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 (roughly the cruising altitude of an Airbus jetliner), twenty other climbers were still pushing doggedly to the top, unaware that the sky had … had begun to roil with clouds…
Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed Outside journalist and author of the bestselling Into the Wild. Taking the reader step by step from Katmandu to the mountain’s deadly pinnacle, Krakauer has his readers shaking on the edge of their seat. Beyond the terrors of this account, however, he also peers deeply into the myth of the world’s tallest mountain. What is is about Everest that has compelled so many poeple–including himself–to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense?
Written with emotional clarity and supported by his unimpeachable reporting, Krakauer’s eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement.
From the Paperback edition.
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I read this sad story many years ago. Too long ago to remember exactly how I felt about the book or its strong and weak points. I don’t think it is one I would put on my list to read twice, however.
Krakauer was on Everest when an avalanche claimed multiple people, including several in his party. This is very much his point of view on what happened including the fact that he may have been the last person to see one of the people killed alive.
Love this writer. All his books are very well researched and interesting.
Chasing a life-threatening goal
A fascinating first-hand account!
True story and very good!
This book details the author’s personal experience of the 1996 Mt Everest disaster. It grabs you quickly and doesn’t let go. I read it all in one night.
There is something about the setting and experience that gives those of us with more sense than to climb such a mountain the ability to live vicariously, to see how danger and risk expose both …
I loved it!!!!
I couldn’t stop thinking about this book as I went about my day! Wow
Krakauer is a great storyteller. I read this book many years ago, and it still haunts me to this day. It opens your eyes to the perils of mountain climbing on Everest.
Read this a long time ago. Well worth reading.
Spellbinding account of the ill fated 1995 Everest expedition that devastated 2 groups of climbers. Krakauer was one of the participants.
Incredible story of crazy obsessed people willing to risk lives for a goal (that I find questionable)…
Great book . Loved it.
As viscerally real as it can be. The mark of a good non-fiction book is one that holds your interest even when you are aware of the outcome. Krakhauer hit this one out of the park.
A must read for all adventurers!
I long hesitated to include Into Thin Air in a list of recommended Adventure books. Not that it doesn’t fit in—it’s one of my favorites. All adventurers will eat up any of Krakauer’s tales. But Into Thin Air remains on top of the sales charts and doesn’t need any additional publicity and I hesitated with the …
This is a superb, well-crafted, true story about the 1996 disaster on the Nepal side of Mount Everest. This book will be of interest both to people into mountaineering, and people who know nothing about mountaineering. I am dismayed by the 1 star reviews of this very excellent book, the criticisms just do not ring true. Krakauer writes a very fair …
It was a terrific read. When I taught English, I recommended it to all my students.
This is a true story written by one of the climbers that was on this trip in 1996. He is a reporter, but also an avid climber, and had always wanted to climb Everest. He got the people at his magazine that he wrote for to fund his trip (did you know the trips cost $65,000? And that was in 1996) and so he went. The book tells of his trip, and …
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading about mountain climbing. This book is so fascinating it reads almost like fiction.