Into Thin Air

 

Into Thin Air
Page Type Gear Review
Object Title Into Thin Air
Manufacturer Jon Krakauer
Page By Alan Ellis
Page Type Jan 26, 2007 / Jan 26, 2007
Object ID 2215
Hits 6746
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Book Overview

(From the back cover)

When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-seven hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. As he turned to begin the perilous descent from 29,028 feet, twenty other climbers were still pushing doggedly to the top, unaware that the sky had begun to roil with clouds... In this definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest, Jon Krakauer takes the reader step-by-step from Katmandu to the mountain's deadly pinnacle, unfolding a breathtaking story that will by turns thrill and terrify.

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Anchor; Reprint edition (October 19, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385494785
ISBN-13: 978-0385494786

Purchase at www.Amazon.com

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Reviews


Viewing: 1-19 of 19

tommi - Jan 26, 2007 5:01 pm - Voted 5/5

Nice
I have the german version. An interesting written book, it is written that i felt like being there.

MelbaToast - Jan 31, 2007 5:42 am - Voted 5/5

Worth A Read
An interesting account of what you've already heard and/or seen. Krakauer has to retract some of what he published in his magazine article and it gives you a true feeling of just how impaired climbers are up there - not to mention how precarious their survival.

lisae - Feb 5, 2007 2:21 am - Voted 4/5

Worth Reading
I think this book is the best one to come out of the '96 season on Everest.

Poor Climber - Feb 7, 2007 7:07 pm - Voted 5/5

A great real life story!
I like how Krakauer told the story, he did a great job!

I orignally picked up the book to read on a flight to Europe, but I made the mistake of starting to read in the night before; so instead of reading on the flight over, I finished it right before the flight took off.... so I read it a second time. :-)

Bill Reed - Mar 28, 2007 12:04 am - Voted 5/5

A tragic story
Very well written by Krakauer. I was deeply moved by it.
A classic.

LV Hiker - May 11, 2007 12:39 pm - Hasn't voted

Great Read
This was a great read. A real page turner. I had a hard time putting this one down.

Bob Sihler - May 12, 2007 8:35 am - Voted 5/5

Incredible Story
For those of us who will never do Himalaya-style climbing for real, this is a riveting and instructive tale about the conditions out there. It is also a powerful story of pride, courage, and perseverance. In particular, I finished the book admiring Beck Weathers, whom I didn't like at all throughout most of the book. Krakauer brings the mountain and the people on it to life. Although he received criticism for his portrayal of some of the people (Scott Fischer, for example), he seemed fair. And I didn't think Fischer came off badly. But maybe that's because his mentality about the mountains seemed similar to mine. He seemed like an awesome climber and a good man who got burned by the circumstances, which can happen to any of us. I felt deeply sorrowful for Rob Hall.

I rarely read or enjoy nonfiction unless it's reference material, but I loved this book.

rayray - May 30, 2007 11:58 pm - Voted 5/5

Gripping true-life story
I don't like reading. I bought this book on accident (thought I ordered the DVD). When the package arrived, I was disappointed to find a book and not a DVD inside. I finally opened it one day and started reading, then found I had a tough time putting it down. Jon Krakauer does a superb job of telling the story in a way that only one who was there can tell it. I believe he made his best efforts to be fair and unbiased in his recounting of this terrible tragedy and the events leading up to it. This book puts the reader right there on Everest -- very compelling and sad.

2skinners - Jun 28, 2007 5:18 pm - Voted 5/5

Well written
Good book on a very sad experience. I was told by many people that I had to pick up this book. When I eventually did, I believe I read through it in 2 days. Once you start reading you really don't want to put it down. It really tugs at your heart, realizing what some of those people went through and angers you that some of it could've been prevented.

RyanHalsey1 - Dec 20, 2007 8:20 pm - Hasn't voted

Good Book
I enjoyed this book. It was sad, but made me to climb Everest more. Very good story for anyone interested in climbing or mountaineering.

stepho - Jan 22, 2008 11:09 pm - Voted 5/5

Classic
Read it this past fall. Really enjoyed it, really good book.

tp - Jan 30, 2008 9:15 pm - Voted 4/5

Incredible Story
This book is well written it is one of those books that are hard to put down until you’re done with it.

silversummit - Jan 29, 2009 11:02 pm - Voted 5/5

The classic for the Everest 1996 season
in so many ways. I read this book when it first came out and then as other books about that fateful season gave their viewpoints I found myself coming back to Krakauer to check what he said. He sometimes comes across as a bit dramatic but I think he is right on target.

fossana - Feb 6, 2009 9:05 pm - Voted 4/5

great read
I only recently read this book due to prior reluctance to bow to the whole media hoopla about the story. I had read both "Under the Banner of Heaven" and "Into the Wild", and enjoyed Krakaeur's writing style, but I wasn't sure how that would translate when he was writing about his own experiences. It's difficult to comprehend the emotional state of someone who survived these tragic (and largely preventable) series of events, but I think Krakaeur is able to convey the agony of feeling helpless. I was definitely not disappointed.

Deltaoperator17 - Sep 19, 2009 9:36 pm - Voted 5/5

Interesting Read
Hearing it from Jon's perspective and then from others. Regardless it's tough up high when things go bad and he brought the story into our homes- Thanks Jon!

icypeak - Aug 7, 2010 3:14 pm - Hasn't voted

Amazing story
Krakaeur tells it from an objective, yet personal perspective. Exellent read.

tommarchall - Sep 26, 2010 9:09 pm - Hasn't voted

great read
This is the book that got me into climbing and my dreams of big mountain climbing way back when it was first published.

eyeonsky - Dec 4, 2010 10:54 pm - Voted 5/5

Great Book
This book reminds you how serious an undertakng it can be to climb at high altitudes in extreme conditions. There are lessons to be learned for all levels of hiking/climbing. It's also a great examination of human nature.

Redwic - Nov 12, 2014 12:22 pm - Hasn't voted

Great book.
Highly recommended.

Viewing: 1-19 of 19