Into Thin Air

A girl I use to work with, told me awhile back that “Into Thin Air” was her favorite book, and a must read.  She is an amazing climber and it made sense why she was so crazy about the whole thing.  It’s written by Jon Krakauer, and it’s his description of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.  I don’t know anything about climbing but I literally couldn’t put it down.  I found myself pacing across my living room for who knows how long until I was all finished reading it.  It’s basically about an expedition that should have gone right, but Everest is unpredictable, even for the most seasoned climbers.  Spoiler alert:  a lot of people die. I guess that’s expected from the “deadliest season in history.” I won’t say who, but I made the mistake of looking at the maps they put at the front of the book which label exactly who dies and where their bodies are later located.  Don’t look at the maps if you want to be surprised.  Also, don’t read the acknowledgments on the first few pages. 

Anyway, it’s pretty heartbreaking, and graphic.  There is definitely language, just to be warned.  I want to say I even had a couple of vivid dreams after I finished.  But even knowing essentially how the story ends, it’s a gripping account and it is based on 100% true events.  Jon Krakauer received a serious amount of heat after he published his first article about his take on the expedition.  As both a reporter and mountaineer, he was commissioned to do a story for Outside magazine which was why he climbed Everest in the first place. There was quite a bit of controversy surrounding his descriptions from some of the family members who lost their loved ones.  This is just one person’s account, but he took scrupulous notes on their climb to the peak.  It also includes many interviews with the people who were involved.  I highly recommend it.  I’m pretty sure they made a movie about the experience, but I can’t imagine that it compares to the book.  It’s a story about putting everything on the line for passion, but the men and women in this story are much more than adrenaline junkies.  Again, I couldn’t put it down, and I think a handful of people in the family would really enjoy it! 

This is Rob Hall's team, and the people that Krakauer climbed up with (this picture is also featured on the back cover of the actual book).