The Girl Who Climbed Everest: Lessons learned facing up to the world's toughest mountains

by Bonita Norris

'What I've learned from climbing mountains is that we can push ourselves far beyond what we think we are capable of, and it's outside of our comfort zones that the most amazing things happen.'

What drives us to go to our limits and beyond? What does it take to make dreams come true over all else? And how can you turn fear into courage?

From Everest to K2, The Girl Who Climbed Everest is the story of Bonita Norris' journey undertaking the world's toughest and most dangerous expeditions. Once an anxious teenager with an eating disorder it was the discovery of a passion for climbing that inspired Bonita to change her life. Drawing on her experiences to capture the agonies - both mental and physical - and joys of her incredible feats Bonita also imparts the lessons learned encouraging you to harness greater self-belief.

The Girl Who Climbed Everest is an honest exploration of everything Bonita has learnt from climbing. Life lessons about ambition, values, risk, happiness, the courage to fail, and what's ultimately important. An indispensable and important book for anyone who has ever doubted their potential or put limits on themselves - whatever challenge you face or ambitions you want to achieve, The Girl Who Climbed Everest will inspire you to take action and live life more fearlessly.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir, Mountaineering, Biography, Adventure

272 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2018

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The biggest mountains are often in our minds. Our imaginations have this incredible ability to freak us out and tell us we can't do things. The reality, I realised, was so very different - I was far more capable than I thought I was."

Wow. This book made me feel. This is Norris' story of conquering her mental mountains of self-doubt and crippling fear while climbing actual mountains. That put the classic self-help/live your best life motivational advice that you've probably heard before into so much more clarity. Metaphors become real (eg. take it one step at a time) and as Norris is pushing her body and mind to go beyond what most people would ever consider doing, she learns so much about herself.

The writing is no-nonsense and thoroughly engaging. It is easy to read and allows you to focus fully on the incredible adventures that the author has been on and the things she learned along the way. Norris says that none of the lessons she learned are particularly profound and that she didn't need to climb Everest to learn them, but that we all face mirrors that show us our good and bad parts, and that hers was Everest. I hope that this book stays with me for a long time because it is seriously incredible. Some truly inspirational musings on courage, grit, getting up after a fall, confidence, trying things out, living in the moment and trusting yourself. (- my original review 2018 4*)

"In life, disasters loom over us at every turn. You never know what's coming around the corner; whether you climb mountains or cycle to work, we are all taking risks. We are all fumbling our way through the universe, trying to make the best for ourselves and others. We will definitely all make mistakes, or others will make mistakes that will affect us. We have to accept that nobody is perfect and many situations are out of our control, and all we can do is to try to keep our lives together, to learn lessons, and to move on the best we can."

Re-reading this book in 2022, I love it even more. A 5 star read this time and onto my favourites list for sure. I recently read Facing Up: A remarkable journey to the summit of Everest and was in the mood to read many more Everest books. I thought I'd start with a re-read of The Girl Who Climbed Everest because I have such fond memories of it.

I've been in an emotional rut the last few weeks and was moved and inspired by so many things Norris says. I have, like most people a fear of failure and a fear of the unknown, but my biggest fear is that of letting people down. My anxious mind often tells me, when I'm in a panic, that nothing is worth the risk. Better to do nothing new than make mistakes (because of course doing nothing isn't letting people down?! breaking news: anxious mind isn't logical). Something happens on Norris' descent which she feels so bad about. But we see her moving forward from that, overcoming her guilt, showing gratitude to those that saved her life, not letting her worst moments define her, not freezing with fear, challenging herself again.

Though Norris is often talking about climbing mountains or her own mental battles, at times I felt she could have been talking directly to me and my present struggles. I'm grateful she wrote this book and teaches us what Everest has taught her. <3

"Everest taught me about the importance of going the last few per cent, of knowing that it takes a lot more than just mindless energy to achieve a goal. It takes that magical something - that true grit, when you make the decision to dig deeper or leap further into the unknown than you have ever done before."

"If you don't reach your final goal, or that goal turns into a nightmare, the journey along the way will still burn brightly and affect you in ways you could never imagine at the start, with new friendships, memories, skills, and doors opened that you never knew existed. Fear and the fear of failure never go away but, despite them, people have achieved great things."

