Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A Historic Mystery on the Mountain

The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest by Mark Synnott

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Many moons ago I read Into Thin Air and it sparked a Mt. Everest fascination in me. I can’t say that before 2015 I thought overmuch about the highest peak in the world, and I’m someone who enjoys a good walk but has zero intention of ever tackling anything like mountain climbing. But… I have been devouring content about the mountain and other thirteen 8,000-meter peaks ever since. So, when I spotted reviews of Mark Synnott’s The Third Pole I added it to my list and […]

History and drama on Mount Everest

The Third Pole by Mark Synnott

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I first noticed The Third Pole (2021) by Mark Synnott on NPR’s Best Books List. I love climbing and mountaineering, and I’ve already read a couple of books on Mount Everest. But what really made me read this book (or listen to it on audiobook) was that I recognized Mark Synnott from some North Face expedition presentations that I’d seen on Youtube. Synnott had been onstage with Jimmy Chin and Hazel Findley, some amazing athletes and adventurers. What made me remember him, though, was that he was a very […]

Up on the Mountain, There Are No Morals

The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest by Mark Synnott

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In search of the body of Sandy Irvine and the solution to the mystery of whether he and George Mallory ever made it to the summit, the author and his team climb Mt Everest during one of the deadliest seasons ever. I am not sure why I am drawn to stories about Mt Everest. Certainly I mean to never climb it, and I can’t quite empathize with those who are drawn to it, even if I can understand it sometimes. And books like this underscore […]



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