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Summary: Tradgedy Atop Mt. Everest
Review: This book is a wonderful recreation of the entire Mountain Madness expedition on Mount Everest. The authors are able to keep you at the edge of your seat while the tales of death unfold before you. This book is far more accurate than what is conveyed in Into Thin Air.
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Summary: I enjoyed it...glad to see another perspective of Everest
Review: Though people will say that Jon Krakauer's book is more thoroughly researched and better written (although he IS a writer), I think that The Climb deserves a look. It was interesting to read Boukreev's account of the "Everest mess" and it was interesting to read of his contradictions to what Jon Krakauer's wrote in his own book. I finished the book feeling that NO ONE has the right to blame anyone for what happened on that mountain, and NO ONE will ever really know the truth. In addition, I was glad for this book because it presented Anatoli Boukreev as someone other than this mountain climbing machine. His words in rememberance of Scott Fischer are some of the most beautiful I've ever heard. Now that Boukreev is gone and his book is here, give him a chance and don't just rely on some other book and a New York socialite (who it seems to me, Boukreev did save her life) to enlighten you. There are three sides to every story: one side, the other side, and the tru! th. My thanks to Anatoli Boukreev for telling his side.
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Summary: Mountain Madness without oxygen
Review: In order to understand a little the unresponsibilty of bringing commercial expeditions to the top of the world, you should read 'The Climb' and also Krakauer's 'Into thin air'. Written from different perspectives both books show very impressive that the 14 mountains over 8000 m should be reserved to the professional climbers and should not serve as the stage for ego-trips of well paying exentric customers. While Krakauer shows that he is the more experienced author, Boukreev and his ghost-writer give some deeper insights concerning the motivation and the economic pressure of the heads of the Everest expedition, Hall and Fisher. For me as an occasional climber in the European alps it is very clear, there is no mountain so important, that it would justify the loss of your health or your live.
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Summary: Not very well written and self-serving for Boukerev
Review: It is hard to know what author Dewalt's intent was by quoting letters authored by Boukreev, as well as using passages supposedly narrated by the Russian and then adding a factual transcript of a tape recording made by the man. Each has a totally different voice. Not only do we come off thinking of Boukreev as a somewhat simple child, always playing happily among the Sherpas (Krakauer claims they hated Boukreev, because he treated them like dirt--I don't know any Sherpas, so I cannot verify this), but we end up not really knowing anything about the guy, except for the small amount he choses to share with us. Maybe some folks find this a more balanced read, but INTO THIN AIR is so much better written, it will be certainly be around a lot longer than this account. While it's an interesting accompaniment, Boukreev's reason for participating in the writing of THE CLIMB must be looked at as serving his own interest. As the highest paid guide, he had a lot to answer for an! d no amount of excuses can undo that.
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Summary: If you liked "Into Thin Air", you'll like this too.
Review: The book was exciting and interesting, albeit self-serving. In the intro, Boukreev complains about Outside not sending Krakauer on the Mountain Madness expedition. The rest of the book reads just like what it is, a rebuttal to Jon Krakauer's telling of the 1996 Everest season in "Into Thin Air." Still, the book was hard to put down. Not being a climber, I am fascinated by many things about climbing Mount Everest: the technology, the planning, the mind-set of someone putting his life at risk to accomplish such a feat. It was easy to imagine being there, and I was able to feel the excitement, the worry, the tension -- all those things that people must have been feeling on that mountain. Definitely worth reading.
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Summary: Read this one to balance the other one!
Review: One has to read this book for balance if you've read 'Into Thin Air.' Karakauer's is better written, but compare the stories and perspectives : The Climb balances what Karakauer says, and gives a less emotional perspective to Everest 1996. I found the first 40 pages or so a bit tedious (prepping for the expedition, getting oxygen in Russia, and on and on and on). But it picks up well. Boukreev was, let's face it, the real hero of those days. At that level, people like Boukreev are virtually invincible climbers; the only thing that can break them is avalanches. And so one did, in winter '97 on Annapurna. I wonder, would he have chosen any other way to die? The climbing world lost a great mountaineer. I'm glad he came out with this book.
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Summary: A must read for anyone who read "Into Thin Air"
Review: Very interesting complement to "Into Thin Air". This book is much less emotional, in that it focuses less on the pain and hardship associated with high altitude climbing, and instead is more of a chronicle of what happened from Boukreev's perspective, as well as from interviews with many others who were there. In many ways, it's a documentary-style rebuttal to Krakauer's portrayal of Boukreev, who was clearly responsible for saving the lives of at least 3 climbers. It's interesting, however, to also read Krakauer's counter rebuttal and then decide for yourself: was Boukreev a hero who saved lives, a seflish, stubborn climber who jeopardized them, or both?
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Summary: Compelling story that adds important perspectives.
Review: The Climb is Anatoli Boukreev's very personal account of the story behind the Everest tragedy of May, 1996. I had formed opinions of him based on Jon Krakauer's writings and subsequent publicity. Those opinions have changed. I found The Climb to be compelling and told from a master climber's perspective. What is truth when mountains, hypoxia, greed, weather and human limitations meet head on with avalanche force? I can not relate to the passions that drive men and women to push themselves to Everest expeditions, nor understand what such risks and achievements/failures really mean. But, after reading The Climb, I know that Anatoli Boukreev died doing what he loved and in the one place on earth he felt truly at home.
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Summary: a great follow-up to "Into Thin Air"
Review: This was an equally gripping account (ref:" Into Thin Air") of the terrible tragedy in 1996. It certainly taught me I don't need to go to such extreems to "find" myself. I do have enormous respect for all of the climbers: clients, guides, and sherpas alike. It validated that one doesn't know how (s)he'll respond in such situations, and I find no place in my heart to criticize any of the climbers, even though I question some of the behaviors. The upside of finishing this book is to view the, all too brief, Imax film. I congratulate the bravery of the author. The part with his words in his broken English gave me a richer understanding of the man and his motives.
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Summary: just another soap opera
Review: If Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" was questionable - then this one is ridicolous. While at least Krakauer's book gave the impression of resulting from a decent amount of recherche, the lecture of this book simply wants to transport a "I-did-not-do-anything-wrong" message. While we all - except the 3 dozen mountaineers on the mountain at that time in May 96 - can only imagine what happened up there and rely on 2nd hand information, I think Boukreev was not quite lucky in chosing his ghostwriter. It's the gossipping style of the story and of some people's eternal desire to transform difficult messages into easy reading pleasure, which finally turns an interesting and thrilling subject into just another soap opera. I have no clue what the real story was up there and I appreciate Boukreev's successes in his mountianeering career, but I would not want to divide into good & bad guys in this event. What irritates me most, though, is the US all-time-favourite attitude of mind of differentiating between the validation of a life of an American vs. the life of any other nationality. If a sherpa is missed after an avalanche in the Himalayas - who cares? It's not worth mentioning his name on all these mountaineers.com web pages. If a US climber falls to his death instead, you can't escape all the noise on the net. All men are born equal? At least on Everest it should be true.
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