Alexandra Stewart
About Author
Alexandra Stewart read Modern History at Oxford University before training to be a journalist.
After working as a reporter on a number of newspapers, she crossed the floor to become a press officer for the Metropolitan Police and, later, Central Government. She subsequently worked as a speechwriter.
Alex lives in London, UK with her husband and two children. Everest: The Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, illustrated by award-winning artist Joe Todd-Stanton, is her debut children's non-fiction book.
Author link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWheE3b6qI&feature=youtu.be
Interview
EVEREST: THE STORY OF EDMUND HILLARY AND TENZING NORGAY
BLOOMSBURY CHILDREN'S BOOKS
MAY 2019
EDMUND HILLARY's ascent of Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is a familiar story, but in EVEREST: THE STORY OF EDMUND HILLARY AND TENZING NORGAY, author ALEXANDRA STEWART takes a fresh look at their achievement as a joint one between two men, Hillary and Norgay, and explores the challenges and the desire to achieve the impossible that lies behind both men's stories.
Through the pages of this account, with outstanding illustrations by award-winning artist JOE TODD-STANTON, readers learn of the background of the two men, the history of other attempted ascents of Everest, and the luck and preparation that led to Hillary and Norgay's joint achievement.
We asked author ALEXANDRA STEWART to tell us more about EVEREST: THE STORY OF EDMUND HILLARY AND TENZING NORGAY:
Q: What is your day job and what has your path been to becoming an author?
A: I am a civil servant. It's not something I ever dreamed of being but it is actually far more interesting than it sounds!
After leaving university, where I studied Modern History, I trained as a journalist. My first job was as the local reporter on the Wembley Observer reporting on a range of stories from outsized marrows at church fetes to gun crime. After a stint on the London Evening Standard as a general news reporter I realised I was never going to be a high flying journalist - fundamentally because I hate bothering people! So, I crossed the floor to become a press officer for the Metropolitan Police.
From there I moved into the Civil Service where I have held a number of roles, including being a Ministerial Speechwriter and a Parliamentary Liaison Officer. I still work four days a week in the Civil Service and use my Mondays for writing.
Q: What inspired you to explore the lives of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay and how they came to climb Everest together? What was it about their stories that inspired you?
A: My Mother was eight when Hillary and Tenzing scaled Everest. She actually went to the same school as Colonel John Hunt's daughter - Colonel John Hunt was the man who masterminded the 1953 expedition.
The ascent of Everest meant it was a seminal moment for children growing up in the post-war era and I remember her talking about it when I was a child. Although I obviously knew what Hillary and Tenzing had done, I had never appreciated quite who they were, why they had done it and how they had done it.
What's more, no children's book had been written telling both of their remarkable stories in tandem - at least I have not seen another! The centenary of Hillary's birth - he was born on 20 July 1919 - seemed liked an ideal time to tell that story.
Q: Which part of their story in particular did you want to explore, or did you feel was missing from earlier accounts of their accomplishments?
A: I wanted to tell the story of how these two remarkable men from incredibly different and unlikely backgrounds - one a bee keeper and the other a former yak herder - found themselves standing together on the roof of the world for the first time in its history.
Yet, as I explored further, I discovered that they had far more in common than I had previously thought. Firstly, unlike the majority of those on previous Everest expeditions, neither was born into wealth and privilege. Life had dealt them some rough hands in the past.
Both had battled through bitter disappointments and serious setbacks - personally and professionally on their journey to Everest. Secondly, and rather obviously, both had a deep love of, and fascination for, mountains and climbing.
But, above all, they both had the hunger, razor-sharp discipline, and unshakeable self-belief to keep pushing to the top. Despite all this, they were both humble and modest about their achievement. They were the perfect team.
Q: How much did you know about their lives and the ascent before you started writing the book?
A: In all honesty, I knew very little. I started by reading Hillary's autobiography - which had been gripped from the first line. It was incredibly powerful and such a thrill to read.
Then I read Tenzing's autobiography - which was actually ghost written by the American James Ramsey Ullman. It is based on a series of conversations between Tenzing and Ullman which were conducted via an interpreter. So, as a result, you are reading Ullman's voice, rather than Tenzing's, and there are, inevitable, mistakes and gaps in the story.
Some of these mistakes are also down to the fact that Tenzing himself was vague about his early life. This was because history in Tibetan culture was oral rather than written. What's more, Tibetan and Western calendars differed - which makes pinning historical dates down difficult. Tenzing was never actually sure of his own date of birth.
Luckily, an amazing writer, journalist and mountaineer called Ed Douglas has written a painstakingly researched biography of Tenzing, which uses first hand information from Tenzing's daughter - Pem Pem. So I have a lot to thank Ed for.
Q: Where did you go to research the attempted ascents on Everest?
A: For the expeditions themselves - from the first one in 1921 to the 1953 expedition - I found a wealth of contemporary academic journal articles on JSTOR. The Alpine Journal published fantastically detailed accounts of each expedition - which included in-depth scientific research, logistical and technical information.
