130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide delivery 🚀 Auckland Bookstore • Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Ghosts of K2

The Race for the Summit of the World's Most Deadly Mountain
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Ghosts of K2 explores the perilous allure of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, famed for its deadly challenges far surpassing those of Everest. Mick Conefrey recounts the gripping tales of early climbers—ranging from the troubled occultist Aleister Crowley to determined leaders and the Italian pair who ultimately summited. The book delves into the obsession, rivalries, and tragic sacrifices that define K2’s forbidding legacy.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This title is ideal for mountaineering enthusiasts, sports history readers, and those fascinated by human endurance and adventure on the world’s most dangerous peaks.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The gripping story of the world's most deadly mountain

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

K2 is almost 800ft shorter than Everest, yet it’s a far harder climb. Many great mountaineers became obsessed with reaching its summit, not all of them lived to tell of their adventures. Capturing the depth of their obsession, the heart-stopping tension of the climb and delving into the controversy that still surrounds the first ascent, Mick Conefrey delivers the definitive account of the 'Savage Mountain'.

From drug-addicted occultist Aleister Crowley to the brilliant but tortured expedition leader Charlie Houston and, later, the Italian duo who finally made it to the top, Conefrey resurrects the tragic heroes, eccentric dreamers and uncompromising rivalries forever instilled in K2’s legacy. This is the riveting, groundbreaking story of the world’s deadliest mountain.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Peter Edmund Hillary praises it for bringing the complex stories of K2’s climbers back to life with vivid ambition. Jim Perrin commends Conefrey’s clear and insightful writing, marking the book as a valuable historical account in mountaineering literature. Maurice Isserman highlights the author’s skill in unfolding a compelling narrative of courage and conflict, celebrating it as an excellent climbing adventure tale.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781780748733

Publisher: Oneworld Publications

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 May 2016

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oneworld Publications

Illustration: 8 Plates, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Mick Conefrey is the author of Everest 1953, How to Climb Mont Blanc in a Skirt and The Adventurer’s Handbook. An internationally recognized filmmaker, he has produced several BBC documentaries on mountaineering and exploration, including the prize-winning ‘The Ghosts of K2’. He lives in Oxford.

Also by Mick Conefrey

View all
  • Fallen
    Fallen by Mick Conefrey is a marvellously researched and written story about the enigma of George Mallory and the fulfilment of his "Because it's there!" 'Mick Conefrey's gripping account explores the 1924 expedition and the enigma of the man who nearly made it to the summit.' — Financial Times 'Mick Conefrey has become one of our finest gazetteers of the...
    Paperback
    $3799
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Fallen
    Fallen by Mick Conefrey is a marvellously researched and written story about the enigma of George Mallory and the fulfilment of his "Because it's there!" 'Mick Conefrey's gripping account explores the 1924 expedition and the enigma of the man who nearly made it to the summit.' Financial Times 'Mick Conefrey has become one of our finest gazetteers of the Himalaya.'...
    Hardback
    $4999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Fallen
    On 6 June, 1924, George Mallory donned an oxygen set and set off for the summit of Everest with his young partner Andrew Irvine. The next day, they were glimpsed through clouds heading upwards, but after that they were never seen again. Whether they died on the way up or on the way down, no one knows. In the years...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Everest 1922
    Though it remains by far the world's most famous mountain, in recent years Everest's reputation has changed radically, with long queues of climbers on the Lhotse Face, lurid tales of frozen corpses and piles of high altitude trash. It wasn't always like this though. Once Everest was remote and inaccessible, a mysterious place, where only the bravest and most heroic...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Sports

