The Vast Unknown

By the author of the New York Times bestselling Everest: Mountain Without Mercy, this chronicle of the iconic first American expedition to Mt. Everest in May 1963 – published to coincide with the climb's 50th anniversary­ – combines riveting adventure, a perceptive analysis of its dark and terrifying historical context, and revelations about a secret mission that followed. In the midst of the Cold War, against the backdrop of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the space race with the Soviet Union, and the quagmire of the Vietnam War, a band of iconoclastic, independent-minded American mountaineers set off for Mt. Everest, aiming to restore America's confidence and optimism. Their objective is to reach the summit while conducting scientific research, but which route will they take? Might the Chinese, in a public relations coup, have reached the top ahead of them? And what about another American team, led by the grandson of a President, that nearly bagged the peak in a bootleg attempt a year earlier? The Vast Unknown is, on one level, a harrowing, character-driven account of the climb itself and its legendary team of alternately inspiring, troubled, and tragic climbers who suffered injuries, a near mutiny, and death on the mountain. It is also an examination of the profound sway the expedition had over the American consciousness and sense of identity during a time when the country was floundering. And it is an investigation of the expedition's little-known outcome: the selection of a team to plant a CIA surveillance device on the Himalayan peak of Nanda Devi, to spy into China where Defense Intelligence learned that nuclear missile testing was underway.

Five short storiesThe vast unknown: a teenager who is forced to help another to flee the country.The infernal packet: a boy agrees to deliver a packet for a friend and has a hellish time doing so.Terror in the trees: a girl goes to meet someone she contacted over the internet and whom she believes can help her with her schoolwork; then she gets a shock.The way to the void: two children go for a hike and enter a forbidden area; due to circumstances beyond their control they end up far from home in a remote area.Children of the narrow boat: three children are on holiday on a boat on the canal.

The vast unknown is a short story about a teenager who is forced to help another to flee the country, The infernal packet is a short story about a boy who agrees to deliver a packet but has a hellish time doing so, Terror in the trees is a short story about a child who goes to collect some material from someone she contacted over the internet and receives an unexpected shock, The way to the void is a short story about two children who go for a ramble in the country and circumstances land them in an unknown place. Children of the narrow boat is a short story about three children who have a holiday boating on a canal. The hour of vengeance is a short story about the effect that two mysterious strangers have on some local people who have reasons to be worried about their past.

"By the author of the bestseller Everest: Mountain Without Mercy, this chronicle of the iconic first American expedition to Mt. Everest in May 1963--published to coincide with the climb's 50th anniversary--combines riveting adventure, a perceptive analysis of its dark and terrifying historical context, and unprecedented revelations about its secret motivation. /b> n the midst of the Cold War, against the backdrop of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the space race with the Soviet Union, and the quagmire of the Vietnam War, a band of iconoclastic, independent-minded American mountaineers set off for Mt. Everest, aiming to restore America's confidence and optimism. Their objective is to reach the summit while conducting scientific research, but which route will they take? And, mysteriously, who wants the results of the scientific tests, and for what purpose? The Vast Unknown is, on one level, a harrowing, character-driven account of the climb itself and its legendary team of alternately inspiring, troubled, and tragic climbers who suffer injuries, a near mutiny, and death on the mountain. It is also an examination of the profound sway the expedition had over the Ame

FIVE SHORT STORIES The vast unknown: about a teenager who is forced to help another teenager flee the country. The infernal packet: about a boy who agrees to deliver a packet for a friend and has a hellish time doing so. Terror in the trees: about a girl who goes to meet someone she contacted over the internet and whom she thinks can help her with her school work but receives a shock. The way to the void: about two children who go for a hike but circumstances cause them to end up far from home in a remote place. Children of the narrow boat: about 3 children on holiday on a boat on a canal and their adventures.

Vols. for 1847-1963/64 include the Institution's Report of the Secretary.