George Everest spent much of the first half of the 19th century surveying
India. Dogged triangulation by the benighted colonel the Indians called “Kumpass
Wala” virtually covered the entire subcontinent. But the most intriguing
revelation in Everest, J. R. Smith’s austere biography of an austere life, is
that almost the only geographical feature he never saw was the mountain that
bears his name. Published by Whittles, £37.50, ISBN 1870325729.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New ¾«¶«´«Ã½
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New ¾«¶«´«Ã½ articles
1
How a radical new view of life could reveal its origin – and aliens
2
Photos reveal unexpected details from the world's first atomic test
3
Does gravity create reality? A shocking path to a theory of everything
4
How ageing on Earth mimics the effects of space travel
5
Attack on Iran’s oil released as much pollution as a volcano
6
Putting CO2 into rocks and getting hydrogen out is climate double win
7
Earliest use of anaesthetics uncovered in Chinese doctor’s tomb
8
World is entering an era of 'water bankruptcy'
9
The Selfish Gene at 50: Why Dawkins’s evolution classic still holds up
10
PCOS has been officially renamed PMOS, and it’s a momentous move
