If one week ago you asked me what I knew about Everest, I would have told you it was the highest peak in the world, Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to ascend the top of the mountain, and it was in the Himalayas. Oh, and Jon Krakauer wrote an amazing book called Into Thin Air about the deadly 1996 season of ascent. That’s about it.

Mick Conefrey has done us all a favor by writing Everest 1953, which tells the story of the amazing adventure Hillary experienced in the climb to the top that year.

What’s great about this book is Hillary is not the focus of the story. It’s about the whole team that made the climb successful. It begins with a short history of the various attempts to climb the mountain, a more detailed account of the failed 1952 attempt, and ultimately the preparation, ascent, and repercussions of the 1953 adventure.

Conefrey balances all the stories well, from the planning decisions made in London to the geopolitical dynamics of a British team operating in a newly independent former colony. Each player in the story is developed, such as the amazing Sherpas who made it all happen and the irrepressible New Zealanders who were own the team. The men who made this happen are models of courage and fortitude, and you cannot help but admire them as you read this book.

If you love adventure, especially true adventure, you’ll really enjoy this book. I listened to it as an audiobook purchased at audible.com and really enjoyed that version.