Into Thin Air : A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Rating:
Summary: Once the book got going it kept me interested
Review: Into Thin Air is a book about an expedition that went into the ever famous Mount Everest. While on his expedition Jon Krakauer tells about the hardships and his near death experiences. He tells, in great depth, about the people he met on the mountain. Jon also goes into great detail telling how cold and miserable the trip was. He really made me think that I was up there experiencing the same thing he was. At first the book started slow, but in the end the breath taking thrill of who was going to live and who was going to freeze to their untimely death told the story. In this book every minute could be the difference between life and death. I'm glad I read this book, and I would surely encourage it to anybody that likes to be on the edge of their seat while they read. This book really did that for me. Thanks Jon, I had fun reading your book.

Rating:
Summary: Why all these 10s? Book is good, not great.
Review: This is the best of Krakauer's three books. His first "Into" book (INTO THE WILD) suffers from too much conjecture and autobiographical fodder. EIGER DREAMS reads like a collection of mildly interesting OUTSIDE magazine articles (the piece on K2 is a standout)--which is pretty much what it is. INTO THIN AIR shows that Krakauer is a fine journalist, as well as an experienced climber. Above all, he seems fair to his subject(s). I appreciate his apparent honesty. There is no badmouthing or fingerpointing here for what happened on Everest in '96--excepting the occasional pokes at himself. His narrative is often riveting. Closer editing was needed; some phrases and ideas are needlessly needlessly repeated repeated. I kept waiting for Krakauer to launch into Pittman, who appears to deserve all the criticism she's received for bringing her champagne lifestyle to Everest, but Krakauer shows restraint, which is probably for the best. Krakauer has to speculate from time to time (something that has apparently caused some grief for family members of victims), but he always (?) qualifies these ideas. I look forward to JK's upcoming work. This is a good book, and not a great one. (Reviewers: Save the 10s for the truly great stuff, for heaven's sake!)

Rating:
Summary: Exciting and touching
Review: Into Thin Air was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I couldn't put it down. I was enthralled and excited while reading it. The tradgedy that was the everest expedition of the 1996 season does scare me, but it has sparked my interest in climbing. Although Everest is totally out of the question, a nice small mountain somewhere out west truly appeals after reading the book. Applause to Jon Krakauer for a wonderful book, and good luck to him in the future. I can't wait to start reading his "Into the Wild.

Rating:
Summary: A compelling account of a disaster
Review: I read this book not knowing what to expect. I finished it with tears in my eyes...not only at the loss of human life, but for the survivors, as well. Although the book is fact, parts of it seemed surreal, as though impossible to imagine actually happen, but it did, unfortunately. I wish the families of the deceased nothing but my sincerest sorrow that they have suffered a tragedy, and I hope that the survivors who have yet to move on realize that it was, from reading this book, tragic coincidences that formed together after the fact to create the disaster. No one can judge anyone there, or any of their actions, since we weren't there...and I for one can't even imagine some of it. It is a great book, on I plan on keeping so that my son (who is now 2) can read it when he is 16 or so....even then there will be a lot to learn from...and I think if I ever feel like life is getting to be to much (where you want to curl up and just shut the world out for a day or so), this book will be a good slap in the face to get me going again :) I would definetly buy it if you haven't already...it's well worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Like driving past a car wreck
Review: Blame it on morbid curiousity, but I couldn't put this book down. I picked it up in a drugstore over the Memorial Day weekend, thinking that it would be a great beach read. I was right, but the memory of the story haunts me. I disagree with some of the critics who say that the author was selfish or callous b/c he didn't help others. Under those extreme circumstances, reason and morality obviously escape you. The rules you live by at sea level do not apply at 29,000 feet.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, but you need to read The Climb for balance
Review: Amazing!, but read The Climb too to get a balanced perspective on this disaster.

Rating:
Summary: Deeply disturbing but endlessly compelling
Review: I just now finished reading this book. I have also read through most of the reviews. Clearly this book has had a profound effect, either positive or negative, on almost all who have read it. I feel as breathless as the climbers must have felt at 28,000 feet. One thing that I will not presume to do is to judge anyone involved in the expedition. I cannot begin to comprehend what motivates someone to undertake such a potentially physically and emotionally destructive course of action. Many activities involve risk (I jump horses - you have only to look at Christopher Reeve to appreciate the risks involved in that activity). But high altitude climbing seems to involve far more than risk -- it is comparable to Russian Roulette. No matter how prepared a climber is, they are constantly faced with lifethreatening situations, if not from the mountain, than from their own bodies and minds. And how can the majority of us, who have never even come close to what a high altitude climber faces, even begin to judge why any given person acted the way the did? How would we, faced with imminent death, with our minds not working with all cylindars, act or react? Even the shocking episode where the Japanese group ignored injured and dying climbers had to be taken in context. We at sea level cannot even comprehend how this could have happened. But one has to wonder what type of person risks their life in order to endure torture beyond anything we can imagine with the sole purpose of making it to the top of a mountain, for all of a few minutes of glory, then face further risk and torture on the return trip. These are thinking processes I don't pretend to understand, and therefore, feel I cannot judge. This book may make you angry, or sad, or bewildered. But it will NOT leave you feeling neutral. It's like a sock in the gut that empties all the air out of your lungs. Unlike many of the reviewers who revile the author for making money off this story, I feel it is a story that had to be told, and Mr. Krakauer! 's lyrical narrative is the perfect voice to tell it. He is, after all, a writer, and writers do get paid for their work. I know I feel richer for having read this book. And I know it will be a very long time before it's effects have worn off. Try to read this book without trying to figure out who was right and who was wrong. Just read it for the visceral impact it will have on you. And pray that no one near and dear to you ever decides to become involved in high altitude climbing.

Rating:
Summary: Hey man, It's not my fault!
Review: This should be the title of Krakauers book where everything and everyone except John himself is faulted for what happened. He has to live with his selfishness the rest of his life for turning his back on the others. I got the impression that this is a guy who is a loner, self absorbed, and probably never been a close friend to anyone. His line about never being to a funeral before in his life prior to Everest spoke volumes. When the going gets tough, John gets going. Thank god for John that the S Africans where there to be the greater villians. A decent read though even if you don't like the author. Happy Memorial Day folks!

Rating:
Summary: A must for people who love extreme achivements
Review: This book is awesome not only for the way it explains how a person can be driven to en extreme condition like climbing Mt. Everest, but also how people react in such conditions. On top of that is very educational because explain everything abouth the Sherpa life, what Everest means to the Nepalese economy and how the mountain has been commercialized in the last few years... Anyone who has ever done an extreme physical achievement such as running a marathon or climbing any mountain, will be able to appreciate what can one of these people can go though in order to conquest a dream... I highly recommend this book. For most of us it will be the closest we will ever get to Mount Everest.

Rating:
Summary: Riveting and Sobering
Review: I am still reeling from this book. The images of the last 100 or so pages will forever be in my mind. I have hiked in the winter mountains of Vermont and have only the slightest idea of what this would have been like. I can't imagine a much more horrible a way to die than stranded on a mountain such as Everest with a radio frozen and dying talking to friends who cannot help you. Most of the book is a description of the people he meets until the events of the last 2 days consume everybody including the reader. I am amazed by the heroism, the cowardice, the strength and weaknesses of all the people. Jon presents a rather sympathetic view of his position and I certainly could not say I would have done any better, but, he is a little too defensive. Maybe he treated "Beck" so cruelly because he didn't agree with his politics. Nonetheless he did about as good a job as anyone could have in trying to understand what happened and passing the incredible story onto us in a readable and lucid manner.