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this to read about the author's experience of climbing Everest but I was completely won over by her can-do attitude spread throughout the book. I found it so inspiring and would recommend it to anyone!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Bonita Norris stood on top of the world’s highest mountain on 17th May 2010 she became the youngest woman to stand on the summit of Everest. Being there was the realisation of a dream that begun when she was when she heard someone talk about being on the roof of the world and being able to see the curvature of the earth and realised that she wanted to do that too. Not only was it the achievement of climbing through the death zone and being on top of a physical mountain, but her journey along the way had taught her so much about being tenacious, having self-belief and pushing yourself far beyond your modest capabilities.

All she had to do now was get back down.

The route Norris took to get to the bottom of Mount Everest was not a completely straightforward one. Her childhood was generally a happy one, until from her parent’s separation. This sparked some anxieties, including an eating disorder, but these were overcome and she ended up studying a degree at Royal Holloway where she heard Rob Casserley and Kenton Cool talk about climbing. This one moment was to change her life forever, give her a purpose that had never crossed her mind and help her forge a different path to the one she was intending. She dropped Kenton a message, and they met at Kings Cross station and he outlined what she needed to do to reach that goal. Now more convinced than ever that she didn’t want to be one of those that had never climbed it, practice at climbing begun in earnest. Her parents were less convinced though, and persuading them she would be able to do it was another mountain to conquer too. Less than a year later Bonita was on her way to Nepal for the first time for a practice run up Mansulu, and her first climb into the death zone of a mountain.


Funding the Everest trip was going to be hard though as these trips are not cheap. She began writing to lots of companies to try and raise the necessary funds and was getting nowhere. A last fraught attempt to raise the cash by ringing into a radio station had the result that she needed and her experience of a lifetime was actually going to happen.

There were several mountains that had to be conquered before her dream of standing on top of the world could happen. Not just persuading her parents that she would be fine as she was climbing with some of the best in the world, but building the self-belief and discipline that comes with undertaking a task like this. Hs has learnt from the heart-stopping moments that she has had when in the high mountains as well as taking those moments to enjoy the personal and team achievements of reaching the highest places on earth, including one of the few to summit Lhotse. Norris is another tough lady who set her sights on a dream and realised it. The writing is not bad, but this is more a book to inspire others to discover the things they want to do and to set about achieving them.

[Rachel Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, I got goosebumps and I think I’m going to have to climb Everest.

[Cristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I googled "books by or about non-male climbers" and this was on the list. I have yet to read the others but I am giving this ⭐⭐⭐ and not 4 because I reached the conclusion that, despite there not being a duty of a person who excels in a particular activity to also excel in writing so that they can share that knowledge with the world, it is absolutely more pleasant for the reader when the two things coincide. I found Bonita's writing repetitive at times but I would still recommend reading this to whoever is looking for an easy read that will ease them into understanding mountaineering, the Himalayas in particular. I'm sure many people would also find motivational power in sentences and paragraphs running throughout the story. I personally found benefit in some concrete tips on how to intentionally direct my mind, thoughts and focus when in challenging situations.

⚠️ Spoiler below

(I was a bit put off by Bonita's telling of her experience with bulimia - the way she describes miraculously healing from this condition all of a sudden in one given day is certainly an exception and to me undermined the illness)

[Nikki Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Not only do you feel like your with her on that mountain at times when she’s battling to reach the top, but it’s relatable in the sense of goal setting, taking that first step and that sometimes the thing that holds you back is the voice in your head.

It doesn’t matter if you want to climb the highest peak in the world, this book is a great inspiring read for anyone and everyone.

[Charlotte Goulding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting story, I really enjoyed this book of conquering the highest peak in the world.

I don’t normally read memoirs so enjoyed this!

A bit of pick me girl energy coming through, but she reached the top of the world so I’ll let it slide.

[Laura Bayliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down so inspiring and gripping

[Madi Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never have felt like rock climbing or climbing a mountain a day in my life, this has me doubting that. Loved reading about someone doing something so grand with high anxiety. Loved it! Deffo recommend

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

#inspirational

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just what I needed to read for the New Year. Bonita Norris is an ordinary persin who has achieved extraordinary heights. Having been to Nepal, I could literally picture her journeys to the mountains that have lured the world to their backyard. Not a literary giant, but full of lessons and a great read for people like myself, stuck at home due to illness. Reading can truly take you places!

[Leah Swan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book not only about Bonitas journey to Everest, but an autobiography of her childhood and moments leading to her decision to tackle Everest, and then her decision to keep climbing <6000m mountains despite her fall on Everest.

