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Summary: Better the 2nd time around
Review: I bought this book after having read the paperback edition of ITA as well as Boukreev's The Climb. I don't normally read a book of this nature a second time, but The Climb compelled me to take another look at Krakauer's perspective.The photo's in this edition add quite a bit to the story and make this a much better book than the paperback. The postscript added additional perspective, although having read Boukreev, it's unfortunate that these two men felt they must work so hard to clear their name. It's unfortunately quite clear that very little could have been done to prevent the disaster. This is an incredible book and a facinating look into what Nature can do to the prepared and uprepared alike.
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Summary: This book was awesome
Review: They must first acclimize themselves then make the ill fated summit push which is not always succesful
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Summary: I'm ready for the summit!
Review: A GREAT book for anyone, especially armchair adventurers. This book takes the reader to Mt. Everest where the author introduces you to the mountain and those who wish to top it. Written in a style that allows you to be a part of the climbing team, this book is a non-stop page turner. Start reading and head for the top!
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Summary: An interesting story, but disjointed.
Review: The story itself of Into Thin Air, is what kept my interest. However, it is told in a very disorganized and disjointed fashion. I wanted more detail about the actual details of this tragedy, and less about previous expeditions and various personalities.
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Summary: Passion or irrationality?
Review: This masterpiece belongs to that kind of books that, as soon as you've read the last page, you wish you've never got to know their content, but at the same time you think your life wouldn't be worth living without having read them. It leaves you perturbed, making you feel a sense of anguish that cannot easily be washed away. It's not just a graphic report of a tragedy of our times, but maybe it's more an open question about the deep link between passion and irrationality that goes along with expeditions on such altitude. The passion on trying to reach the top of the world, on being part of the mountain, on being able to see the grand setting of Himalaya from a unique position towards the irrationality at the bottom of the decision of facing extreme conditions, both mentally and physically, or even death. The story also brings what must be the quintessence of Hell: the ultimate capability of things to get worst more than your worst expectations. A must-read, no doubt.
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Summary: You are THERE; sharing the fear,joy,and sorrow Everest 1996
Review: I was given this version as a gift and it hooked me from the first page. I especially liked way Jon laid a historical foundation of Everest and then pulled in the individual characters in the 1996 trip. I felt he was honest and sensitive about the mistakes everyone made that contributed to the tragic losses of lives and injury. I highly recommend this book as an insight into the head and heart of a survivor of such a tragic experience. I have learned something about pursuing dreams, facing challenges, and taking responsibility for my actions. Thank you Jon for sharing your innermost feelings with me , and God bless you for honoring your lost companions by financially supporting the memorial to them.
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Summary: The depth of this tragic tale exceeds the height of Everest.
Review: Totally engrossing story about the fragility of life in the Himalaya. At times, the true life account seems unreal, leaving one emotionally strained and questioning the sanity of life on the edge of chaos. I'm not even sure how I feel about the author and his role in this story. I'll be thinkning about this book for a long time to come. Also, this was my first mountaineering book and it will not be the last. I loved it.
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Summary: An extremely gripping account of a horrible experience.
Review: As I started to read this book, I entertained the brief silly notion that it would be really neat to stand on the top of Everest (perhaps after they build the escalator). After all, I've hiked to the top of a 6,500 foot peak and known the little fit of exhileration that you get looking down in every direction upon everything, even as you gasp for breath. I now know that this book is as close as I'll ever need get to Mount Everest, because I feel like I've already been there, and it was pure torture. The author did an excellent job of describing every miserable element in a way that allowed you to imagine being there, all before, during, and after the famous tragedies occurred. He stirred plenty of controversy by presenting questions about others' actions throughout the book, but that doesn't at all detract from the amazing sensation that you are there. So, still feel like willingly punishing your own body to drive it onto a exhausted, freezing, oxygen-deprived, desolate frozen peak in the middle of nowhere? This book should be required reading for anybody who has ever wondered what it would be like.
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Summary: Very disappointed and bored by this story
Review: I found it VERY difficult to follow at times. I kept waiting for the pages to grab me right through the end. I expected more thrills and heart pounding excitment and instead got extremely in depth details that were totally unnecessary about climbing tools. If you are an avid climber then read away - if not, take a course and then try to relate. Krakauer relates this to a small percentage of people who are climbing enthusiasts rather than to everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't need a book mark
Review: One way to judge a book is by how much you get absorbed by it. By that measure this is a 5-star work. Like others, I read it in one shot -- on a plane going across the country. I couldn't look up! Also, my opinion on what mountaineering is and what drives those striving for the summit has changed so very much. There was uneven detail in describing what they actually do climbing the mountain -- so some areas remain fuzzy for me.
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