Paths of Glory

Written by Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by Roger Allam

International bestselling author Jeffrey Archer returns with a triumphant historical novel, Paths of Glory.

Paths of Glory, is the story of such a man—George Mallory. Born in 1886, he was a brilliant student who became part of the Bloomsbury Group at Cambridge in the early twentieth century and served in the Royal Garrison Artillery during World War I. After the war, he married, had three children, and would have spent the rest of his life as a schoolteacher, but for his love of mountain climbing.

Mallory once told a reporter that he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, "because it is there." On his third try in 1924, at age thirty-seven, he was last seen four hundred feet from the top. His body was found in 1999, and it remains a mystery whether he and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, ever reached the summit.

In fact, not until you've turned the last page of Archer's extraordinary novel will you be able to decide if George Mallory should be added to that list of legends, while another name would have to be removed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Mar 3, 2009
• ISBN: 9781427206244

Jeffrey Archer

Jeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O’ Nine Tales, is one of the world’s favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in 97 countries and in more than 37 languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). Jeffrey is also an art collector and amateur auctioneer, and has raised more than £50m for different charities over the years. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two granddaughters and two grandsons.

Reviews for Paths of Glory

[vivienner_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excellent, well-researched story about George Mallory. In 1999 Conrad Anker, one of a team in search of Mallory and team member Andrew Irvine, found Mallory's body at an altitude of 26,760 feet. Mallory had taken a photo of his wife Ruth to place on the summit. Because the photo was not on his person when the remains were found, it has been widely assumed, although not proven, that he had successfully reached the summit. This was a fascinating, well-written novel based on fact. A section at the end of the book described what happened to each of the individuals involved. The arrogance and snobbery of some, such as Brigadier General C.G. Bruce, president of the Alpine Club, was as annoying as I suspect Archer intended. This is a page-turner, especially if the reader is interested in climbing.

[yukon92 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good audiobook about the life of George Mallory, the man who may actually have been the first person on top of Mt. Everest.

[david_masumba · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is what I call a blustery tale of ambition.

[henrimoreaux · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Paths of Glory is a historical fiction novel set in the 1920s and is a fictionalised account of the life of George Mallory and the British expeditions to Mount Everest during that time. Whether Mallory actually reached the peak of Everest is still a disputed fact today, with most people acknowledge Edmund Hillary as the first recorded man to the summit. Whilst there remains a group of mountaineers claim the absence of Ruth Mallory's photo in George Mallory's wallet proves he was first, as he had stated prior he would leave it at the summit when he made it. The question remains open as to if he made it or not.At any rate, the novel itself is enthralling and whilst it does take liberties with the truth, as most based on a true story accounts do, it is nonetheless an excellent story and one of Archer's better books. I myself, who has no particular interest in mountaineering, still found it an engaging story and really quite moving at the closing of the novel.I would recommend for people interesting a good story, more so if you've a particular interest in historical fiction and/or mountaineering.

[nwieme-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Couldn't put it down... read it... it was TERRIFIC

[circlestonesbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A gripping, beautifully written page-turner, story-telling at it's best!

[lyndainoregon · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Fictionalized biography of George Mallory, possibly the first man to conquer Mount Everest. Mallory died in the attempt after having been observed making his final assault on the peak, and his body was not discovered for decades, with no clue as to whether he was ascending or descending at the time. As a novel, it just never really clicked with me, possibly because he was never able to adequately explain the "because it is there" mentality that leads mountaineers upward.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Paths of Glory is the fictionalized account of George Mallory, the mountain climber who may or may not have been the first man to summit Mount Everest. This isn't a spoiler because the very first chapter describes the discovery of George Mallory's body some 75 years later. The book begins by introducing us to young George, always climbing something, including the buildings in Cambridge, Venice and New York City. It also explores the relationship and life of George and his beloved wife, Ruth. Ruth knows from the beginning that her husband has a mistress, Chomolungma, Goddess Mother of the Earth. I found their relationship very poignant but I found his relationship with George Finch the most interesting. Finch was a fellow climber and his best friend and opponent, each successful climbers who supported each other but wanted to be the first to make it to the summit. There is a vivid description of the mountaineering expeditions which I found compelling but far less descriptive than my favorite Everest related book, Into Thin Air. The novel was a fast read with interesting characters and a touch of soap opera dialogue that is common in Jeffrey Archer books. Did Mallory and his climbing companion actually reach the summit or did he die 1500 feet below? His plan was to leave a photograph of Ruth at the summit and when his body was recovered, that photo wasn't found. I think each reader will make their own assumption. I found the story to be a well written and captivating look at the possibility George Mallory might have been the first Englishmen to reach the top of Mt. Everest. I don't understand the mindset of mountain climbers but I definitely enjoy reading about the sport from the comfort of my warm cozy couch.

