Name: Piet Terheyden's review of Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Item: Into Thin Air
Rating: 4
Author: Piet Terheyden

Jon Krakauer

Journalist Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for this epic account of the May 1996 disaster. Unabridged. 7 CDs.

A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Into Thin Air

Piet Terheyden

a personal account of the Mount Everest disaster

Into thin air

Colton Ray

By turns, engaging, thrilling, and horrifying, Into Thin Air takes you into a realm far above any you've likely ever experienced, where deadly decisions must be made. Krakauer is an astounding writer, and his first-hand account of the 1996 disaster on Everest is heartbreaking. This book deserves its place near the top of the pantheon of nature writing.

I've never understood why people want to climb Everest, and after reading of all the deaths and the struggles to achieve this: I understand why they want to say that they have done this challenge against human nature, but I have no desire to do it and never will.

It's a real shame that so many lives have been lost. A real shame.

Sarah Campbell

This was basically a horror novel.
I've never understood why people want to climb Everest, and after reading of all the deaths and the struggles to achieve this: I understand why they want to say that they have done this challenge against human nature, but I have no desire to do it and never will.
It's a real shame that so many lives have been lost. A real shame.

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 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.

Laura Mauler

I had to stop reading this while eating because the stress was giving me stomach cramps. The author's writing is so vivid, so compelling, and the story is truly horrifying. In the Prologue the author explains that he wrote the book so soon after the disaster in part to help himself process everything that took place up there, and I could really feel that come through in his writing (this is not a criticism, it is a compliment). Grappling with the choices everyone made, how people's flaws or prejudices or bravery or tenacity played a role, would absolutely require some heavy-duty processing for a survivor, and it makes for fascinating reading. Highly, highly recommend.

Andrew John Kinney

Let me start by saying I have no desire to Climb Everest or any other mountain that requires crampons, ropes, etc. But Krakauer is a terrific writer, and this book will tell us non-mountain-climbers everything we would ever want to know on the subject, and it chronicles the 1996 disaster on Everest that killed so many climbers. High drama, great book, sadly made into a mediocre movie.

Lamia Hajani

Very honest account of the Everest tragedy of 1996. I am fascinated by mountaineers and Krakauer does a great job of delving into the psychology of climbing.

The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived

A raw and riveting account of the '96 Mt. Everest disaster, coupled with its reporting within inches of life. Ignorance proved fatal!  

Govind

A raw and riveting account of the '96 Mt. Everest disaster, coupled with its reporting within inches of life. Ignorance proved fatal!  

Kind of an adventure book.

A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

After watching Everest (2015) recently I became somewhat obsessed with the 1996 disaster and read as much as I could find about it and high-altitude mountaineering in general. So I was very happy when a copy of this book finally became available at the library.

The detailed descriptions and thoughts served very well to clear up missing points in the story. And Krakauer's original mission to describe the guiding culture on Everest as well as the growing controversy of inexperienced climbers comes through as well.

Some of the criticism of this book does hold up. Most notably the fact that the expeditions had accurate weather forecasts and knew about the storm in advance. In my opinion, much of the disaster can be laid at the feet of Hall and Fischer who did not turn their clients around at pre-planned time.

Then there is the biggest controversy regarding Anatoli Boukreev. My copy has the lengthy post-script rebutting many of the points made in The Climb. I am not in a position to make any strong argument either way, but Krakauer's case for standing behind his claims is convincing and backed up well.

Much of the support for Boukreev has come from people that were not on the mountain and I simply cannot give their arguments as much credence.

I intend to read The Climb immediately after this to gain a clearer picture of both sides.

Kyle Sawatsky

After watching Everest (2015) recently I became somewhat obsessed with the 1996 disaster and read as much as I could find about it and high-altitude mountaineering in general. So I was very happy when a copy of this book finally became available at the library.

The detailed descriptions and thoughts served very well to clear up missing points in the story. And Krakauer's original mission to describe the guiding culture on Everest as well as the growing controversy of inexperienced climbers comes through as well.

Some of the criticism of this book does hold up. Most notably the fact that the expeditions had accurate weather forecasts and knew about the storm in advance. In my opinion, much of the disaster can be laid at the feet of Hall and Fischer who did not turn their clients around at pre-planned time.

Then there is the biggest controversy regarding Anatoli Boukreev. My copy has the lengthy post-script rebutting many of the points made in The Climb. I am not in a position to make any strong argument either way, but Krakauer's case for standing behind his claims is convincing and backed up well.

Much of the support for Boukreev has come from people that were not on the mountain and I simply cannot give their arguments as much credence.

I intend to read The Climb immediately after this to gain a clearer picture of both sides.

Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air is the true story of a 24-hour period on Everest, when members of three separate expeditions were caught in a storm and faced a battle against hurricane-force winds, exposure, and the effects of altitude, which ended in the worst single-season death toll in the peak's history. In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and the other leaders, by the end of summit day, eight people were dead. Krakauer's book is at once the story of the ill-fated adventure and an analysis of the factors leading up to its tragic end. Written within months of the events it chronicles, Into Thin Air clearly evokes the majestic Everest landscape. As the journey up the mountain progresses, Krakauer puts it in context by recalling the triumphs and perils of other Everest trips throughout history. The author's own anguish over what happened on the mountain is palpable as he leads readers to ponder timeless questions. One of the inspirations for the major motion picture Everest, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Keira Knightley.

A Personal Account of the Everest Disaster

Matt Stein

A sobering, agonizing account of disaster in a beautiful and dangerous place.

me personally i don't have the hubris to climb a mountain that is referred to as a living, breathing entity/goddess more powerful than any mortal being by the people who live on/near it. that's just me tho.

vinny<3

Cheri Fuller

Very interesting. I'm not the type to be driven to do anything remotely close to climbing a mountain but I get the concept. Hearing the story of what happened in May of 1996 from someone who was there made the experience for me. I've read Krakauer before and like his style. Plenty of background info but not enough to make me doze off while waiting for the meat of the story.

As someone particularly curious about the ways of determining the factors contributing to an incident, this book kept my interest. 

It did NOT convince me to try high-altitude climbing. 

Doug Lane

As someone particularly curious about the ways of determining the factors contributing to an incident, this book kept my interest. 

It did NOT convince me to try high-altitude climbing. 

Heather Smith

I read this for school and I'm glad I did! This definitely isn't the type of book I'd normally read on my own, but I really enjoyed it. Tears were shed and the story itself is quite heartbreaking, but it is also powerful and well written. I recommend this book!

Colin

Rating: 7.3/10

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a compelling look into the nitty gritty of Everest expeditions, every detail painstakingly described. A bit too painstaking for my taste but it was still an interesting story. The main problem I had with this book was the nonstop naming and in-depth descriptions of characters who would have almost no impact on the story or better yet, would never be mentioned again in the story. This issue might have had a smaller impact if I was reading the book physically, so I could have flipped back and forth between the pages to keep better track of the characters, but in audiobook form, it was a hopeless endeavor. I had to make a tangible effort just to remember the names of the most important members of Krakauer’s party

The story itself was chilling and showed just how quickly things can go wrong on the slopes of the world’s tallest mountain. Something in particular that stood out to me was the author’s honesty about his mistakes in the expedition and how he was all but the reason for a friend’s death on the mountain. Additionally, I learned that oxygen is actually not a necessity for everyone when climbing Everest. It certainly helps, but based on certain genetic factors and intense training, one can climb the peak with no oxygen assistance whatsoever. I always assumed that a ton of oxygen was required at such altitudes. 

In conclusion, the subtitle for this book is “A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster” and that’s exactly what it is: an account. For better or for worse, Jon Krakauer spares no detail of his run-in with Everest. I would not recommend this book, too much commitment for too little payoff (about two chapters of gripping action)

Anna

Мой опыт восхождений ограничивается подъемом на Фудзи - всего 3776 метров, не требует ни особого снаряжения, ни тем более кислорода. Но в целом идея альпинизма мне всегда казалась по-своему логичной: даже дети стремятся оказаться выше всех и играют в "царя горы".
Но после этой книги я убедилась, что высокогорный альпинизм это особый вид мазохизма. Страдать от кислородного голодания, холода и их последствий, и все равно карабкаться вверх, а потом еще и вниз (помню, как моя коленка на Фудзи очень протестовала именно на спуске).
Книга на редкость субъективная, наверняка в каких-то частях фактически неточная, но на редкость захватывающая. Понравилось, что автор внедрил в нее фрагменты истории покорения Эвереста, это добавило контекста событиям 1996 года.

P.S. В русской версии, изданной под названием "В разреженном воздухе" перевод оставляет желать лучшего, местами из текста торчали уши оригинала, например "не такое большое дело" (no big deal).

Adam

I recently realized I love real-life adventure tales. Memoirs of extraordinary journeys that are true tales. Into Thin Air is one such telling of a trip to climb Mt. Everest by a journalist writing about the commercialization of Himalayan adventures. Things go horribly wrong and the result is one of the worst years in history for climbers. I’ve never wanted to go to Everest (well, maybe base camp could be fun) but after reading this I feel cold just thinking about it.

jess

Gripping and tragic. Everest has been an obsession of mine since I was seven; the same thrill that draws climbers in draws me in to read about it. This is an extremely well written tale about terrible events, and I couldn't stop reading.

