First On Everest the Mystery of Mallor

Rating:
Summary: Almost proves Mallory reached summit of Everest in 1924.
Review: The book is of two parts--an interesting biography of Geo. Mallory (including some nude photos!), Bloomsbury darling and Everest pioneer--and a detailed examination of his 3rd attempt on Everest. The authors come very close to proving that, because he was using oxygen, Mallory must have made it to the top, given where he was last sighted, and his carefully established climb rates.Holzel startled the climbing world by predicting the location of Mallory's body--for which he was blasted by the British climbing stablishmen --only to have the prediction come true ten years later!A great feat of historical detective work, if sometimes a bit complicated (oxygen flow rates, etc.) He and Salkeld went to Everest looking for Mallory's camera which Kodak says could still hold developable film (frozen all this time). So final proof awaits the next generation