Author:Graham Ratcliffe
On the night of 10-11 May 1996, eight climbers perished in what remains the worst disaster in Everest's history. Following the tragedy, numerous accounts were published, with Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air becoming an international bestseller. But has the whole story been told?
A Day to Die For reveals the full, startling facts that led to the tragedy. Graham Ratcliffe, the first British climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest twice, was a first-hand witness, having spent the night on Everest's South Col at 26,000 ft, sheltering from the deadly storm. For years, he has shouldered a burden of guilt, feeling that he and his teammates could have saved lives that fateful night. His quest for answers has led to discoveries so important to an understanding of the disaster that he now questions why these facts were not made public sooner.
History is dotted with high-profile disasters that both horrify and capture the attention of the public, but very rarely is our view of them revised to such devastating effect.
[An] incredible story of high-adventure and of a very moving personal journey
—— Outdoor EnthusiastGraham Ratcliffe has experienced triumph but also tragedy . . . and for the very first time tells of his remarkable journey
—— Daily ExpressA welcome addition to the history of mountaineering . . . an absorbing read
—— Boardman Tasker PrizeI was completely engrossed . . . this is pretty serious stuff . . . the writing is forthright and precise and the book gallops along at a riveting pace . . it's a must read
—— The Climber, New Zealand Alpine ClubReads like a detective thriller . . . a book that pulls no punches and tells it how it was
—— SA Mountain SportDiscovers important omissions, bordering on deception, in a number of authoritative accounts such as Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Breashears' High Exposure . . . provides greater understanding of the key factors behind the decisions made that led to the tragic deaths
—— Wild MagazineA blow-by-blow account that puts the reader at the heart of the drama (****)
—— News of the WorldThrows a whole new light on the disaster
—— Weekly NewsFascinating… Without losers, there are no winners
—— London CyclistThoughtful, witty
—— Times Literary SupplementIn this lively, rear-view account of largely unsung heroes, and a few villains, Leonard has managed the difficult feat of coming up with an original angle on Le Tour
—— Simon Redfern , Independent on SundayLeonard extracts the dignity that sometimes exists in sporting failure; this is not the world of Armstrong, Keane or Pietersen and all the more appealing because of that
—— Tim Lewis , ObserverCelebratory and hilarious in equal measures, The Last Man revels in the travails of the underdog
—— Ben East , MetroThis book does a great job of revealing some of the less well known stories from le Tour: well written, entertaining, and informative
—— Richard Peploe , RoadThis book is an entertaining account taking in everyone from stage winners and former yellow jerseys who couldn’t hang on, to a breakaway leader who stopped for a bottle of wine and then took a wrong turn, to a doper whose drug cocktail backfired
—— Bike RadarWe know the winners of the Tour de France, but Lanterne Rouge tells the forgotten, often inspirational and occasionally absurd stories of the last-placed rider
—— Miss Dinky