Really good companion to [b:Dark Summit The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season|4450646|Dark Summit The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season|Nick Heil|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51l8%2BelD02L._SL75_.jpg|2867915] and [b:High Crimes CD The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed|3210764|High Crimes CD The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed|Michael Kodas|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31%2BTtvEQU9L._SL75_.jpg|1927189]. In 1924, two climbers, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, left on their third attempt to climb Everest. They were never seen again. A couple of blacks specks had been seen through a scope making their way toward the summit, but no confirmation was ever received or discovered that it had been reached.
This book describes the expedition that discovered Mallory's body in 1999.
This is actually one book that I recommend physically reading. According to Amazon reviews, it contains beautiful pictures of the research expedition and artifacts found on the body. That said, the audio version is spell-binding. The body was found at 26,570 feet. He had taken a camera with him, but the camera was never found. If some day it is located, there is a chance that any pictures he might have taken could be recovered and that might provide more conclusive evidence that he summited. Of course, as one climber is quoted as saying, getting to the top is often just the easy part. And the climb means nothing if you don;t make it back down.
