Letters From Everest: New insight into the life and tragic death of George Mallory and the history of Mount Everest

by George Mallory, Tom Newton Dunn (editor)

‘An extraordinary treasure trove’ Andrew Marr

A unique collection of unpublished letters from the climbing legend George Mallory to his family, revealing his innermost thoughts about people, places and mountains.

On the 8th of June, 1924, George Mallory and Sandy Irvine were seen through a telescope on the upper slopes of Mount Everest. They were never seen alive again. In 1999, Mallory’s body was found below the ridge where he was last seen. In the 100 years since his disappearance, many words have been written about Mallory, but very little has ever been published of his own thoughts.

Letters from Everest is an eye opening set of personal letters from Mallory to his family, collected and published for the first time by his great-nephew. In the letters, Mallory is completely open about his life, his climbing and especially the three Everest Expeditions he was a part of – 1921, 1922 and the last in 1924. His writing is full of extraordinary insights – most of which have never been published in any form. They are a unique collection – an actual reflection, possibly the one and only, of the thoughts of a climbing legend who walked into history a century ago.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

George Leigh Mallory was an English schoolteacher and mountaineer. He was educated at Winchester College and Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read history under the tutelage of A.C. Benson and wrote a biography of James Boswell. While at Cambridge, Mallory developed close friendships with several members of the Bloomsbury Group, including Duncan Grant and Lytton Strachey. He was keenly interested in political issues of the day, and was a Fabian socialist who favored women’s suffrage and Irish home rule. Mallory later worked as a schoolmaster at Charterhouse School, where he taught the future poet Robert Graves. Graves credited Mallory with encouraging his writing and introducing him to the work of modern authors.

Mallory is best known for participating in the three Mount Everest expeditions of the 1920s. Along with Andrew Irvine, he died attempting to be the first to climb Mount Everest. It is not known whether or not they reached the summit before their fatal accident.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the unpublished letters of George Mallory from time at school to the final & failed attempt of being 1st to conquer Everest

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We do not live to eat and make money, we eat and make money to be able to live.”

I have two shelves in my book collection dedicated to George Mallory and the Everest expeditions of 1921-24 and the ones I hold dearest are those that are about Mallory the man, not just the Mountaineer. One of the most fascinating people in history, and holds a permanent place on my fantasy dinner table…

This book, written by Mallory’s great nephew, is the first publication of a number of letters that had been held in the family possession for over a hundred years and show an insight into Mallory that is so welcome. When you read so many books either about, or referencing him, it’s refreshing to hear his direct voice, his opinions and thoughts adding so much to our understanding of who he was.

As such I can wholeheartedly recommend this book, in fact it is an essential for anyone serious about Mallory; which is where I throw the only downside. If you are reading this book it is because you know about Mallory and are interested in him – no-one is reading this as their introduction to the man, as such there is no real need for the summarising before each chapter – just the letters will do. I was a little nervous at the very end, with a Chapter called ‘Did he or didn’t he’ – but in truth it was very well handled.

If you know Mallory, you should read this – if you don’t go to Gillman’s ‘Wildest Dream’ first.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't really warm to George but enjoyed the pipe smoking, tweed apparelled, champagne fuelled derring do antics. Can see where The Ascent of Rum Doodle got a lot of material.

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting but I fear the only thing I learnt was that his son was called john leigh leigh-mallory

[Sadie White · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We do not live and eat to make money. We eat and make money to be able to live. That is what life means and what life is for.”