'Restores Dr Howard Somervell to his rightful place in the story of Himalayan exploration – an unsung pioneer whose courage, compassion, and heroism shaped the foundations of high-altitude mountaineering... Hoyland writes with rare authority, empathy and insight, delivering a vital and beautifully told biography.’ – Sir Chris Bonington

The pioneers who attempted the first climbs of Mount Everest in 1922 and 1924 knew nothing about the mountain other than its height. They had to learn the hard way about the lack of oxygen, the jet-stream winds, the illnesses of altitude, and the vital importance of the Sherpas. They fought cerebral oedema, frostbite, hypothermia, and raging thirst in the cold, thin air. They had to find a route, avoid avalanches, and work out what to do when confronted by an insurmountable rock climb at extreme altitude. Many of them died.

Howard Somervell was Mallory’s closest friend on the mountain during those groundbreaking first ascents. An exceptionally gifted man, his life takes us far beyond the mountain: he had a double first from Cambridge, was a talented artist and an accomplished musician. He served as a surgeon at the Battle of the Somme during the First World War and was one of the foremost alpinists of the day when he was invited to join the 1922 expedition. After Everest, he was awarded an Olympic gold medal for Alpinism in 1924. But in India, he will be remembered as a surgeon who dedicated the remainder of his life to healing the sick.

Those early climbers showed the way. Somervell took part in the first attempt to climb the mountain, and his oxygen-free height record in 1924 stood for over 50 years. This is his climb.

‘In First on Everest, Graham Hoyland restores Dr. Howard Somervell to his rightful place in the story of Himalayan exploration—an unsung pioneer whose courage, compassion, and heroism shaped the foundations of high-altitude mountaineering. As Somervell’s cousin and a veteran Everester who has himself stood on the summit, Hoyland writes with rare authority, empathy and insight, delivering a vital and beautifully told biography long overdue.’

Mountaineer and sailor GRAHAM HOYLAND was the 15th Briton to climb Mount Everest and initiated the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition, which was responsible for finding George Mallory's body. Hoyland was a BBC producer for over 30 years and worked on programmes such as Dragon's Den. The Independent named him as one of the ‘5 Most Inspiring Explorers’.