Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna

A mountaineering classic brought back into print, Conquistadores of the Useless tells the story of ground-breaking climbs with insight and wit. The autobiography of Frenchman Lionel Terray, one of mountaineering history's great adventurers, stands among the "100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time", according to National Geographic Adventure magazine. Following World War II, when France desperately needed successes to heal its wounds, Terray emerged as a national hero, conquering summits atop the planet's highest mountains. He climbed with legends such as Maurice Herzog, Gaston Rebuffat and Louis Lachenal. He made first ascents in the Alps, Alaska, the Andes and the Himalaya. Filled with first-time feats and acts of bravery in the face of unspeakable odds, Terray's gripping story captures the energy of an optimistic world shaking off the restraints of war and austerity. "If my library was to somehow catch fire and I could only save one book, the long out of print Conquistadors of the Useless, by lionel Terray, would be it." (Explore magazine)