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Summary: Great fiction, lousy journalism
Review: Having read Krakauer's and Anatoli's books on the Everest climb, and having done altitude climbing myself, I regard Jon's book as a wonderful work of fiction. However, it is clear that he needs to find a villain. The closest that I can see is Rob Hall, who showed poor judgement in not turning around sooner and did not have the sense of Fisher to have someone below who likewise might have saved Namba and helped Weathers. I understand that Krakauer might well have been too wiped out to have helped, but he should admit that. He seems more to take the attitude that it "wasn't his job" to save anybody. May God have mercy on his soul is that is all his excuse was.
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Summary: This is a superb piece of writing and reporting.
Review: Lots of people write well. Lots of people report well. But Jon Krakauer does both, with a keen eye and a keen heart for not just details but the details that tell the story of human beings struggling with human issues. His honesty in grappling with his own feelings of guilt over the death of his climbing companions shows a remarkable strength of spirit and strength of soul. I would willingly follow this man up Mount Everest myself. -- Ron Somers
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Summary: A fascinating, thorough and honest account of the disaster.
Review: This book was even more interesting than I expected. The author's descriptions of the various participants and background on Mt. Everest expeditions really make the story hit home. Considering the horrific force of the storm that hit and the incredibly depleted condition the author was in, it's bizarre that some have had the nerve to criticize Mr. Krakauer. To have expected him go out in his condition and in that storm to save other climbers in the condition they were in is like expecting a woman in the advanced stages of labor to rescue people from a burning building.
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Summary: Who has the right to judge?
Review: This is an extraordinary book. I know nothing about mountaineering, and yet had no problem understanding what was going on, or keeping the sequence of events straight. I can't understand why people feel they have the right to judge Krakauer. Probably none of us has ever been in such a dire, horrible situation. To say that we would have acted more heroically is pure speculation. Personally, I don't blame anyone who acted first to save themselves. Also, I think Krakauer went easy on some of the bozos who were up on that mountain. It was obvious to me as a reader that it was not easy for him to criticize the climbers.
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Summary: Into Thin Air is Spectacular!!
Review: I bought this book as a Christmas present for myself and was not at all disappointed. After only a few pages, I was unable to put the book down and finished it within three days. I thought this was a tremendous account of personal desire to accomplish a lifelong goal, as well as an eye-opener to the commercialization of the world's tallest mountain. I was very impressed with the clarity of detail, the stories behind the climb within the team and other teams ascending the mountain, and the history of climbing given throughout. I commend Jon Krakauer for bringing to light this tragedy from first hand experience and congratulate him for accomplishing a truly remarkable feat.
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Summary: I felt as if I was up there freezing and short of oxygen!
Review: Great account of the disaster!
It is also a great book to introduction into mountaineering.
I only hoped that the author give a little account on how climbers eat, shit and sleep up in the mountain.
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Summary: Gripping, facinating adventure turned (foreseeably) tragic
Review: I have never been interested in mountain climbing or the people who do it, and my impression of the Everest tragedy was pretty much that of a bunch of rich amateurs getting what they deserved. Krakauer, writing from his unique perspectives as one of the few skilled mountaineers on the trip, wholly draws one into the drama, tragedy, and (for some) triumph of the grueling endurance the Everest parties waged at 28,000 feet. At the end of this book, you will marvel at the stupidity and arrogance of the tourists who paid for a guided walk to the top of the world, the failure of judgment of the expedition leaders, whose ambition exceeded their and their clients abilities, and the sheer will power, determination, and combination of luck and skill possessed by the survivors. Gripping, riveting, narrative! Since reading this book, I have absorbed every related article on the subject and look forward to the IMAX film, when it comes out.
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Summary: A riveting account of the May '96 tragedy on Everest
Review: I brought "Into Thing Air" just after it came out. I couldn't put the book down and read it straight through. Jon Krakauer has been the butt of quiet a bit of criticism concerning his conclusions about the root causes of the May '96 tragedy on Everest. As far as I am concerned, he hit the nail on the head. The mixture of ill-prepared amateur climbers, hypoxia, failure to enforce strict turn-around times and a total lack of teamwork both within and between the various climbing "Teams" all contributed to the deadly outcome. I'm looking forward to reading Broughton Coburn's "Everest: Mountain Without Mercy"
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Summary: An Epic Adventure of Physical and Emotional Self-Discovery
Review: Before I read this book, the closest I'd ever come to mountain climbing was walking gentle trails at the foot of Pike's Peak -- but Jon Krakauer took me to the Everest Summit and back in this amazing novel. "Into Thin Air" arouses the morbid curiosity inherent in most everyone learning of a great tragedy. We have a first-hand account of the immense undertaking that climbing Everest entails, and the progression of minor mistakes that lead to the Everest disaster of May, 1996. Krakauer takes us on an emotional journey as well as he bravely recounts his pain and grief over the events that occured in the "Death Zone." It is a thrilling read for anyone, whether you're a climbing enthusiast or, like me, would hardly know a monuntain from a mole hill.
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Summary: An Armchair View of a Harrowing Experience
Review: Jon Krakauer, author of the equally enthralling "Into the Wild", writes a riveting account of his part in the disasterous Mt. Everest climb that claimed the life of many fellow climbers, including premier guide Rob Hall. Reading this book is a chilling experience, as Krakauer makes the reader feel the physical depletion, mental exhaustion and eventual anguish he felt as he realized the extent of the disaster. Krakauer makes no excuses for his own part in the tragedy, and leaves the reader questioning if he, or anyone else, could have done more. The larger question of the wisdom of these types of excursions, expensive adventures with under-experienced participants, also comes under scrutiny. This is a armchair traveler's view of a most harrowing experience, and leaves the reader amazed, fascinated, and enlightened. Highly recommended.
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