I enjoyed the story about the journey up the different mountains, and it was a really interesting insight into life at Base Camp and the attitude of people who attempt to climb these mountains. However, the backstory into Bonitas childhood I found a little slow and not so necessary - it definitely could have been made shorter, to allow more focus on the climbing. I would have been more interested to hear in more detail about her training, the route on the mountains etc. She also talked quite a lot about her motivation, which to be honest I found very repetitive. I did like the emphasis on taking the small steps, and I think this is really encouraging to others to show its possible to do what you think it impossible just by taking one more step.

This book is definitely more of an autobiography, and not what I was expecting from a book about "Lessons learned". The highlight for me was the 'one step at a time' kind of attitude that Bonita takes, something really simple but positive to remember in your daily life.

[Nicola Whitbread · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Girl Who Climbed Everest is a brilliant mountaineering book for non-mountain folk. I find some mountaineering books (usually the ones written by men) are technically written and dense, with a good dose of ego. This book was none of those things - it was easy to read, humble and honest. Bonita Norris was for a time the youngest British female to summit Mt Everest, and two years prior she had no mountaineering experience, and had never climbed before.

This book is a testament of what you can achieve when you put your mind to it (although it was a bit heavy on the ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’ type inspirational slogans… so 3.5/5 ⭐️) Norris was inspired by an Everest lecture she attended on a whim, and immediately after signed up to her local climbing centre and threw herself in to training, learning everything she could about mountaineering, continuously working towards her dreams.

“We have the power to trigger great change, but it takes action - that first small step.”

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspiring and motivating book. Love her journey and all the emotions that go with it. An amazing woman who pushed through her doubts and reached her dreams. Loved every minute of this book, could not stop reading.

[Anthony Frobisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mountains of the Mind

Bonita Norris - The Girl Who Climbed Everest.

I have read many books about mountaineering and specifically on climbing Everest. I have been fortunate to trek to Everest and see the world's tallest mountain, a mountain I had long dreamed of climbing as a teenager. But a dream that remains unfulfilled.
To say you wish to take on a huge challenge is one thing, but to have the resolve, determination, tenacity and belief to make it happen takes a special type of person.
Bonita Norris took on the challenge to climb Everest at the age of 22 and to attempt to become the youngest UK female summiteer.
Her writing is engaging and honest. The waves of self doubt, the frustration, the lack of confidence, the stark reality of the brutal world of high altitude climbing. The guilt of leaving worried loved ones to
persue an inherently selfish goal. But dreams and goals and summits are what define us. Life is a constant climb, of endless summits we aspire to reach. With obstacles constantly in our way.
I knew of Bonita when the media furore followed her Everest attempt. But I learned more about her and her incredible strength when I was fortunate to get to know Emma Jack, a mountaineer and adventure guide who led my trek to Everest and someone who had climbed in the Himalayas with Bonita.
Reading Bonita's excellent book reaffirmed what an incredible, determined and powerful person she is. In mind as well as body. Her experiences, literally high and low are inspirational and a lesson in knowing who you are and how far you can and should push yourself to reach your goals.
A brilliant book, not just about climbing the world's highest peaks, but a book from which we can learn many life lessons.
Chapeau Bonita.
Highly recommended.

[Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

My niece recommended this after hearing Bonita Norris speak at her graduation ceremony. You can certainly see how inspiring she is, and Norris does a good job of transforming her climbing into relatable, teachable wisdom about confidence and resilience.

I enjoyed her story of being an ordinary girl from an ordinary town, overcoming an eating disorder and other people's doubts as well as her own. It's a very human story even for those of us who don't know a serac from their elbow.

I had no idea what was involved in climbing Everest or other Himalayan peaks. I'm not saying I thought it was like strolling up Snowdon but I certainly didn't picture actual climbing and crevasses, nor the genuine risk of death. Reading about the extremes involved, even today in the 21st century, reinforced what an incredible feat it was for the earliest summiteers of the 1950s working without modern equipment.

If you don't reach your final goal, or that goal turns into a nightmare, the journey along the way will still burn brightly and affect you in ways you could never imagine at the start, with new friendships, memories, skills, and doors opened that you never knew existed.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to meet the author at a Google event earlier this year, where I also received this book gratis. Bonita Norris is an excellent public speaker who really brought elements of her Everest climb to life, so I went into this book a little biased.

