Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna

Little compromise and total commitment are features common in both Terray’s writing and his climbing, the lines of his autobiography are every bit as powerful as the lines he followed in the mountains. – John Baker, Climbers' Club Journal Conquistadors of the Useless captures the energy of an optimistic world shaking off the restraints of war and austerity, and is sure to inspire today’s climbers with the irresistible passion of his mountaineering. – Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal Conquistadors is one of the great books, hardly perfect but with bursts of powerful writing, especially about climbing. It is irresistible, even to those grown up enough to know better. There’s a Gallic cynicism, a dismissive brilliance that is achingly cool, and which Sutton does capture in his translation. And of course it is an outstanding account of arguably the greatest Alpine career of the 20th century. – Ed Douglas, Climber Magazine Frank, witty, clean, often controversial, Terray irresistibly conveys his lifelong passion for the mountains. – Lara Dunn, Adventure Travel Magazine