George Leigh Mallory (1886–1924)
Author of Climbing Everest: The Complete Writings of George Leigh Mallory
About the Author
Works by George Leigh Mallory
Letters From Everest: Unpublished Letters from Mallory’s Life and Death in the Mountains (2024) 5 copies
Boswell, the biographer 2 copies
La última ascensión. 2 copies
The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire (2024) 2 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Mallory, George Herbert Leigh
- Birthdate
- 1886-06-18
- Date of death
- 1924-06-08
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Winchester College
University of Cambridge (Magdelene College) - Occupations
- teacher
mountaineer
explorer - Organizations
- Alpine Club
- Relationships
- Robertson, David (5)(brother-in-law)
- Short biography
- George Leigh Mallory was born in Mobberley, England, to a long line of clergymen. As a 10-year -old, he went on a school trip to Ben Nevis in Scotland, and found in himself an aptitude for mountain climbing. He graduated from Cambridge University and became a teacher, but continued to hone his climbing skills in the Alps and in Wales. He saved the lives of two of his companions with his quick thinking and actions, and survived an avalanche in 1906. In 1914, he married Ruth Turner, with whom he had three children. He served in the British Army in France during World War I and resumed teaching after the war. In 1922, when the British Alpine Club assembled the first major expedition to map the route to Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, Mallory was a natural choice. In 1924, he was also selected for the third attempt to reach the summit. It was at this time that he gave the now-famous answer to the question of why climbers continued to struggle to scale Everest: "Because it’s there." During the climb, Mallory and his partner Andrew Irvine disappeared on the Northeast Ridge and were never seen again. The mystery of their fate was debated for decades and made Mallory one of the most romantic figures in exploration history. Finally in 1999, an expedition to search for the two discovered the remains of Mallory's body on the mountain.
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Mobberley, Cheshire, UK
- Places of residence
- Cambridge, England, UK
Godalming, England, UK - Place of death
- Mount Everest / Sagarmatha
- Burial location
- Mount Everest
- Associated Place (for map)
- England, UK
Members
Reviews
The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire by George Mallory
‘The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire‘ by George Mallory is a spellbinding novel that masterfully intertwines the threads of family legacy, the dark echoes of history, and the deeply personal journey of self-discovery. Set against the sprawling backdrop of a multi-billion-dollar gold mine conglomerate, this book is far more than a tale of wealth and power—it’s an exploration of the human psyche at its most vulnerable and resilient.
Author show more George Mallory brings the heart of the story in Abe Silver, an enigmatic figure whose life is a study in contrasts. A survivor of the horrors of a Polish concentration camp, Abe’s ascent to power in Australia as a magnate is nothing short of remarkable. His journey from the depths of human suffering to the heights of wealth and influence is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Yet, as his health declines, the secrets he has harboured for decades resurface, threatening to unravel not just his own life, but the future of his entire family.
Enter Ellie, Abe’s daughter, a freshly minted lawyer, suddenly thrust into the murky waters of corporate and familial politics. As Ellie grapples with her father’s complex legacy and the enormous responsibility it entails, she faces opposition not only from those who should be her allies, but also from a society still grappling with acceptance.
Set in 2010, a time when LGBTQ+ rights were only beginning to gain mainstream attention, Ellie’s struggle with her sexuality adds an emotionally charged layer to an already intricate narrative.
The author expertly weaves together the novel’s dual timelines—Abe’s past and Ellie’s present—to create a rich tapestry of experiences that speak to the power of love, the weight of secrets, and the cost of ambition.
Abe’s harrowing past provides a stark contrast to the corporate world Ellie must now navigate, yet both are equally fraught with danger and betrayal.
The writing is nothing short of exquisite, capturing the reader’s attention from the first page and clasping it until the very end. Mallory does a great job in vividly drawing the characters, making them deeply relatable with their complexities and flaws. The narrative is both a family saga and a historical epic, delving into the darkest corners of the human experience while also celebrating the resilience of the human spirit.
This is a must-read novel for anyone who appreciates a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant. Long after you turn the last page, this novel lingers in your mind, prompting you to ponder the intricacies of family, identity, and the inescapable shadows of the past. This is storytelling at its finest—a true literary gem.
This review is based on an honest assessment after receiving a copy of the book. show less
Author show more George Mallory brings the heart of the story in Abe Silver, an enigmatic figure whose life is a study in contrasts. A survivor of the horrors of a Polish concentration camp, Abe’s ascent to power in Australia as a magnate is nothing short of remarkable. His journey from the depths of human suffering to the heights of wealth and influence is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Yet, as his health declines, the secrets he has harboured for decades resurface, threatening to unravel not just his own life, but the future of his entire family.
