"Lionel Terray was one of the great mountaineers of the post-war period. He conquered, among many others, the summits of Jannu and Makalu in the Himalayas, and Chacraraju Este and Fitz Roy in South America, above all he made numerous 'first ascents'. However, in his book Les Conquâerants de l'inutile (The Conquerors of the Useless), Terray maintained that his most important role was that of mountain guide in his home region of Savoie, assisting both amateur and experienced mountaineers on routes and summits commonly climbed in the Alps. He explained that although conquering world-famous summits was important, this supposed importance made him a "conqueror of the useless." He felt that his other mission was at least as important, which was to ensure that known and frequented mountain routes did not become dangerous and that they were always welcoming and practical, for use by all"-- Provided by publisher.