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

Into Thin Air is a top notch survival story by author and successful Mt. Everest climber Jon Krakauer, about the 1996 Mt Everest expedition climb. A few survived but most perished. This is a riveting exciting story that draws the reader in learning about the extreme difficulty climbing the tallest mountain in the world Mt. Everest and the even more dangerous and deadly decent. I found this an exciting 295 a page burner. I read it in two days and couldn't put it down. We see in late April 1996 at the 17,600 feet base camp Ron Hall's group of paid clients, professional guides and native helpers(Sherpa) getting acclimated to low atmospheric pressure and setting up 3 camps further up for the assault to Everest's 29,028 summit. We see supplemental oxygen and DEX an injection medicine to help against brain and lungs swelling up with fluid because of only 1/3 atmospheric pressure at the summit. When going passed 25,000 feet we see that you enter the "death zone" where you start dieing. No one can live at these elevations for long and people only have a short period of time for their climb and the even more dangerous decent before brain cells die, fluids accumulate in lungs and in brain. Even the rugged Sherpa helpers are not immune to the low pressure. We see the Sherpa being low paid and very religious and superstitious to the mother mountain. Almost all were very loyal, gave their best effort and helped the clients as much as they could. We see a number of groups including a South African group,a Japanese group, a lone Swede, an IMAX $5 million paid group to video their accent, Ron Halls group and more.There was even a 27 year working postal worker named Hansen in his late 40s who saved money working two jobs for his second attempt at climbing Everest. There were some doctors and some in their 50s as well as a 97 pound woman,and a celebrity woman and others. Ron Hall was a businessman and an experienced Everest climber and so was his competitor Fisher. Many of his group paid $65,000 each to be guided to the summit. INMO he took too much risks with inexperienced high altitude climbers, a celebrity woman, who with others was unqualified for the accent and a danger and a drag to other members. Hall did try to have everything organised with the best guides and local rugged Sherpa helpers used to high altitude ( many did not use supplemental oxygen) and having the team acclimated to high altitude. Climbing Everest and the more difficult decent is no game, deadly serious and death is close at all times. Unfortunately an unforeseen weather front comes in with almost hurricane force winds and -70 below zero temperatures with snow and ice. The author Jon Krakauer and another make it to the top and just barely survive the decent. Most of the other members of the expedition make it to the top but are so weak plus having high altitude sickness INMO should of turned around and aborted the climb rather than trying to make it to the top. They are trapped because of the weather and can't come down and run out of time, supplemental oxygen and die in the "kill zone". We see the heroism others have to try to save members who are almost frozen with severe frost bite, massive lung fluid swelling problems and others dieing before their eyes. Krakauer saves a few but even to this day is haunted that he was only about 300ft from a member and was so exhausted and almost non functioning to try to save him. The reader learns the hardships of climbing Mt Everest and the even the more deadly part... the decent. An amazing store of inner strength, perseverance against odds but at times foolishness to continue without recognising the trouble you are in and the almost impossibility of the decent because of massive fatigue, no supplemental oxygen left and high altitude illness. The reader gains deep empathy for the troubled survivors and the people who perish. Some of the survivors lost body parts due to severe frostbite and were psychologically scarred for the rest of their life with nightmares and more. 5 stars on this amazing survival and adventure book.

I feel guilty calling this a "fun" read, but the book focuses on so much more than the tragedy. Krakauer's an excellent writer and covers a lot: the history of Everest, who these mountaineers were, and what motivated them to climb mountains for a living. I received the book for free (from my cable company of all places), but, in hindsight, would have spent a few bucks on it. Everest is always a fascinating topic.