Katie Chua

i went into this without knowing anything about the 1996 everest expedition but i knew something really bad was going to happen, so it was just reading/building up to that and then when it happened, made me question mortality and life and now im a little sad

Such a riveting read. I love nonfiction books like this where I get really and truly absorbed into what I'm reading and this was no exception. I have long been fascinated by those who attempt Everest and while I have no desire to do the same, I am obsessed nonetheless. This book also has made the cold wind of my first Canadian winter seem not so bad when I consider that I'm not 8,000 meters in the air being whipped around by insane winds. Would never climb Everest but would read ten more books about it.

✨Tyler ✨

incredibly surprised by how much i enjoyed this book. I picked it up on a whim, assuming it would be enjoyable enough and give myself a break from thrillers and bad Amazon books. I'm not an outdoors/hiking person but this was an engaging and fascinating read. I found it hard to put down.

Disregard my single status update. This book definitely does NOT drag.

In fact, it happened to pick right up on the page after my status update.

Sorry.

Anyway, this book is a horrifyingly descriptive and detailed account of the Everest disaster straight from the mouth (well, fingers, since it's typed) of a man who was there and witnessed each part.

Into Thin Air gives you a new perspective on perseverance, dedication, and what it truly means to be alive and kickin'.

Anyway, my thoughts.

Hm. How to begin?

Looking back, I can't really pinpoint why I was driven away from the book at first. Having not read too much nonfiction (well, nonfiction in the form of actual novels. Textbooks excepted.), I suppose I was put off by the technical nature of the prose. So much detail! I'm not really sure what audience Krakauer intended this novel for. Other mountaineers? A common passerby?
The heavy description of each climb that each person of the Outsider team at the beginning was rather dull and perhaps not necessary. Yes, we know that each member has their own qualifications and whatnot to be on the team. Get on with it!

The rest of the book, however, had me like this:


Seriously. I was not prepared for this. The heartbreak! So many dead at the end (I'll leave it at that for spoilers) and so many hardships they suffered.

Guh. Definitely worth the read.

Seriously, guys.

Seriously.

Alisa

This is a fascinating book that confirms what I already knew: I would never personally want to climb Mount Everest. 

I liked the structure of the book a lot: the way the history of Everest and other related events were woven in with the narrative of what happened in 1996. The one thing I didn't love were the quotes at the start of each chapter; some of them were interesting and illuminating, while others were long and felt a bit like falling into a literary crevasse.

Nick Bicko

"Into Thin Air" lag schon sehr lange auf dem Stapel der Bücher, die ich unbedingt lesen wollte. Nachdem ich vor einigen Jahren schon von "Into The Wild" begeistert war, wundert es mich, dass es abermals so lange gedauert hat.

Wie vermutlich viele hat auch mich der Mythos Mount Everest schon seit der Kindheit begleitet, auch wenn ich natürlich niemals auch nur in die Nähe einer Besteigung kommen werde.
Zudem interessieren mich Katastrophenberichte bzw. deren Aufarbeitungen.

Jon Krakauer ist ein Meister seines Fachs. 
Es ist der Erlebnisbericht der tragischen Unglückskette, die im Mai 1996 bei der Besteigung des Mount Everest ein gutes Dutzend Menschenleben einforderte. 
Krakauer, ein erfahrenener Bergsteiger, war als Journalist des "Outside"-Magazins auf die Expedition geschickt worden, um über die Kommerzialisierung der Everest-Besteigung zu berichten. 
Was erst nur ein Artikel war, wurde schließlich zu einem Buch, um der Tragödie in allen Details gerecht zu werden, wie Krakauer schreibt.

Krakauer berichtet über die Geschichte der Everest-Besteigungen, seine Klettererfahrungen, berühmte und bedeutende Bergsteiger und die Entwicklung hin zu kommerziellen Everest-Besteigungen, sodass man ein rundes Bild hat, bevor es überhaupt richtig losgeht.
Was diesen Erlebnisbericht so stark macht: Es liest sich so gut wie ein Roman und bleibt trotzdem extrem faktisch, nüchtern und sachlich. Fast alle überlebenden Beteiligten kommen zu Wort und tragen zu einer Aufarbeitung bei, die nur wenige Fragen offen lässt.
Krakauer ist zudem selbstkritisch, ehrlich und beleuchtet auch seine Rolle als Journalist: Hat seine Anwesenheit dazu geführt, dass Risiken eingegangen bzw. anders gehandelt wurde, damit Krakauer über eine erfolgreiche Expedition berichten kann?
Klare Empfehlung!

Lukas Gräf

fantastic book about the tragedies on Everest in the spring of 1996

Ruby Huber

This is one of those books that I think everyone— literally every single one of you!!— should read. I was shocked I was moved I was horrified and I learned a lot and what more can you ask of a book. Jon Krakauer sure knows how to write I’ll tell at that much. There was no shying away from the ugly in this, it is what it is, and it is a tragedy! All time favorite.

Piet Terheyden &
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

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