The first attempt on Everest in 1922 by George Leigh Mallory and a British team is an extraordinary story full of controversy, drama, and incident, populated by a set of larger-than-life characters straight out of an adventure novel. Using diaries, letters, and unpublished accounts, Mick Conefrey explores the motivations and private dramas of the key individuals—detailing their backroom politics and bitter rivalries—who masterminded this tragic adventure.