EVEREST: THE UNFINISHED ADVENTURE

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1937. First edition. Pencil sketches of expedition members, 2 large folding maps, portfolio of photos at rear. Large 8vo, publisher’s original royal blue cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine. 288, index pp. A handsome and well preserved copy, internally quite pleasing and clean, with very little evidence of shelving, use or age, the blue cloth still bright and unfaded, some of the normal foxing at the edges or prelims. RUTTLEDGE'S IMPORTANT ACCOUNT. Involved in the aborted expedition were, among others, Eric Shipton and Frank Smythe. ‘This expedition was carried out under the auspices of the Royal Geographical Society. It was the fifth undertaken to attempt the climb of Mount Everest, and the second one under the leadership of the author. [T]he first part is Ruttledge's personal narrative, which covers the topics of reconnaissance, mobilization, and reflections on the ascent; Part II covers the scientific aspects of the climb, the weather, fauna, flora, oxygen, etc.; part III consists of a portfolio of 63 photographic plates of the climb. Kahn ‘04
‘[The journey] was plagued by an early monsoon and stricken with weather problems from the beginning. Finally the problem of Everest was being largely reduced to one of weather.' (Cox) His companions found that to travel with Ruttledge across the high uplands was a delight, for he had a keen interest in the strange topography, in the unusual customs of hospitality and bargaining, and in the animals and birds whose lack of timidity he revelled in' (DNB)
An important work in the history of the efforts made to climb Everest.