This book would be an excellent introduction to the genre of mountaineering books. Whilst there is some technical talk it's very basic compared to other books in this genre, and Bonita does tend to ease you into it. Whilst she's quite upfront with the mental battle she faced, I do think this downplays some of the physical struggles - as such if you were to then read some other mountaineering books you could be very shocked at some of the physical descriptions.

What I especially enjoyed in this book though, was how Norris focussed on the camaraderie she felt, both with her fellow climbers but also the Sherpa's whose support is so vital. A number of books in this genre talk about how much of climbing is a solo endeavour but Norris highlights how your companions can influence your mindset.

I'm not sure if I'd re-read this again in the short term, but it's definitely a book I'll be keeping.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book it was obvious that this is an autobiography. The writing style is functional and gets the story across but I felt rather pedestrian. However as Bonita Norris got further into her story and actually started climbing those mountains, it became very gripping, especially as she encounters her literal downfall coming off the summit of Everest. Her story of survival, supported by other climbers - which could have easily become deadly for all involved- left a lasting impact on me. What I found interesting was that she recognizes the potential for disaster for all involved and it really left her devastated. Her descriptions of her emotions - conflicting self-pride with self-disgust were realistic. Her eventual redemption in the climbing world was also intriguing, especially with the constant encounters with death.

Mountain climbing is a freaky thing. I have read many books on the subject and it never fails to intrigue, shock and disturb me. It is an un-natural environment full of risks but you know, people keep doing it despite the risks.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up in my local bookstore, It sat beside a bunch of mountaineering manuals and stood out to me with its simplistic yet bright front cover and the first line of the blurb 'On 17 May 2010 Bonita Norris fell to her knees at the highest point on planet Earth.' After many months of being deprived of the hills I so loved to spend my days on during Lockdown, this book drew me in -an adventure that brought someone to their knees- this was what I needed.

There was never a moment while reading this book where I thought I would skip sections, or where I thought it was boring or not for me. This book, even though it was based on the climb of Everest allows the reader to compare to their own lives. My dream is to climb Ben Nevis, and after reading this I know it'll happen, if someone like Bonita can climb Everest then I can climb Ben Nevis.

The story makes you feel very human, very vulnerable, but shows the inner strength that resides inside every single person will always come out just when you need it the most and not a moment too soon.

[Mia Nóbrega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this book patiently waiting for me in my bookshelf for well over 5 years. It had been a motivational gift with the message "heard her story and thought about you". And I was too young or at the wrong time to grab it and give it a read. There is beauty and hardship, challenges and self doubt, lessons that we should all inspire to learn from and moments when my jaw dropped from what I was reading. A wonderful read, Bonita Norris is a phenomenal woman and a brilliant storyteller and I truly feel inspired by her words.
This is not a "self help" book, this is a shared experience. It does not mean I want to climb Everest tomorrow, but it helped me gain some perspective on my own accomplishments that I am sometimes too stern to grant myself.
This review is a thank you for the person who offered me this book with the compliment that it is and to Bonita Norris for sharing your story, your struggles and hard times, your appreciation of others and kind heart even when all goes to hell. Thank you for being inspiring.

[Bella Chelsea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was advertised on a list for books on ED and I also like Everest stuff so got it! However this was a load of crap tbh!
Don’t get this book if you were looking for mental health / ED books as this isn’t the one! She’s so patronising and rude and as someone’s who’s struggled with food I found it not enjoyable. It’s only one chapter but she “cures herself” overnight… right sure that’s how mental health disorders work! I really was hoping Half the book was gonna be her struggles with ED then how it can affect you when climbing a mountain with the voices in your head etc… but not once mentioned again. She’s bad at writing, describing stuff and lacks emotional! Very hard to connect / like the character tbh! She’s privileged entitled and patronising! I tried to stay with it as I’ve reached into Everest a lot but god this wasn’t a good book at all. I tried till page 200 ish and then couldn’t bare going anymore

Also can’t stand her “self help book” crap over and over again!!

[Genetic Cuckoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was surprisingly good. I felt I could really relate to the author and that her struggles and self-doubt were very relatable. I liked the honesty of the writing and not glossing over the struggle, as it would be easy to overlook the training and perseverance needed once you have achieved your goal. I have felt the same single-minded drive to achieve a goal, sitting in bed, thinking about the obstacles and how to overcome them. The author’s passion was contagious, and I found myself longing to go for a long walk in the countryside. I was also surprised to find out that the author was studying at Royal Holloway at the same time as I was there, and our paths likely crossed many times.

