Book description
Above All Things is a heart-wrenchingly romantic historical
novel by Tanis Rideout, based on British mountaineer George Mallory's
fatal attempt to climb Everest, and his wife Ruth, who is left at
home, waiting for him to return to her.
In the Himalayas two climbers strike out for the summit of the
Earth's highest mountain - aiming to be the first to the top, and
reclaim a little of Britain's lost glory.
In Cambridge, a wife collects the milk, gets three children out
of bed and waits for a letter, a telegram - for news of her husband.
It is 1924 and after months of setbacks and failures, George
Mallory and Andrew "Sandy" Irvine are attempting to be the
first to conquer Everest. Alone on the mountain they struggle against
inhuman cold, violent winds, thin air - but climbing, putting one foot
falteringly after another, they reach for the cloud-shrouded peak.
At home Ruth Mallory goes about her day; visiting friends and
comforting children she longs for news of George. She considers her
marriage - the passion, the fights, the bitter absences, the loving
reunions, all the snatched moments during the war and between
expeditions. . She hides her doubts and the uncertainty about the
future with or - god forbid - without him.
A powerful, moving story of a husband driven to extraordinary
lengths by his ambition and a wife terrified she will lose him to a
cruel and pitiless rival, Above All Things is a timeless story
of one of the great tragedies - and love stories - of the
last century.
'Above All Things has it all: adventure, tragedy, mystery,
and a deeply moving love story. It's gorgeously written and
beautifully paced. I could not put it down. Prepare to be dazzled'
Alison Pick, author of Far to Go
'A love story, a tale of adventure, and a study in obsession all at
once, Above All Things is simply breathtaking. With Tanis
Rideout's debut, a major new voice in Canadian fiction arrives' Joseph
Boyden, author of Through Black Spruce
'Timeless romance, an unflinching love story that touches the very
core of the human condition. Rideout leaves readers holding the book
close to their chest, knowing that the purpose of life, above all
else, is love' Telegraph
'A must-read for Everest buffs with a sensitive side, and for those
who want to understand the anatomy of climbing accidents. It is also
the perfect summer read for anyone lured by the romance of adventure,
as the story goes well beyond the vast summit of Everest into much
trickier terrain: the unmapped topography of the heart' Globe and Mail
Tanis Rideout's work has appeared in numerous publications and
been shortlisted for several prizes, including the Bronwen Wallace
Memorial Award for Emerging Writers and the CBC Literary Award. In
2006, she was named the Poet Laureate for Lake Ontario by the
environmental advocacy group Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and joined Gord
Downie of The Tragically Hip on a tour to promote environmental
justice on the lake. Born in Belgium, Tanis grew up in Bermuda and in
Kingston, Ontario, and now lives in Toronto. She recently received her
MFA from the University of Guelph-Humber. Above All Things is
her first novel. www. tanisrideout. com.
Tanis Rideout's work has appeared in numerous publications and
been shortlisted for several prizes, including the Bronwen Wallace
Memorial Award for Emerging Writers and the CBC Literary Award. In
2006, she was named the Poet Laureate for Lake Ontario by the
environmental advocacy group Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and joined Gord
Downie of The Tragically Hip on a tour to promote environmental
justice on the lake. Born in Belgium, Tanis grew up in Bermuda and in
Kingston, Ontario, and now lives in Toronto. She recently received her
MFA from the University of Guelph-Humber. Above All Things is
her first novel.
For more information, please visit www. tanisrideout. com.