I am very picky when it comes to reading books. When I am looking for a new book to read there are a few certain things that I look for because if I pick something that doesn’t accommodate the criteria I most likely won’t finish the book. The first thing I look for is: The book Looks interesting and exciting. When I am looking for a new book to read I look for something that stands out to me that I think I’m going to like. I like to read books that are fast paced and have a lot going on because I am not much of a reader and I get bored easily. Second: It is about something that I am interested in (something I can relate to). Like I said earlier, if i am not interested in a book I most likely won’t read it. When I'm looking for a new book I look to see if it has things in it that I find interesting or they do things i also like to do. I think this is probably the most important thing to me when I'm looking for a new book. Lastly: It’s not extremely long. I’m really busy and to be completely honest reading books are not at the top of my list when it comes to things to do. I like to read books under about 300 pages because if I don't finish a book quickly I will most likely end up not finishing it at all. These are some of the things I look for when I'm looking for a new book. As you can tell I'm not an avid reader although I love to read when I find something I like. I’ve found that by using the criteria above to pick out a book, I tend to find books I like to read. I read the book “Into Thin Air’’ by Jon Krakauer. I thought this was a great book overall and I will be using the criteria below to rate this book. When I rate a book I like to have 5 categories I look for and give it one star for every time it meets that criteria. The 5 Things I look for are: 1. The book is interesting and exciting This book was very interesting although there were some parts that got a little boring at times. It was necessary for him to talk about the things he did but I was excited to get into the action of climbing the actual mountain. 2. It is about something that I am interested in (something I can relate to) This book could not have been any better in terms of things I am interested in. I’m not much of a mountain climber, but I love to learn about the outdoors and it was really cool to learn in depth about Mount Everest. 3. It stays on topic and doesn’t get too side-tracked I thought this book did a good job of staying on track and and it all seemed to flow and fit perfectly into the story. 4. The plot is easy to follow It was really cool reading this book and being able to refer to the map of the ascent as his group made there way up the mountain. This made it easy to know where they were at all times in the story so you never get confused. 5. It’s not extremely long This book had 291 pages making it the perfect amount. it was enough to get his point across but not so long that I got bored. In Conclusion I would rate this book 4-5 stars according to my rating system. It met all the criteria except for one. Towards the beginning of the book he spends a lot of time talking about what got him interested in wanting to climb Everest and about all the invites he declined because of other obligations. I was eager to get into the exciting climbing and disaster portion of the story and it made it hard to continue reading at the beginning. Other than that, this was an incredible book that told an amazing story and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys climbing or the outdoors.

This book is such a gripping read. I struggled to put it down each day, and thought about it - and the people within it - quite carefully at the end of each chapter. It's a powerful reflection of this true story, yet it is not totally describable in one category of either adventure or memoir. To me, it's truly not about one person's account - it is a continual tribute for many people and a profound place. Jon Krakauer captures and delivers such spirit in his writing of this harrowing experience on Mount Everest. His writing brings you right into the moment, into the depth and the gravity of each part of this journey. He does not sum up nor glance by anything - it is a genuine tribute to the entirety of the human experience with him, and with each climber on this trek. He is respectful, reporting facts and yet a true vary of serious emotion emanates within his tone as he maps out the circumstances, timing and journey. With his writing, I was so heavily invested in each soul accounted for in this trek, that I literally wept at difficult moments he lays bare in this book. His writing delivers the impact of the weather, the terrain, the travel, environment through the eyes of a stranger and through familiarity, the emotions, the tiny speck that the climber is in relation to their surroundings - and the cultures involved. I recommend this book to be read by any writer, to appreciate the talent of the painting of words into a canvas of woven story-telling. This book is a MUST read for the adventurer and for anyone who appreciates a challenge and gravitates to a calling. This book is a memorial to amazing people who dared to follow their true personal north in their lives. This testament is also a tribute to the consideration of humanity's passion for seeking and surmounting the most critically dangerous and yet beautiful elements of nature.

Certainly when looking towards a mountain, it doesn't seem too hard to climb. In simplest terms, spending a while training for an expedition ascending Everest, should prepare you for the time climbing towards the summit. However, we can never forget the tolls of lack of altitude on your muscles, body systems, and brain, along with the never predictable pattern of weather upon the 29,028ft summit. The climbing expedition of May 1996 is certainly not one to be forgotten, and John Krakauer still succeeds to bring it to life for readers 17 years later after the incident. Although a book full with climbing terms, vocabulary, and history, Krakauer keeps the writing to a good pace. He never leaves the reader behind or confused, by including footnotes at the bottom of the page for further explanation. Not to mention he himself manages to include a good amount of information to the reader within his own writing style. The book provides a good base of facts and historical story references to climbs in the past, but as Krakauer embeds them within his own story line, the reader manages to not become too overwhelmed by facts. These small pockets of information are also inserted at times, which help to give the reader a bigger picture to the story. Dealing with a serious story, Krakauer is able to still keep an enjoyable tone to his writing. He is able to keep a balance between serious and lighter writing, making the reader want to read towards the end of the story, instead of becoming depressed by the story line. He uniquely adds cliffhangers towards the end of chapters, leaving the reader never want to put the book down and stop reading. The book is a constant page-turner! Into Thin Air may be a story of a climbing experience, but don't let that turn you away if you aren't a mountaineer. With great reporting from Krakauer himself, including quotes and past stories of other climbers, there is far more to the book than just a climbing expedition. Krakauer's own thoughts throughout the experience mixed with a collection of others' beliefs reflecting on the adventure give a whole picture to the reader. The book isn't only for those with an interest for climbing adventures. Krakauer does a great job in bringing this story to life, and makes it a fairly easy read for those who aren't climbing experts. The book is great for those into adventure, and can really be enjoyable for a wide audience. Don't let the climbing subject take you away from the book, there is so much more to the story. After all Krakauer himself didn't originally plan on making his way up to Everest...so don't let anything stop you from joining his experience too!