View all
  • On Sale
    12% off
    New Release
    Shane Cameron
    This is the gripping, often surprising story of one of New Zealand's toughest and most resilient fighters. Shane Cameron rose from humble beginnings to become a dominant force in the Australasian heavyweight division. Known for his explosive power and fearless fighting style, Cameron captured multiple national titles and fought 'The Fight of the Century' against David Tua in the biggest...
    Paperback
    $2900
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • 100% Unofficial Formula 1 Annual 2027
    On Sale
    15% off
    New Release
    100% Unofficial Formula 1 Annual 2027
    Discover everything there is to know about your Formula 1 heroes in the 100% Unofficial Formula 1 Annual 2027. This action-packed annual takes you behind the scenes of the Formula 1 2026 World Championship! Meet every driver and team, then explore every circuit on the calendar. Jump into the history of the sport and discover the amazing technology and engineering...
    Hardback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Inner Game of Tennis
    Improve your game and discover your true potential by increasing your concentration, willpower and confidence. Described by Billie Jean King as her 'tennis bible', Timothy Gallwey's multi-million bestseller, including an introduction from acclaimed sports psychologist Geoff Beattie, has been a phenomenon for players of all abilities since it was first published in 1972. Instead of concentrating on how to improve...
    Paperback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    13% off
    Legends and Soles
    The brilliant autobiography from the ‘saviour of Nike’ If you’re a sneaker head, you know him as the saviour of Nike. If you’ve watched Air, you saw Matt Damon’s portrayal of the man who discovered Michael Jordan and how he revolutionised the payment structure of endorsements for athletes. Legends and Soles tells Sonny’s story – his blind-sided firing by Nike...
    Paperback
    $2800
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Surviving to Drive
    A hugely entertaining access-all-areas account of a year inside Formula 1, from Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner, star of Drive to Survive, one of the most successful Netflix series of all time. THE INSTANT NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Gripping to read. Funny, real, exciting. It's a brilliant book.' - Chris Evans 'Fearless and candid... A gleeful guide to...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Good, the Bad & the Rugby – Unleashed
    The long-awaited book from rugby stars Alex Payne, James Haskell and Mike Tindall. Rugby megastars James Haskell, Mike Tindall, and Alex Payne get together to discuss the highs and lows of their podcast, friendship, and rugby. Among the key questions answered: What happened when Mike took their shambles of a podcast inside the walls of Windsor Castle to meet the...
    Hardback
    $5500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    18% off
    Gloves Off
    The unflinching autobiography from the two-time world heavyweight champion and British People's Champion, Tyson Fury, now out in paperback, Gloves Off is an enthralling journey into the life of one of boxing's most charismatic and controversial figures. From his humble beginnings to his meteoric rise and dramatic falls, Fury’s story is a testament to the indomitable human spirit. In this...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Salt Path
    The Salt Path is a deeply moving and profoundly inspiring true story that captures the essence of human resilience and the profound impact of nature on our well-being. This compelling narrative, a Sunday Times bestseller and shortlisted for the prestigious Wainwright Prize, recounts the life-changing journey of Raynor and Moth Winn—a couple who, facing monumental life challenges, find solace and...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    19% off
    The Salt Path
    The bestselling true story of the couple who lost everything and embarked on a journey not of escape but salvation, soon to be a major motion picture starring Golden Globe winning Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, the couple lose their home and their livelihood. With...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • States of Play
    The International Bestseller & Winner of the Football Book of the Year Award A Times Sports Book of the Year A Telegraph Book of the Year An Irish Times Book of the Year An Irish Independent Book of the Year 'Important, perfectly timed and hugely necessary.' The Guardian 'A monumental piece of investigative journalism.' Irish Times 'A must-read on how...
    Paperback
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Swimmer of Auschwitz
    'Propulsive... Readers will be hooked' - Publishers Weekly Based on the extraordinary true story of Alfred Nakache, subject of the Oscar-nominated short film Papillon. Alfred Nakache, a Jewish child from Constantine, never imagined that he would one day swim for France at the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, nor that he would achieve a world record, as he did...
    Paperback
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Formula
    A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'HANDS DOWN THE GREATEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN ABOUT F1.' - Sam Walker, author of The Captain Class 'MODERN F1 IS THE SPORTS STORY OF THIS ERA AND NO ONE COULD TELL IT BETTER' - Kevin Clark, ESPN 'THE FASTEST READ YOU WILL EVER PICK UP' - A.J. Baime, author of Go Like Hell F1 is...
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.