One of the many books I bought during the 'Big Bad Wolf' warehouse sale includes Jeffrey Archer's Path of Glory. Being the nationalistic British leader he is, he decided to claim his British mark on the alleged achievement his countryman on the the highest peak on planet Earth, Mount Everest. A little bit of background for the uninitiated, Jeffrey Archer is an English politician and author who did time for his wrongful involvement with the law and money issues. Good for him and us that he stuck on his daytime jobs. And writes well he does.
I bought this copy off the shelf during the Big Bad Wolf warehouse sales, not because I was dying to read this book but rather because it was going cheap and had heard that he was a prolific writer but never had the chance to read his books.
I thought to myself that it must slow paced and draggy as most books on drama-in-real-life are, furthermore it was set at the early of the 20th century. How wrong I was! It turned out to be all the things I did not expect it be. It can be said to be one of the books that you buy at the airport and finish reading before you board the flight. It is that engaging and fast paced.
The Englishman is trying to relive the nostalgic good old days when they were king and ruled the world at the name of their country.
George Mallory, son of a pastor, fearless even as a child, makes a grand entrance to an interview at Cambridge by scaling the wall as he was late and the intervi ewer, morbidly particular about punctuality, had locked the entrance. His passion for climbing found its place when he was indicted into the mountaineering club.
A history teacher by profession, married to a socialite's daughter with a fat bank account, he continued his passion. Even though exempted by law, he enlisted himself to serve his country during World War I. His tour of duty to an end when a bullet grazed his foot. Reading through the alleged conversations that took place between soldiers, we come to know that the abbreviations to the word 'Fornication Under the Consent of the King' is not a recent invention. Soldier in World War I were using the catch phrase to emphasis their dismay at the progression of war and the Germans.
His calling to scale higher heights was met when his circle of friends in higher places suggested him on an expedition to tame Mother Chomolungma, the guardian of Mount Everest, 29000 ft above sea level.
His first visit to India described aptly the behaviors of subservient Indians who would literally prostrate in front of their colonial masters for some crumbs. Paying peanuts, they still managed with climb in style with mammoth supplies, donkeys and Sherpa at their disposal (as if the whitemen knew best)- they still managed to have a lavish outing with English tea and all. The locals respected the sanctity of the mountains and did not want to disturb her guardian Goddess .
Unfortunately, Chomolungma decided not to take it lying down. She decided to manifest her displeasure by ticking an avalanche. This took away the living daylights of the zest of our hero's desire to conquer Everest at least for sometime and also the lives of some climbers including George's favourite and skilful Sherpa assistant.
The author brought in some interesting characters including a conceited Australian, Finch, a fellow member of the first expedition but fell in dispute after his ungentlemanly conduct with the wife of the Governor General of India, his advocacy on usage of oxygen and that the mere fact that he was Australian, not British! Due to politics of this nature, Finch was voted out of the second expedition in spite of his climbing skills. During his trips (WWI, American and Everest trips), George had faithfully written romantic letters to his wife without fail.
Returning home, George found himself jobless but a timely shot in the arm was a job offer to narrate his Herculean endeavor to an audience in the US.
Americans here are described an uncouthed enterprising mavericks devoid of the gentlemanly traits of the Englishmen despite their almost common mother tongue! After a lukewarm reception which drew little money for his sponsors, the Royal Geographical Society, he returned home. Even the ladies are painted in a bad light. George, being true to his one love, scaled down a building to escape the advances of a philanthropic widow and her dangling carrot of a fat cheque with lure of sexual services!
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The lure back to the mountains was rekindled after a big contribution from the proceeds of a movie based on their early expedition. In spite of George's insistence of Finch to be included in the second attempt at Everest, the team had to go with George as the leader after royal interference!
The novel is supposed to be based on a real events. The catch phrase is based on, not the real quotation of a journal, masala must have been spiced up along the way to make it sell-able or like the people in media would say 'sexed up'!
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George H.L. Mallory
(June 18, 1886 – June 9, 1924)
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Like a suitable ending to this saga, after the funeral (without a body), George's widow receives another mushy love letter sent before the last ascent! And the epilogue ends with George Leigh Mallory II (his grandson) placing a photo of his grandparents on the summit of Everest in 1995.....
N.B. In real life, however, his quest for the summit unanswered. His body was found in 1999. In his wallet, his wife's photograph was missing meaning that he could have left it in the summit. Oxygen cylinders indicated partial usage (used during ascent) and goggles were in the pocket as their descent were made after sunset. The camera which may hold the secret of their endeavour is sadly missing. If he and Irvine did reach the summit, they would have preceded Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay by a good 29 years. Whether Mallory et al will ultimately be proven to have reached the top or not, the team certainly are to be commended for had climbed to an altitude of at least 28,000 feet in 1924 with clothing and equipment far inferior to what is available today – a remarkable feat.
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