In 1924, George and Ruth Mallory are happily in love, ensconced with their three children in Cambridge, England. George is arguably the last great British explorer, having twice tried-and failed-to conquer Mount Everest. It is a mountain that has haunted him. George, with his movie-star good looks and incredible charisma, has captivated a war-torn England that hopes he can restore some of its former glory after World War I. Yet George promises Ruth that he won't mount a third attempt. He belongs to her, not to Everest.Then one afternoon Ruth reads a telegram addressed to her husband: "Glad to have you aboard again." And with this one sentence her world will never be the same again.
George has assembled a team of the best and the brightest to scale the top, including Oxford student Sandy Irvine. Through alternating narratives, what emerges is a beautifully rendered story of love torn apart by obsession and the need for redemption. The author's accomplished depiction of the harsh and beautiful Himalayan heights. Tanis Rideout's Above All Things takes us to the heights of human experience and endurance, in both physical fortitude and erotic longing. Rideout brings us to the summit and back down, shaken but somehow saved by grace.
Above All Things has it all: adventure, tragedy, mystery, and a deeply moving love story. I could not put it down. Prepare to be dazzled.
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