An extraordinary untold story from the first ascent of Everest

WINNER OF THE OUTSTANDING GENERAL SPORTS WRITING AWARD, BRITISH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS;;WINNER OF THE BOARDMAN TASKER PRIZE; ;WINNER OF THE MOUNTAIN & WILDERNESS PRIZE, BANFF FESTIVAL;;WINNER OF THE TONY LOTHIAN AWARD, BIOGRAPHERS’ CLUB;;For the first time, drawing upon previously unseen diaries and letters, rare archive material and interviews, Everest - The First Ascent tells the remarkable story of Griffith Pugh, the forgotten team member whose scientific breakthroughs ensured the world’s highest mountain could be climbed. A doctor and physiologist, Griffith Pugh revolutionised almost every aspect of British high-altitude mountaineering, transforming the climbers’ attitude to oxygen, the clothes they wore, their equipment, fluid intake and acclimatisation. ; ;Yet, far from receiving the acclaim he was due, he was met with suspicion and ridicule. His scientific contributions were, quite simply, at odds with old-fashioned notions of derring-do and the gentlemanly amateurism that dogged the sport. ;;Later in his career, his impact in helping athletes enhance their performance lasts to this day in the fields of cycling, swimming and running.; ;This insightful biography shows Pugh to be troubled, abrasive, yet brilliant. Eight years in the writing, closely researched, and told with unflinching honesty by Pugh’s daughter, Harriet Tuckey, Everest - The First Ascent is the compelling portrait of an unlikely hero.