Rating: 
Summary: Inadaquate Research
Review: I First heard of the book "The White Death" by way of an anonymous phone call from a man who wondered if I was the mother of Mark Levitan, one of the five climbers who died in the avalanche that is the subject of the book. When I told him yes, he said that in addition to the book, there were also articles in Montana newspapers, Outside Magazine, and a planned "Readers Digest" story. McKay Jenkins had never been in contact with me about the book being written, so I had to wonder where he got his information, and why he never acknowledged that Mark had a mother and four siblings, two of whom were at the search site. Common decency should dictate that we be informed of what was being written. There are obvious errors and untruths in the text relating to Mark, which I attribute to a poor research job with an unreliable interviewee. How much other fiction may there be in the book? Is there a code of ethics that holds writers of non-fiction responsible for thorough research to reveal the truth, and assure that fiction does not become a part of the writing? If not, there should be, especially for teachers of non-fiction writing, as Jenkins is. I have written specific and pointed questions to the author, but to date have received no answers. Thank you, anonymous caller, whoever you are, from Mark Levitan's Mother and four siblings.
Rating: 
Summary: A powerful read.
Review: I had the good fortune of listening to McKay Jenkins read from this book at a conference, prior to the book's publication. When I got a chance to read The White Death, I was not disappointed. This is an engrossing book, with a powerful narrative at its core. The story of the climb of Mt. Cleveland and the rescue/search efforts is gripping. I found it more compelling than The Perfect Storm. The weaving of history and science--everything from avalanche rescue dogs to the physics of a snowflake--works wonderfully. I learned a good deal from such passages. And I found the conclusion--with its insightful analysis of the out-of-kilter "recreation" business--right on target. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: At the top of its class
Review: I have read a number of the recent genre of the wilderness/survival books, and I must say that Jenkins' "The White Death" is the the best. With integrity and talent he tells the epic and timeless tragedy of five young men facing the elements atop Glacier National Park's Mount Cleveland. In addition he artfully weaves into this narrative rich accounts of avalanche history, snow science, mountain rescue, mountain folklore and cultural history. His writing style is eloquent, artful and lean and carries the reader effortlessly through the result of what must have been extensive years of research. Anyone interested in mountains, human nature, wilderness and our connection to it will find this a fascinating and important read.
Rating: 
Summary: Sensationalized
Review: I read this book with great interest for a number of reasons; I grew up next to the Andersons and consider them family, I am a avid climber and backcountry skier, and I myself have survived an avalanche and lost a best friend, a dog, and nearly another best friend in an avalanche. The author's approach is one of a scolding mother, with the clarity of hind sight, and an I-told-you-so attitude. It's sad to see the story of the climbers who lost their lives trivialized and sensationalized in such a way.
Rating:
Summary: gripping and informative
Review: I recently read The White Death, and I can tell you, its a fantastic book. There's a wealth of information about the science of snow and avalanches, interwoven with a story of the highest drama that's both compassionately and conscientiously told. Furthermore, I appreciate Jenkin's perspective. As an outsider to the sport of mountaineering, he makes the world of climbing understandable to those of us who prefer to remain at lower altitudes. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary book
Review: I spent several years as the book critic for Outside magazine, during which time I had the opportunity (and sometimes misfortune) to read dozens of books about mountaineering tragedies and triumphs. The White Death is one of the genre's very best, in part because of Jenkins' considerable skills as a storyteller and wordsmith, and in part because--unlike the professional climbers who typically write such tomes--he has healthy skepticism about the sport itself. This is not simply a tale about "tragedy and heroism," as the subtitle indicates, but also about hubris, teen angst and dumb luck. It's also a paean to an extraordinary place (Glacier National Park) and an endlessly fascinating and mysterious phenomenon (snow). Written with flair and suspense, it unfolds with the power of a wall of white cascading down a slope.
Rating:
Summary: Informative and Interesting
Review: Instructed a lot about avalanches and the love of mountains. At the same time it conveyed the inherent danger in the mountains. A must read for anyone interested in climbing, mountaineering, etc.
Rating:
Summary: As good as it gets for real-life thrillers
Review: Like "Into Thin Air", "The Perfect Storm" and almost any book by McKay's mentor Peter Matthieson, The White Death both grips you and informs you. McKay spins out the story of five boys on a mountain slowly, letting the suspense build as he provides more information on avalanches than could be found in any one place. He pitches the book at a level that flatters the reader's intellect. You get it, but you never feel he has watered it down for that purpose.A footnote: I met McKay last summer in Nicaragua. I like him personally and hoped the book would be good. I was up until 1:00 AM to finish it. That's more than friendship -- that's a good read.
Rating:
Summary: was deeply touched
Review: McKay Jenkins did a wonderful job of capturing the the bittersweet of the one who climbs. As a sister of Raymond Martin, I can tell you I was deeply moved by the words and his expertise at keeping my eyes on the pages. I could not put the book down. I regret only that my mother, Ruby, didn't get to see the final piece of work. She related to us the kindness and empathy that Mr. Jenkins expressed during the interviews. I stood at that mountain floor many times since the tragedy and am still in awe of the great beauty which Jenkins painted so poetically in his book. The spirit and courage of the climber is known only to the spirit of another climber and sometimes to those who were fortunate enough to love him/her. Mr. Jenkins has obviously felt the pain and the exhilaration of reaching the heights and the defeats while exploring the masterpieces in nature. Many thanks for his talent and for his informative understanding of the powers of nature. I am eternally grateful for the many people who opened their arms to my family and for those people who spent time on the mountain in search for the boys. Mr. Jenkins depicted their integrity and courage very well.
Rating:
Summary: Part fiction
Review: My brother was one of the five climbers who died in the avalanche the book describes. The book's description of him renders him almost unrecognizable, and the resulting caricature is very disturbing to our family. In his zeal to create a character to fit his theme of mountain men raising mountain men, Mr. Jenkins failed to confirm any facts concerning my brother, and made various baseless assumptions to round out his error-ridden description. The book leaves the reader with the impression that in the rush to profit from the recent popularity of other books in this genre, the author neglected to research his topic adequately. He would have better spent his time mastering basic information about mountain climbing and geography rather than trying to cover the numerous scattered topics (e.g., bears in Glacier Park, the Tenth Mountain Division in World War II) tossed into this poorly edited book. In fairness to the author, family members contacted him before commenting on his book. Repeated inquiries have produced no explanation as to why he failed to confirm any facts concerning my brother. The author responded that researching this story proved far more difficult than he could have expected, and that he did the best he could. His best was not good enough.
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