Killing Dragons. The conquest of the Alps

This overview of Alps exploration shows how mountaineering started with the pursuit of scientific knowledge and became a dramatic competition between nations and individuals whose recorded exploits fascinated the public. Fleming records the major climbs and climbers, each with their own unique challenges, as well as the drama within teams of climbers. The author has done prodigious research and much of the book draws on the vast library of first person accounts of climbers through history.