This riveting volume tells the story of the ill fated 1996 expedition on Everest that claimed the lives of eight of the world’s best mountaineers, including Rob Hall, a New Zealander who had already ascended the summit four times. The question author Jon Krakauer tries to answer is why; why such experienced mountain climbers who apparently knew everything there is to know about mountains, equipment, high altitude acclimatization, ice crevasses and lack of oxygen could have succumbed. Sadly the answer is not that hard to find: It was essentially hubris combined with some very bad luck. Hall was the person who turned Everest climbing into a commercial activity, helping relatively inexperienced men and women climb the imposing peak for a very hefty fee. Over the years he had led dozens of clients to the top, and he essentially became a bit overconfident in spite of his meticulous attention to detail and empathetic nature. The others on the climb became similarly affected by delusions of competence, forgetting that even for an experienced mountaineer Everest poses a formidable and dangerous obstacle. I can see why Krakauer’s book got such great reviews. It’s riveting and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the ride. Krakauer has a novelist’s eye for detail and is upfront about his own shortcomings. He really gives you an appreciation of how utterly otherworldly and unforgiving conditions are at 8000 meters, and how because of the great difficulty of helping others you are essentially alone even when surrounded by sherpas, guides, and friends; human relations and morality are severely tested at this altitude, and the challenges people face can reveal the best and worst among us. Krakauer has vivid descriptions of how unpredictable the weather can get and how any quick decisions are almost impossible because of the sheer difficulty of breathing (without acclimatization, a human being transported instantly from sea level to the top of Everest will die in about 2 mins: it seems a miracle that people can survive at the altitude of a Boeing 747 even with acclimatization). Parts of the book are heartbreaking and grim. The other thing that comes through from the book is the guilt that haunts Krakauer to this day, complicit as he feels in the death of at least two people on the peak. The central message in the book which Krakauer effectively delivers is that in the end, nature simply does not care. A lethal storm on Everest is completely business as usual for the mountain; it’s like a human brushing a fly off (as a character from the story asks with anguish at one point, ‘What have we done to make the mountain so angry? The answer – the mountain doesn’t care either way). No matter how experienced you are, you cannot be bigger than Everest, and if you don’t treat it with respect it will almost certainly kill you. It's a message that those who have turned mountain climbing into a commercial tourism industry should take to heart. As one of the heroic guides on the trip grimly concluded: “In the end, the mountain has the last word.” A great book of adventure, tragedy and sobering lessons on the relationship between man and nature.

If you’re interested in outdoors and adventure, this book is a good read. I knew nothing about Mt. Everest, but this was really insightful.

