Peter B, Heidelberg
In 1962, four no-name climbers attempted to ascend Mount Everest by Alpine style secretly form the Tibetan side starting out at Katmandu. They had to give up at an altitude of 7700 m after a hidden approach in 39 days over 40 km on mostly ragged glaciers and they successfully fought their way back despite injuries, loss of equipment, lack of food, and deep snow during early monsoon. At the time, this extraordinary accomplishment was condemned and ignored by the mountaineering community for political and “ethical” reasons. The book “Four against Everest” written by the expedition leader, Woodrow Wilson Sayre, received little attention in 1964.
41 years later Hans-Peter Duttle looks back at his life and particularly at this expedition in “Illegally on Everest – The Life of the Fourth Man”. He was number four because of having been recruited as replacement. Astonishingly, this happened within the one week in Switzerland, which the expedition spent for buying mountaineering equipment, on its way to Nepal. Duttle’s book provides not only a fascinating account of this mission impossible on Mt. Everest. It also reports further adventures of the author in Northern Canada, South America and Nepal. These accounts are embedded in personal, social and philosophical contemplations about the whys and wherefores.
This book offers a very timely contrast to the reports about trophy hunters that queue nowadays on Mt. Everest, pulling themselves along a fixed rope from base camp to the peak. They are accompanied by guides and climbing Sherpas and flooded by supplemental oxygen, which “lowers” Mt. Everest by several thousand meters. Altogether, this allows spending (or loosing) as little as 1 week for an Everest expedition when flying into base camp by helicopter. It is, however, a deplorable way of “mountaineering”. Hats off for the “Four against Everest” introducing Alpine style climbing in the Himalayas at a time when nations competed in military like operation for first ascents or opening new routes on 8000 m peaks.
Danielle M, Kathmandu, Nepal
I received Illegally on Everest: The Life of the Fourth Man without the intention of reading it cover to cover. My plan was to skim through a few pages, just to get a sense of it. But from the very first lines, I was hooked. This book is a true page-turner—gripping and elegantly written. There’s none of the awkwardness one might expect from an amateur writer; instead, the prose is fluid, precise, and compelling.
What makes this book stand out is its rare balance between intimate storytelling and universal reflection. The author masterfully weaves personal experience with broader existential questions, taking the reader on a journey across continents and decades. What could have been merely the wild tale of a reckless expedition by a group of young adventurers becomes something much deeper—a profound exploration of the meaning of life.
Christine G. Switzerland
In summary: impressive, fascinating, philosophical, captivating, touching. To put it bluntly: a streamlined new version of your German book..
I hesitate somewhat to go into more detail about this biography with your rich experiences. Because a few lines are not enough to do justice to your life's work. I hope my words are understood correctly. It is tricky to give a fair assessment in writing. Verbally, you could ask your counterpart what was meant. This would lead to a fruitful discussion. Hans Peter - you and I could then elaborate and explain.
I will now try to describe my experience spontaneously and freely: “The book is written in a lively style; I always wanted to learn more and continue reading. In other words, it captivated and moved me. It is particularly moving because it is told in a sincere, open and honest manner. Each situation is described authentically, as you experienced it emotionally at the time.” Throughout the book, I wished you had been less hard on yourself. I am glad that you have found peace within yourself with everything that upset, angered, negatively affected and burdened you. I am relieved that you are now free, content and gratefully happy, and that you can enjoy your everyday life together with Verena and be grateful for it.
Your life is rich in experiences. Anyone who reads about all the adventures and trials you have experienced is delighted that you have persevered bravely through everything and have always seen and seized new opportunities.
Kurt B. Switzerland
Biography
A man who feels misunderstood by his parents and realises early on that he must find his own way. He flees from the consumer world and discovers the spiritual world. He makes decisions based on gut instinct without analysing the risks. He never struggles with difficulties but has the great strength to accept that not everything goes as planned. He searches until the end of his life to find his home.
Mountaineering
This part is fascinating and exciting, and anyone with some high-altitude climbing experience says it can't end well. No great experience, no good equipment, no permission, no oxygen and only support from Sherpas up to base camp. The narrative is so authentic that you freeze and suffer with them as you read. You expect them to fall or have to retreat at any moment.
My perception
A biography about a man who actively pursues his dreams. His will is much stronger than his fears of the great dangers involved. He follows his path, which is not always straight, and remains positive. Relationships with people do not come easily to him. He remains true to his motto on this point too: let's see what happens.
This book confirms once again: if you don't take a risk, you'll have a boring life.
Charles S. Australia
What would you think about a man aged 24 who decides to join tree American mountaineers to climb Mt. Everest? What would you say if you would have been told, that he only needed tree days to make the decision and then packed his equipment and followed them to Kathmandu?
Hans-Peter Duttle did it. He only met these tree Americans by chance in Zermatt and he told himself that this is the one-in-a-lifetime decision to realise a dream he lived for years.
To understand such a brash decision one needs to understand the life of this young man during his growing-up. It’s a fascinating journey around the world as the son of a Swiss Ambassador.
And this Traveling and Searching about the meaning of live lead him to live with Inuits in the Canadian Arctic and the Altiplano in Chile. Always swinging between deep happiness, loneliness and disappointment.
I have never read a biography of such honesty and deep respect for humanity and hope. It took Hans-Peter more than 70 years to “settle down” and find a final happiness in a partnership.