again. Their marriage is strong but has never really been time tested because George has been home only long enough to father children and raise funds for the next climb. He writes lovely letters full of hope and she returns with her own letters of encouragement and news of the children but something is missing. We get a glimpse of their love story and life leading up to this last climb from Ruth's perspective and we also get inside George's head to witness the climb and his feelings about his part in this adventure. Tanis Rideout's description of George Mallory's attempt to climb Mt. Everest is so vivid that the reader will need to get a sweater and lip balm just to keep reading. It is a fascinating portrait of the great adventurer and those he leaves behind. I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book through Penguin's First Flights program. Look for it on bookshelves this coming February.
February 10, 2013
My Thoughts
What an amazing book. I loved the way the author decided to present the story. We follow George on his fatal attempt to summit Mt. Everest in 1924. We follow Ruth during one day as she waits to hear of her husbands success or failure. But, as we are reading about the expedition, George’s thoughts frequently turn to Ruth - how they met, time spent together and past conversations. The same happens with Ruth. We see her go about this one day, but get to read her thoughts about George. How she views their marriage, how she struggles with being married to an explorer and her hopes for their future together.
It’s through this process that we really get to know George and Ruth and makes the story come alive. Because of the author’s ability to write so vividly, I often felt like I was on Everest with the climbing team. My heart ached for Ruth because I knew the outcome of the climb and while we are with her, she does not.
This is Ms. Rideout’s first novel and I thought she did a fantastic job.
Many, many thanks to Penguin Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
USA Publication date: February 12, 2013.
What an amazing book. I loved the way the author decided to present the story. We follow George on his fatal attempt to summit Mt. Everest in 1924. We follow Ruth during one day as she waits to hear of her husbands success or failure. But, as we are reading about the expedition, George’s thoughts frequently turn to Ruth - how they met, time spent together and past conversations. The same happens with Ruth. We see her go about this one day, but get to read her thoughts about George. How she views their marriage, how she struggles with being married to an explorer and her hopes for their future together.
It’s through this process that we really get to know George and Ruth and makes the story come alive. Because of the author’s ability to write so vividly, I often felt like I was on Everest with the climbing team. My heart ached for Ruth because I knew the outcome of the climb and while we are with her, she does not.
This is Ms. Rideout’s first novel and I thought she did a fantastic job.
Many, many thanks to Penguin Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
USA Publication date: February 12, 2013.
January 22, 2013
I have read non fiction accounts of George Mallory and his attempts to climb Mt. Everest so I was already familiar with a basic knowledge of his story. Alternating chapters between the expedition and George's young wife at home with her three children added an additional element to the story. There were times when I was getting a little frustrated with the slow pace at various times in the novel, but than things would pick up and become interesting again. The author's strength in writing was most ably displayed in the scenes of the deprivations that the men experienced during the climb. I also enjoyed reading about how his wife was coping at home. I would have given this novel a higher rating except that I found a few historical inconsistencies that I could not overlook. This book will appeal to those who find adventure stories fascinating or to those who have an interest in climbing.
August 26, 2018
What a writer! Historical fiction is my favorite genre. Above All others combines the story of George Mallory’s third attempt at Mt. Everest with the love story of his marriage. Beautifully descriptive pages of the mountain, its colors, the beyond frigid climate, the camps and the inner challenges of the men leave the reader with lingering thoughts and a desire to get to the finish. This was a book I picked up at the library thinking my husband might like it. As he was finishing another book, I decided to read this one. I’m so glad I did.
June 28, 2012
Love love loved it! My favourite kind of of historical fiction that doesn't sacrifice realistic character development. A brilliant first novel on a fascinating subject.
Full review to come - I just needed to squee a bit!
Full review to come - I just needed to squee a bit!
April 1, 2015
A good read if you like man against nature coupled with a love story. The main characters, Ruth and George Mallory are real. It's 1924 and George is making his thrid attempt to summit Mount Everest. The author did a good job of mixing fact and fiction in this page turning story.
March 23, 2017
In Above All Things, Tanis Rideout masterfully blends fact with fiction to tell the story of George Mallory’s epic final attempt to climb Mount Everest and also that of his wife’s forbearance as she waits at home in England for news of him.
March 14, 2013
This book is terrible horrible drivel!!! I read about 50 pages and couldn't waste any more of my life on this thing.
June 30, 2014
I found this book to be slow, not very exciting. I gave up about halfway because I didn't really seem to care about the characters.
November 6, 2014
A well written first novel that I am glad I read.
June 4, 2019
This story is a thing of beauty.
It is well told, it is well researched and the characters are so easy to connect to. I am so glad I came across this book.
It is well told, it is well researched and the characters are so easy to connect to. I am so glad I came across this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 666 reviews