Explores the many ways in which people have tried to conquer Mount Everest, with insight into the mountain environment and survival techniques, the emergence of mountain civilizations, and the feats of bravery and endurance. In this breathtaking volume from Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Books series, readers experience the majesty of mountains, from the forces in the earth that create them to the animals, vegetables, and minerals that inhabit them to the history of the many driven people who have climbed them. Spectacular photos and illustrations depict the awesome power of avalanches, the amazingly adaptive lives of mountaintop dwellers, the beauty of an Alpine spring, and much more. The book progresses from "Mountains of the world" through "Wind and weather," "People of the Himalayas," "Gods, myths, and legends," and "Early days of mountaineering" and concludes with discussions of mountain sports, the winter Olympics, and the environment. Only a few chapters focus on the granddaddy of them all, Mount Everest; still, the broad range of information the book provides on all things mountainous will rivet anyone with an interest in Everest. The book includes up-to-date details on Ötzi the Ice Man, mountain rescue techniques and climbing equipment, and the discovery in 1999 of the body of George Mallory, whose death on Everest in 1924 left a mystery--was he the first man to summit the mountain or did he die before reaching the top? Everest is guaranteed to fascinate. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ...a mini museum between the covers of a book. [Eyewitness series] -- The New York Times These books' striking visual impact will draw in even the most casual readers. [Eyewitness series] -- School Library Journal