Enter Ellie, Abe’s daughter, a freshly minted lawyer, suddenly thrust into the murky waters of corporate and familial politics. As Ellie grapples with her father’s complex legacy and the enormous responsibility it entails, she faces opposition not only from those who should be her allies, but also from a society still grappling with acceptance.
Set in 2010, a time when LGBTQ+ rights were only beginning to gain mainstream attention, Ellie’s struggle with her sexuality adds an emotionally charged layer to an already intricate narrative.
The author expertly weaves together the novel’s dual timelines—Abe’s past and Ellie’s present—to create a rich tapestry of experiences that speak to the power of love, the weight of secrets, and the cost of ambition.
Abe’s harrowing past provides a stark contrast to the corporate world Ellie must now navigate, yet both are equally fraught with danger and betrayal.
The writing is nothing short of exquisite, capturing the reader’s attention from the first page and clasping it until the very end. Mallory does a great job in vividly drawing the characters, making them deeply relatable with their complexities and flaws. The narrative is both a family saga and a historical epic, delving into the darkest corners of the human experience while also celebrating the resilience of the human spirit.
This is a must-read novel for anyone who appreciates a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant. Long after you turn the last page, this novel lingers in your mind, prompting you to ponder the intricacies of family, identity, and the inescapable shadows of the past. This is storytelling at its finest—a true literary gem.
This review is based on an honest assessment after receiving a copy of the book. show less
This is the assembled writings of George Mallory, whose final attempt to climb Mount Everest in 1924 ended in tragedy. They are mostly articles in magazines, some of which are quite specialist and clearly aimed for an audience of mountaineers. The ones on the Alps were less interesting, but his successive articles on Everest, based on his expeditions in 1921, 1922 and then what turned out to be final one in 1924, inevitably carry a poignancy for the reader. Before 1921 apparently, "No show more westerner had been within 60 miles of Everest, nor did it appear on any detailed maps". The sheer amount of effort and perseverance in managing, for example, to climb up an extra 1,000 feet on successive expeditions, is remarkable, and the sheer logistical difficulty in transporting sufficient supplies and equipment in an increasingly thin atmosphere: "The atmosphere was enervating to the last degree; to halt even for a few minutes was to be almost overwhelmed by inertia, so difficult it seemed, once the machinery had stopped and lost momentum, to heave it into motion again. And yet we must go on in one direction or the other or else succumb to sheer lassitude and overpowering drowsiness." It takes immense physical and mental strength and inner confidence to make the attempt with any hope of success, and problems are greatly multiplied than in lower mountain such as the Alps. show less
The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire by George Mallory
The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire is a great debut for author, George Mallory. After reading the blurb, I was curious to see what this saga was all about. I have to admit, it was rather slow at the beginning but after getting through the first few chapters, I was intrigued. I enjoyed getting to know this wealthy family and learning how they became to be. It covers the horrific events from the past all the way to the present times. I believe show more there will be readers who will be able to understand the family dynamics within the pages and feel a sense of understanding and connection. There was some suspense as lies and secrets are uncovered. I wanted to keep on turning the pages to find out how it would all end for all of the characters. I was not disappointed.
I am going to give The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire four and a half stars. I believe fans of Jewish and Saga Fiction will want to pick it up and give it a read for themselves. I would be curious to read more like this from George Mallory in the near future.
I received a paperback copy of George Mallory's The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. show less
I am going to give The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire four and a half stars. I believe fans of Jewish and Saga Fiction will want to pick it up and give it a read for themselves. I would be curious to read more like this from George Mallory in the near future.
I received a paperback copy of George Mallory's The Unexpected Heiress: A Family Saga From Concentration Camp to Gold Mining Empire from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. show less
I had recently read "Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest", and thought it too long and too detailed. And I had thought, at that time, that it was too bad that Mr. Davis didn't shorten the book and concentrate just on one aspect of Mallory's climb. Well, as they say, be careful of what you wish for, and this book reminds me why that phrase is often used. "Climbing Everest - The Writings of George Mallory" seemed, on the surface, to be exactly what I asked for show more after reading the longer book, "Into the Silence", about Mallory's climb. But in comparison, I regret not rating "Into the Silence" much higher. "Climbing Everest" lacks all the background and insights into the personality of Mallory and the background of the climb, the other climbers, and the history that Davis provides in his book. And comparing the two, "Into the Silence" was a much better story. "Climbing Everest", as expected, is basically simply the writings of Mallory while attempting to climb Everest. It contains detailed descriptions of what he saw, but there's an expectation that the reader has familiarity or other background being provided somewhere else. On it's own, it really doesn't provide the the story behind the story, or sufficient background, to truly appreciate the hardship and massive undertaking of the climb. As I had previously noted, personally, I found Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" a much more interesting and much more readable book about climbing Mt. Everest. show less
Statistics
- Works
- 8
- Members
- 44
- Popularity
- #346,249
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 4
- ISBNs
- 10
- Languages
- 2