[andrew1theqm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very enjoyable telling of George Mallory's story. Throughout it all you are left with a sad feeling knowing that the outcome of his last attempt to conquer Mount Everest would be his death (his body was finally found in 1999). This is a work of fiction based on a lot of historical facts, but obviously no one knows if he did actually conquer Everest - I won't leave a spoiler by revealing whether or not he gets to the Summit in this book. Something in me though says I believe he did make it to the summit. Whatever is the truth there is no doubting what a remarkable man George Mallory was. This book left me wanting to read more about George Mallory. A very interesting element of the story was the whole discussion of an amateur expedition as opposed to a professional one, and whether they should use oxygen in their pursuit. One is left wondering whether Mallory would have survived if George Finch (father of the actor Peter Finch) had been on this last expedition and hadn't fallen out with the Royal Geographical Society.I would certainly recommend this book which is a light easy read!

[indygirl_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

True story, but I got bored with it and didn't finish.Listened on audio Roger Allam - Good

[emblue-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading Archer reminds me how very good books can (and should) be. (Way better than the grammar in that sentence, for instance.) I shouldn't have to think about the writing (or note how bad the writing is, or how I'm just not believing what's said) -- Archer is so good; other authors I've read lately are not.

[tony2704 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant. Yet again Archer leaves you guessing until his last words. A believable story told with the usual suspense. Will be reading Archer agsin very soon

[nilbett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jeffrey Archer is good . He takes fact as far as it can go and adds the rest What an amazing story of Mallory and his team tackling Everest. Well constructive narrative that I could not put down. Also the fact that it was mostly true, made it even more interesting.

[bezap_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Inspiring - the commitment of these men to ascend Everest. Why do they do it - "because it's there"

[crashmyparty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

**spoiler alert** 4.5 stars.Jeffrey Archer does no wrong. None whatsoever. His writing is, as always, captivating and interesting. I honestly just want Mallory to have made it to the summit - in real life, not the book - and I was pleased to read his grandson got there. I believe he would have been proud.I will always recommend Jeffrey Archer to anyone who asks, because everything he writes is gold.

[sync03 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I knew nothing about mountain climbing, but finished this book with awe for participates in this activity and empathy for the loved ones. Archer's writing is as usual, it keeps you on the edge of your seat...can't read fast enough...more, more...finished. Now I can breathe!

[ameise1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a fantastic story! I enjoyed the reading from the first up to the very last page. It's written in a marvellous spelling. As a reader I was hoping and suffering with the protagonists and their challenge if they would ever achieve the target. It's very informative and interesting how they had to prepare their mission without all those technologies we have got nowadays. But there are also some situations where I could smile e.g. when General Bruce can only travel with his bath tube to the base camp like the colonial lifestyle could move up to the highest point of the world.

[plachno · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a GREAT book! It was one of those books that I was sad it was over when I finished it. It also prompted me to research this subject further on the internet and may provoke some future reads of me on the topic. I had some issues with the english read to the book, but that does not reflect poorly on the book. I see this as a positive keeping true to the times and location of the events.I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting read on a true story topic.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why do people climb Mount Everest? "Because it's there" according to George Mallory. In this fictional account, George Mallory and his climbing partner, Sandy Irvine, reached the summit of Everest in 1924 but died on the way down. Opinion is still divided as to whether they conquered this difficult mountain. When Mallory's body was discovered 1999 he did not have the picture of his beloved wife Ruth with him. He had promised to leave her picture on the summit if he reached it and some people have taken this to mean he did reach the top. If the body of his climbing partner is ever found and he has the camera they took to the top it may finally prove the story one way or another. Until then all we have is speculation.I was interested to contrast this story with that of another British adventurer who is referred to, Scott of the Antarctic. I recently watched the miniseries "The Last Place on Earth" about the race to the South Pole between Scott and Amundsen. Scott was dictatorial and unwilling to change and that may have led to his death as well as the death of the people who accompanied him. Mallory, at least as portrayed by Archer, was a much nicer person. Initially he was against using oxygen on the ascent but after his attempt in 1922 he was persuaded that oxygen was necessary in order to make it to the top. Archer also thought of taking one of the Sherpas with him to the top in 1922 a move that would have enraged the hidebound members of the Royal Geographical Society. Ultimately this story is a love story. When separated from his wife Mallory wrote to her every day. They were as much in love when he left for Asia as they had been when they first married. Mallory probably would have stayed home if Ruth had not persuaded him to go (against her own wishes). It's very sad that they couldn't spend their declining years together.

