Tod Olson, author of the narrative non-fiction series LOST, tells the story of three separate, but connected, expeditions to summit K2, the second tallest mountain in the world and the most dangerous to climb. The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 tells the story of the first expedition in 1938 led by Charlie Houston, an American medical student. This attempt was primarily intended as a scouting mission to find a route to the summit. They were laying the groundwork for the second expedition to be led by acclaimed German American climber Fritz Wiessner, who planned to be the first man to summit K2. Part 2 takes place in 1939 and documents Wiessner’s ill-fated expedition up the mountain with Wiessner’s team losing three Sherpa’s and one of its crewmembers, Dudley Wolfe, and missing conquering the summit by a mere 700 feet. Part 3 takes place in 1953 when Charlie Houston returns to K2 with a new crew of disciplined hand-picked men determined to summit.
The stories are gripping with terrifying accounts of falls, injuries including snow blindness, frostbite and amputations, illnesses including altitude sickness and blood clots, and deaths. The author includes primary documents including photographs, paintings and drawing. There is also a Sources section, including author interviews, videos, books, magazine and newspaper articles, and archival sources such as expedition diaries. Source notes are cited, as well as photo credits.
Written at a reading level for middle grade readers, this book is accessible to middle school and high school students, and is a very interesting read even for adults.
