EVEREST DIARY: Based on the Diary of Lute Jerstad

The eighteen Americans who conquered the world's highest peak in 1963 included only a couple that qualified as professional mountaineers. The rest were dedicated amateurs and all were expected to keep diaries, because the expedition was as much of a science project as it was a sporting event. Mr. Jerstad, a professor of theater arts at the University of Oregon, had the requisite verbal skill to convey the sense of the poetry and drama which mounted as the climbing teams neared their goal. The first chapters of this short book provide an introduction to climbing techniques and the background for the American attempt. These make sparing use of the diary entries, but by the end of the book, Jerstad's account has almost completely taken over, with the day-by-day story of the final assault team fighting vicious weather and the most dangerous terrain. What's happened to each climber since is given in a follow up chapter and there is a glossary of place names and mountaineering terms. Well done. A book to start from for this age group.