This book is a peak by peak account of Messner's ascent of the world's fourteen 8,000 metre peaks between 1970 and 1986. The fourteen chapters describe the difficulties, tragedies and ultimate successes of the ascent of each peak. This is a second revised edition, with a new introduction.
On 20 August 1980 Reinhold Messner reached the summit of Everest - alone and without the use of oxygen. This is an account of his extraordinary achievement. Messner describes his journey through Tibet and identifies with mountaineers who went before him, such as Mallory, Irvine and Wilson.