INTERVIEW: Ed Caesar on Maurice Wilson, the Moth and the Mountain

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Maurice Wilson and his de Havilland Gipsy Moth aircraft.

The year is 1934. A flight across continents and a trek of many hundreds of miles brings an inexperienced pilot and novice mountaineer to the Roof of the World and the foot of a yet-unclimbed Mount Everest. After an improbable 12-month journey, his focus narrows to a one-inch square of paper showing the summit, purposefully cut out from his map and carried in his chest pocket. He wants to climb Everest solo, and has artfully dodged diplomatic and logistical hurdles - and death - to get there. When Maurice Wilson and the mountain finally meet, it marks the culmination of years of soul-searching obsession born out of the trauma of war.

Those with a basic grasp of Everest's history will know that Wilson didn't succeed, but his gutsy attempt and its intriguing backstory - long relegated to the footnotes of Everest's annals - are ascending to prominence thanks to award-winning author and The New Yorker writer Ed Caesar and his latest book The Moth and The Mountain: A True Story of Love, War and Everest.



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In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Great interview Natalie!

 Pedro50 24 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

A good interview. I think it is worth pointing out that "long relegated to the footnotes of Everest's annals" is a little misleading. The same story was told in 1957 in Dennis Roberts's Book "I'll Climb Everest Alone" reprinted in paperback by Faber in 2011.

The story is also revisited in Tony Astill's "Mount Everest The Reconnaissance 1935" since this expedition discovered the body. 

I read "I'll Climb Everest Alone" about 40 years ago, borrowed from the library, so I can't comment on its quality or compare the two books, however I'm sure the new account will be well worth reading. 

1
 Blake 24 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

This chap was on Dan Snow's History Hit podcast a couple of weeks ago if anyone's interested.

 pneame 24 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

A lovely, thoughtful interview (and interviewee). Thanks - brightened my day.  

 Rob Parsons 24 Nov 2020
In reply to Pedro50:

> A good interview. I think it is worth pointing out that "long relegated to the footnotes of Everest's annals" is a little misleading. The same story was told ...

It's also covered in Walt Unsworth's book 'Everest.'

 lorens holm 25 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

What a really great interview! So engaged with both author and story. What is it about these people that so draws you in? There is another person who Maurice Wilson has always reminded me of, another story of madness, aloneness, and determination. There was that guy Donald Crowhurst who endeavoured to sail around the world in a boat that was inadequate to the task and who was without out deep water experience. There have been a number of books and stage plays about him. One of the most interesting is the work of the artist Tacita Dean, who wrote a book and made a couple of short films in search of him and his boat, the Teignmouth Electron.

 profitofdoom 25 Nov 2020
In reply to lorens holm:

> .....There is another person who Maurice Wilson has always reminded me of, another story of madness, aloneness, and determination. There was that guy Donald Crowhurst who endeavoured to sail around the world in a boat that was inadequate to the task and who was without out deep water experience.....

There's a full-length documentary about Crowhurst, free to watch on Youtube. I found it very good and also interesting. I'm including the link to it below for anyone interested:

youtube.com/watch?v=r9NS6Uq9-zk&

 pneame 25 Nov 2020
In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:

Encouraged, I grabbed a copy. The book is really a very enjoyable read about a world that we can barely imagine - 3 worlds, actually, as it covers Maurice Wilsons background in a pre-war Bradford, his involvement in WW1 and, of course, his Everest trip. 

As well as the author's sleuthing, which is fascinating by itself. 

Thanks again, Natalie. 

 Damo 28 Nov 2020
In reply to lorens holm:

I've had an ongoing interest in both these characters, in a kind of semi-professional way as a writer and researcher. I haven't read the new Wilson book yet, I'm sure it exposes some less-flattering aspects of his personality and actions, but I think with regard to their adventure exploits, it should be made clear that Crowhurst made a very deliberate decision to lie about what he had done, a great effort to deceive. Wilson, on the other hand, while his method of approach was illegal and required some subterfuge, seems to have genuinely tried to climb Everest, and tried to the death, so no lies were necessary. One seems to have suicided, presumably out of shame or fear, while the other also died, but more through misadventure than deliberate suicide.

 Henry Iddon 30 Nov 2020
In reply to Pedro50:

There were huge inaccuracies in the Roberts book.

Ed Caesar discuss the book with Ed Douglas as part of KMF Lit. Fest - available here until 31/12/20 - https://player.kendalmountainfestival.com/programs/ed-caesar


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