Book review: The Ghosts of K2 by Mick Conefrey

“It’s a savage mountain that tries to kill you.”
George Bell, upon returning from K2 in 1953

Of all the 8000m peaks 8,611m K2, straddling the China-Pakistan border in the Karakoram, seems to be the one that arouses public interest more than any other besides Everest. I don’t believe this is simply because it’s the second highest. Nor is it because it’s the most dangerous – arguably that title goes to Annapurna, which takes one life for every three successful summiteers. Possibly, just possibl...