I was also lucky to be able access, online, scores of radio, television and written interviews with Ed Hillary; as well as the original documentary film of the expedition "The Conquest of Everest". It was truly awesome to hear Ed's voice and see original footage of the expedition.
Finally, there was Col John Hunt's brilliant and thorough account of the expedition, called "The Ascent of Everest", which was the cornerstone of my research.
For contemporary geographical information about Everest and climbing, there are endless incredible resources online. However, I also spoke to a British Climber call Jake Meyer, who became the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest in 2005, aged 21 years 4 months. He recently completed a successful ascent of the treacherous mountain K2 - becoming the 10th Briton ever to reach the summit.
Q: Why did you decide to feature all the teamwork that goes into this kind of achievement?
A: One of the recurring phrases used in Col John Hunt's account of the expedition was the "Pyramid of Human Effort". This was the idea that the summit pair - Hillary and Tenzing - could not have achieved what they did without the hard work and sacrifice of countless others.
Everyone was crucial - from their fellow climbers to the Sherpas, porters, scientists, manufacturers, fundraisers, diplomats and their own families. The list of those who contributed to this achievement is seemingly endless.
Crucially, they could not have got there without learning from the experiences and sacrifices of the expedition teams that had gone before them. All of these previous expeditions provided clues that would eventually help solve the puzzle of Everest.
It was truly a team effort which is why Tenzing and Hillary were always bemused by the curiosity surrounding who had got to the top first - it simply was of no consequence. It was everyone's victory - not just one man's.
Q: Were there things you discovered that you hadn't known before and which stood out for you?
A: The life stories of Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were awe-inspiring. They show just what a seemingly ordinary person can achieve with a dream, some courage and a lot of determination.
I was also struck by the resilience both showed in the face of extreme sadness. I hadn't appreciated that both Hillary and Tenzing both lost their wives and a child in tragic circumstances. Yet, they managed, somehow, to carry on and achieve amazing things with their lives.
Beyond that, I was flabbergasted by the scale of the physical and mental challenge that climbers face on Everest. Back then, the challenge was all the greater because climbing equipment and scientific knowledge of climbing at such great altitude were clearly much less advanced than they are today. For instance, until Hillary took off his mask on the summit to take a photograph, experts weren't sure it was possible to survive on the top of Everest without supplementary Oxygen.
Q: Where did you find out about the mountaineering challenges, and are you familiar with climbing yourself?
A: I have walked up mountains but never climbed one - which makes me feel like a fraud. Climbing is something I would love to try my hand at, but with two small children and a full-time job I may have to wait a while. That said, I do not underestimate how tough it is - and all the more so after writing this book.
It wasn't hard finding out about the kit the 1953 expedition used. As well as John Hunt's book and various contemporary journal articles, there are plenty of resources online. Sadly I was a few years too late to catch the Royal Geographical Society's 2013 Innovation Everest exhibition, which showcased the actual equipment the team used on Everest in 1953. However, there were some excellent pictures on the internet that were fascinating to look at.
Q: What have you learned, through your research, about Everest today?
A: Something I wasn't able to cover in the book - due to the word limit - was the environmental impact of climbing Everest. In a typical year now, more than 600 people reach the summit of Everest, which is roughly half of the number who attempt it.
Around 100,000 people - most of whom are trekkers - visit the region each year. All of this places a huge strain on the environment. In fact, Everest has been called "the highest rubbish dump in the world". The commercialisation of Everest saddened Hillary - who, in 2003, called on the world to give Everest a rest.
Q: Why did you want the book to be illustrated and how did you respond to Joe Todd-Stanton's illustrations?
A: Bloomsbury's brilliant children's non-fiction team were entirely in charge of that side of things. I was incredibly lucky that Joe was willing and able to do the illustrations - he has such a busy schedule and is much in demand.
His drawings are beautiful, charming and entertaining. I love his little details - like the expression on the face of the Yeti as he looks through a window, or, on the final page, the little Nepalese boy sitting on a wall making a peace sign, as Ed and June Hillary stand in front.
Joe's own enthusiasm and charm come through in each picture and really bring the text to life.
Q: Do you plan to write more non fiction?
A: There are a few non-fiction things in the pipeline but I am not sure if I am allowed to talk about them! I am interested in anything and everything. The world is an intriguing place - there seems to be so much potential everywhere. Having two young children helps - you can quietly observe them to see what sparks their interest!
Q: What would you like younger readers to take away from reading Everest?
A: It sounds cliched - but the inspiration to pursue their dreams and ambitions, whatever they may be.
Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norway were not born to climb Everest - far from it. Instead, they forged their own path to the top by putting their head down, gritting their teeth and making the most of every opportunity that came their way. This is a lesson for people of all ages - not just younger readers.
I also hope the book sparks their appreciation for the remarkable world in which we live.
(Image of Alexandra Stewart - Copyright Owen Cooban)
Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
