Review: Last Man on the Mountain

Jennifer Jordan has done it again and even better this time.

Jennifer Jordan’s latest book Last Man on the Mountain is a terrific and at the same time, horrific story about climbing K2 in 1939. This expedition was destined to be historical because of the attempt of Charlie Houston and Bob Bates’ team the year before: The expedition was broke and lacking solid team members. Yet a nearly middle age man, who most thought would not get out of base camp spent 3 weeks above 24000 feet during the attempt. The book also tells the story of the three climbing “Sherpa’s” who died trying to rescue Dudley.

Last Man on the Mountain is Jennifer’s second book. Her first book Savage Summit tells the tragic story of the woman who had summited K2, who all died. Jennifer’s painstaking research on K2 comes through when she writes about Dudley Wolfe and the 1939 American Expedition to K2. When Jennifer was at K2 in 2002, she found possessions and possibly the remains of Dudley Wolfe leading to this story.

Reading this book makes you want to find a villain, someone responsible for what happens. Jennifer has thoroughly researched the issues and presents several possible team members, but allows the reader to make their own conclusion as to why Dudley Wolfe died alone at Camp 7 in 1939. Weather, knowledge at the time, climber injuries and exhaustion as well as the squabbles and leadership issues of an expedition that was probably doomed to failure. But for the drive of its leader Fritz Wiessner, the expedition would have never left the states, let alone ascend the mountain.

How an East Coast Socialite came to that tragic ending and what happened to the rest of the team afterwards make this an exciting book as well as a great literary piece.

Jennifer’s talks about the book include rare footage and photographs that her research has uncovered provide the reader with the opportunity to understand the people and the time. Some of the footage can be found at Dudley Wolfe-Last Man on the Mountain.mov.

Last Man on the Mountain is well worth reading. The book is a treasure of early climbing history as well as a great story superbly written. If you have the opportunity to see Jennifer in your town, definitely make that a priority. The book and her talk are a true delight. Jennifer’s book tour can be found on her Facebook page: Jennifer Jordan.

Copyright 2010 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law, Recreaton.Law@Gmail.com

© 2010 James H. Moss

Keywords: #
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