Almost twenty years ago, journalist Jon Krakauer joined a guided expedition to the top of Mount Everest, led by accomplished high-altitude climber and guide Rob Hall. Ostensibly on assignment to write a magazine piece on the increasing commercialization of Everest, as outfits like Hall's made it possible for climbers with more disposable income than actual mountaineering experience to have a go at the summit, Krakauer knew this might be his only chance to fulfill his own boyhood dream by standing atop the highest mountain on earth. An enthusiastic climber since childhood - though with no experience whatsoever at very high altitudes - he was one of the most technically proficient clients on Hall's team, and on May 10, 1996, he made it to the summit. On the way back down the mountain, however, Hall's group was one of several expeditions caught up suddenly in a violent snowstorm. Krakauer, farther down the mountain than most of his teammates when the storm hit, made it safely back to the tents before he collapsed in exhaustion. He woke to discover that triumph had given way to terror and tragedy: several guides and clients, including Hall, were still out there in the storm, their bodies becoming increasingly vulnerable to the subzero temperatures as their supplemental oxygen supplies dwindled. "By the time I'd descended to Base Camp," Krakauer reflects in the Introduction, "nine climbers from four expeditions were dead, and three more lives would be lost before the month was out." "Into Thin Air," written within six months of Krakauer's return from Everest, is the product of his attempts to process exactly what happened up there, how things could go so very wrong and so many very experienced climbers, some of whom had summitted Everest several times before, could have lost their lives: "I thought that writing the book might purge Everest from my life. It hasn't, of course. Moreover, I agree that readers are often poorly served when an author writes as an act of catharsis, as I have done here. But I hoped something would be gained by spilling my soul in the calamity's immediate aftermath, in the roil and torment of the moment. I wanted my account to have a raw, ruthless sort of honesty that seemed in danger of leaching away with the passage of time and the dissipation of anguish." Thanks perhaps to the years spent honing his craft as a writer and his discipline as a journalist with deadlines to meet, Krakauer succeeds brilliantly in what he has set out to do. His account is nowhere rushed, hysterical, or lacking in polish; rather, it's a well-told story, supported by carefully researched background and dozens of interviews with other participants in the events, and Krakauer is so much in control of his narrative that it comes almost as a shock how much of a genuine emotional wallop it packs. Perhaps only a man who stood on the summit of Everest after years of dreaming, only to regret afterwards that he'd ever gone, could tell this story the way Krakauer does, neither glossing over the dangers of the mountain or the waste of good human lives, nor denying the challenge it poses the human spirit simply by being the highest spot on the earth's surface, simply, in the words of a man who died on Everest decades before, "because it is there." "Into Thin Air" is a thrilling, if sobering, tale of adventure. Let's be honest, reading a book like this is as close as most of us are ever going to get to climbing the great mountain - and Krakauer describes so well the challenges of the terrain, the moments of astonishing beauty, the plodding determination that carries the exhausted body ever onward, the effects of high altitude on the body and mind, that our vicarious ascent in his company is thoroughly satisfying. He brings his fellow climbers alive for us, too, in brief but vivid verbal portraits. We are told not only of their mountaineering prowess, but their determination, their amiability, their families, their human faults and foibles. Even though we've known pretty much all along who dies and who lives (the book is dedicated to the memory of those who died, and a photograph of the mountain between the introduction and first chapter is labeled with a map of their route indicating where major events took place, including several deaths), by the time the storm sweeps in we've come to care about these people, to hope without hope, to mourn their deaths, to celebrate every time a survivor makes it to safety. Some readers have labeled Krakauer arrogant and accused him of placing blame on everyone but himself, but I didn't find this to be the case. He comes down against the practice of guides leading commercial expeditions of clients without the skills or experience to make the climb without constant hand-holding, but he acknowledges that he himself didn't rightly belong there, and has nothing but praise for the skills of Rob Hall and the other guides he knew personally. He doesn't hesitate to point out errors of judgment that might have facilitated or compounded the perils of the situation, but it's more in the nature of pointing out the fallibility of human nature and the general unreliability of the human brain in a state of hypoxia (which, 8000 meters above sea level, supplemental oxygen can only partially mitigate) than pointing fingers or placing blame. There are no villains (except perhaps Ian Woodall, literally the only one of dozens of people he met on Everest of whom Krakauer had nothing good to say whatsoever, who for no apparent reason denied the use of his radio to help maintain contact with survivors and coordinate rescue attempts), but plenty of heroes: men and women who risked their lives venturing exhausted into a storm to rescue others, who held their own grief at bay to console the dying, who handed over their own precious bottles of oxygen to those in greater need, who calmly coordinated communications and rescue efforts during a time of crisis, or who simply managed to keep breathing when it would have been so much easier and less painful to fall asleep forever in the snow. That some of these fine, heroic men and women made the occasional mistake or bad decision says more about the risky nature of their undertaking than about them as individuals. Krakauer doesn't exempt himself from folly or fallibility, either, and in fact he's far harder on himself than he is on any of the others who were with him on the summit that day, living or dead. And granted that the fortitude, endurance, determination, and self-confidence necessary to tackle Everest tend to come hand-in-hand with a certain swagger and cockiness, Krakauer doesn't come across as particularly arrogant. This is a man who lets his readers see him, in the last chapter, broken by grief and survivor's guilt, lying across a bed naked and high on cannabis, with thick sobs "erupting out of my nose and mouth in a flood of snot." There's enough controversy surrounding the events on Everest in 1996, and particularly Krakauer's accounting of them, that readers who truly wish to understand what happened on the mountain that sad day probably shouldn't rely on this book alone. Fortunately, a number of other books on the subject exist, including at least four other memoirs by survivors of the disaster. "Into Thin Air," however, remains in any case a good place to start - and a thrilling, if ultimately haunting, read.