[literarytiger · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a great story, unfortunately let down by bad writing. Firstly, the positive - the story of George Mallory and whether he actually made it to the summit of Everest in 1924 is definitely exciting and emotional. Although the mystery still hasn't been fully solved, despite the discovery of Mallory's body in 1999, Archer makes a convincing case that he was indeed the first man to stand on the top of Everest. In the process, you become very attached to the character and although you know the outcome, it is still incredibly sad and left me thinking about it for hours and hours afterwards.Sadly, I really don't like Archer's writing style. It lacks flow and coherence. It is written more like a series of facts than a novel and I found this both jarring and irritating. Archer's characters are slightly wooden, but again this is through the writing style rather than any lack of research or understanding. I probably wouldn't have picked up an Archer novel without it being a book group book and I won't be in a hurry to pick up another one.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a terrific historical novel! The epilogue was particularly fascinating, describing what had happened to almost everyone involved long after Mallory's death. This was not what I was expecting in a Jeffrey Archer story but it was a wonderful listening experience with Roger Allam as the reader.

[mjmorrison1971 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Archer turns his story telling the life of George Mallory in a fictionalized biography the reveals the world of the early 20th Century upper middle class England. An good yarn but knowing what happened in the end made reading the last 40 pages less compelling than the normal Archer novel. The are a wonderful cast of characters that are fleshed out well, and with a reasonably afterword on many it gives a satisfying ending to what might have otherwise been depressing.I am sure many will disagree with the way Archer portrays the final hours of Mallory's life but I would recommend it as a good read.

[bookwallah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Paths to Glory is the delightful story of the life well lived of George Mallory – climber, teacher, husband, father, and first man up Everest? We may never know that last bit for sure, but this book gives credence that the strength of will and technical abilities were present, and he very well may have summited right before monsoon season in 1924. To me this book was part climbing tale, part love story and part commentary on the British Empire during the age of exploration. The insights into the personalities and politics of the Royal Geographic Society and the Alpine Club making up the Everest Committee were what made it most intriguing for me. Serious mountaineers will be left wanting for lack of any technical details – the only time ice axes were even mentioned was when they were used as the stumps to play cricket at base camp before embarking. In all a wonderful piece of storytelling, recommended for lovers of exploration literature and mountaineers who can stomach the technical errata and want insight into the man. (4 stars out of 5).

[gauravrekhi1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There's always something about Archer. But when you combine Archer with a potentially true story and a dream-come-true protagonist, you get Paths of Glory. My entire family lapped up this book, a must-read.

[meags222_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is based on a real life man named George Mallory. It is uncertain whether Mallory was the first man to reach the peak of Mnt Everest. They found his body many years later and Archer attempts to piece together his life in a novel. I enjoyed reading this book but at times I found the novel dragged on a bit too much. I have found that either I really love Archer's books or they drag on a bit too much. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

[memasmb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Paths of Glory by Jeffrey ArcherThis book is a fictional account of the life of George Leigh Mallory, an English mountain climber who attempted to be the first man to reach the top of Mount Everest.We follow George through his childhood learning about his love of climbing and his desire to reach new heights. Almost everything takes a backseat to this ambition, including his studies.I found the story of George’s determination when it came to getting into a certain schools, procuring a job and winning the hand of his wife showed the strong moral fiber that George carried throughout his life.Working with all the committees, climbing partners and the general public required George to learn the hard way how to be a politician.Near the end of book, my heart soared with the writer’s speculation of the events of the final day. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the outdoors and respects the determination it takes to succeed in a difficult task against all odds.

[milibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Was George Mallory the first man to successfully climb to Mr. Everest's summit? Historians may never know for sure, but Archer successfully recreates a possible scenerio in Paths of Glory. George has loved to climb ever since he was a child. The only thing he may have loved more was his wife and children. When he joins a mountain climbing club while attending college, he never dreams that he will have several chances to become a legend.

[jeremytaylor_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 1924, British climber George Mallory—famous for answering a journalist’s question about why he wanted to climb Mount Everest with the words, “Because it’s there”—disappeared after having been last seen just below the summit of the world’s tallest mountain. Whether he actually made it to Everest’s summit before perishing has remained a topic for debate ever since. With his trademark storytelling flair, Jeffrey Archer has taken a stab at the answer.Though based on the life of a real person, the book is a novel, not a biography. One of Archer’s gifts is the ability to blend fact, fiction, and legend so that even a careful reader might have trouble differentiating between them. With the same attention to detail and expert characterization that brought to life the world of high finance in Kane & Abel and the cutthroat competition of the news business in The Fourth Estate, Archer has given readers a potential answer to the question of whether Mallory reached Everest’s summit.But the book is far more than simple speculation on the outcome of Mallory’s final expedition. Archer explores Mallory’s life in detail, including his service in the military and his romance with Ruth Turner, who later became his wife. Through it all, Archer brings Mallory’s exploits to life in a way that allows readers to get to know not only the man but also the world in which lived.The book contains no significant objectionable content; if Archer’s presentation of his subject’s moral character can be believed, Mallory was a man of honor and integrity, and the story happily lacks any of the less savory material found in some of Archer’s other books.Jeffrey Archer has been called one of the top storytellers in the world, and while it seems doubtful that anyone would Paths of Glory his best book, it will do nothing to detract from that reputation. Climbing enthusiasts and non-climbers alike will enjoy this account of one of the sport’s early pioneers by one of the world’s great novelists.

[adpaton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some like to spend their winter evenings with coffee, a heater and the TV but for me there’s nothing to beat bed, a book and a cup of tea: a recent spate of first class thrillers is perfect for those who prefer the later scenario. Poor old Jeffrey Archer – he wrote some good books in his day but as an old lag his star is on the wane: even at his best, decades ago, I was not a fan and had no expectations of his latest novel.To my surprise, Paths of Glory is excellent: a fictionalized account of George Mallory, almost certainly the first white man to climb Everest in 1924, but now almost forgotten, eclipsed by Edmund Hillary. A hot water bottle, a bedside lamp and a couple of dozen books like the above and you’re all set for a long and comfortably cosy winter: bring on the Ice Age. When asked why he wanted to scale the highest peak in the world he replied simply ‘Because it is there’. Most of us know the quote but not the man who first said it: this book will redress that.

[suetu_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am a big fan of Jeffrey Archer’s work. I’ve been reading him since my childhood in the 70’s. More than anything else, I’ve always thought of him as one hell of a story-teller. Some of his novels are stronger than others, but for decades now, I’ve always come back for more. Therefore, even though I have no particular interest in mountain climbing, I looked forward with anticipation to reading Archer’s latest, Paths of Glory.Paths of Glory is the story of real-life mountain climber George Lee Mallory and his epic quest to scale Everest. The novel opens with the discovery a decade ago of Mallory’s frozen body near the summit of Everest, where it had remained since 1937—never quite answering the mystery of whether he made it to the top. From that beginning, we go back to Mallory’s early childhood and are treated to a fictional biography of the major events of his life. Family, school, marriage, and the drive to explore are all covered. Additionally, Archer gives the reader one version of what might have happened that day in 1937, and even an epilogue regarding the fates of the other major and minor players.It wasn’t bad. I didn’t actively dislike it. But I find myself hard-pressed to recommend the novel. It was a reasonably likable, easy read, but there seemed to be so little of substance ultimately. Really, it felt like one cute story after another, all strung along to illustrate why Mallory was such a generically worthy, likable guy. I can’t help thinking that there must have been so much more to the man. Nor did Archer do a particularly vivid job of painting the times in which Mr. Mallory lived. If Mallory really was the hero he was painted to be, I think he probably deserved better.I should also mention that I listened to this novel as an unabridged audiobook. The narrator Roger Allam, did a passable job, but wasn’t particularly strong on accents. In the end, Allam failed where Archer failed… They took a true story but never managed to bring it to life.