Everest the Hard Way is an exhilarating story of courage, endurance and teamwork. Bonington's narrative celebrates the big moments and recreates the excitement and danger of the climb with vivid immediacy. He shares the logistical problems involved in keeping a large expedition moving, and the very real psychological ones of balancing and pairing lead climbers and giving each a chance to make the route on the face. He describes the constant avalanche threat and the attack on the notorious Rock Band at 27,000 feet which had barred the way to the summit for all previous attempts.