This is a lovely book, full of passion and drive, and a big dose of hard work. I would recommend this as a great inspirational read for young adults and older readers alike.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Who Climbed Everest is Bonita Norris's memoir. Bonita when she climbed Everest was the youngest British female to do so. Although this is a breath-taking achievement, to Bonita it represents one of her biggest failures.

After reading this book I have put my two bestfriends on a ban from climbing 8000m+ mountains. I have a slight obsession with mountaineering stories on big mountains even though I have absolutely no interest in climbing. I love Bonita's story and how unique it is. After reading this I understand why she is a motivational speaker. Bonita's perseverance and resiliance is inspiring. Although I really enjoyed reading this book there was something that missed the mark in the writing for a 5 star rating. I think I mention it every time but find it so hard to rate memoir!

A huge thank you to Maegan for gifting us this book! It’s on the way to Molly in the post - 4 stars

[Zhi Ying Teo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational book that reinforces the mindset of taking things one step at a time. Fear will always be present but we can learn to better manage it. Especially like the fact that the author do not consider the summit as her crown glory. Rather, it was part of a process that allows her to re evaluate her skill set and perfect them such that she is able to trust herself in her decision making process despite such not being coherent to that of the crowd.

Did not quite agree with the viewpoint that sourcing sponsorship amidst the impossibility showcases grit. In my opinion, there seem to be other more reliable means to assist in the financial side of the expedition. However, this does not discount the actual grit which the author display on the various expeditions which she embarked on.

[Shaika Subah Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25*



I picked up this book randomly in a bookstore in Nepal because the title caught my eye. Bonita’s story is incredible: at just 22, with less than two years of climbing experience, she summited Mount Everest, becoming the youngest British woman to do so (at the time), and later even skied to the North Pole and tackled Lhotse and Manaslu. She wrote about how she raised £50,000 from scratch during the financial crash in 2010 just to fund her dream. That story alone was inspiring—it really shows the kind of grit and determination that sets people like her apart.

What really struck me was how she echoes David Goggins’s famous “40% rule”, the writer of my all-time favorite non-fiction 'Can't Hurt Me', when your mind tells you you’re done, you’ve only tapped about 40% of your true potential. Bonita weaves that idea through her entire book, showing how small consistent steps and the right mindset got her to the top.

I’ve always been drawn to people like Bonita because I try to have their mindset too—focus, not fret—but I usually crash and burn trying. Maybe that’s why her authenticity hit home. I thought I’d just read a climbing memoir, but it ended up being more like a playbook for pushing yourself further than you think you can go—and owning that imperfect, gritty path.

[Ginger Nicholls]

I really enjoyed this book setting aside the fact that I have a personal connection with Nepal/Kathmandu/Everest having lived there. Especially when someone overcomes personal or family difficulties to go on to achieve such an amazing feat over and over, one can't help but be in awe and admiration of such determination. Yes, some of her motivational mantras were repetitive in the book, but that didn't take away from the overall experience reading it nor of the valuable messages she is trying to share. Recommended for anyone but young people in particular.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of hearing Bonita speak at a conference and wanted to know more about her adventures. Her strength of mind and her attitude of “focus don’t fret” and “just a single step” struck a chord with me and whilst I will never climb Everest or any of the 8,000ft peaks I can implement the mindset.
A truly remarkable achievement showing how with a team behind you, learning from mistakes and just taking a single step anything can be achieved.

[Prabal Tiwari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mind struggle she went through is relatable to everyone I believe. Almost every chapter has lessons that she explains in a simple and practical manner. Many a times people give advice to you without any guidance or roadmap on how to do it but this one is an exception. Her journey is heartwarming and nerve racking at the same time.

[Amy Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

"keeping an open mind, not always taking the easy or expected option, could lead us to the most wonderful adventures in life" and what an adventure you had Bonita Norris. Honestly one of the most inspirational books I've read, I couldn't put it down. If you need a kick in the butt to follow your dreams then read this book.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never climb mt Everest but I’m so fascinated w the adventure of it so this this book had what I needed. The author gives a lot of inspiring thoughts throughout; the only thing I’d change is to give it a tighter edit and maybe give some of the other fellow climbers a little more depth…many were interchangeable to me.