In a startling look at the classic "Annapurna" -- the most famous book about mountaineering -- David Roberts discloses what really happened on the legendary expedition to the Himalayan peak.

In June 1950, a team of mountaineers was the first to conquer an 8,000-meter peak. Maurice Herzog, the leader of the expedition, became a national hero in France, and "Annapurna, " his account of the historic ascent, has long been regarded as the ultimate tale of courage and cooperation under the harshest of conditions.

In "True Summit, " David Roberts presents a fascinating revision of this...