The Moth and the Mountain

On first glance, The Moth to the Mountain seems to fit the ‘conquest of the Himalaya’ genre, but it’s really more about the deep psychological devastation inflicted by WWI on those who fought in it, and survived.

The vivid descriptions of trench warfare in Europe, give way to stories of depression, madness, and hope for redemption, as the protagonist finds meaning in an unlikely—and seemingly suicidal—plan to conquer Everest using a mass-produced prop-plane called a "Moth" (hence the clever title). I found the book engrossing and informative.