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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
My annual winter foray into armchair mountaineering and tragic expeditions. I was totally engrossed in the planning and horse trading that occurs before anyone steps foot in Kathmandu.
I have now seen this tragic climb from three points of view. They all were interesting. They all brought parts of the story. I am glad I took the time to see Boukreev's pov. I think he was a hero in the midst of this tragedy.
It is well worth the read to get another perspective on the 1996 Everest Disaster, a different perspective to Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. It has made me question Krakauer’s motivation for painting Boukreev in the light he did, making him out to be a villain. Placing blame certainly wasn’t going to help anybody afterwards.
Although not as thrilling a read as Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air recounting the tragic 1996 Everest expedition, this version of events gives Boukreev, a professional mountaineer working for the Mountain Madness team, a chance to tell his side of the story after Krakauer maligned him for his decision to summit without oxygen (among other things). This book definitely reads as a response to Into Thin Air a little too often and definitely has a defensive tone at times, but I still enjoyed hearing about the experience from someone else who was there, and Boukreev was undoubtedly a true hero in his rescue of three members of his own company’s expedition.
reflective
I've developed an obsession with Mt Everest over the past year and, as a result, have been devouring anything and everything related to the mountain. After reading Into Thin Air (and loving it), I wanted to read Anatoli Boukreev's response to Krakauer's version of events.
This was an excellent book that shone a light on things Krakauer either didn't know or reported incorrectly. I am glad, however, that I read Krakauer's book first and had a strong base knowledge of the events that happened in 1996 before going into Boukreev's book.
One of the things I think that negatively impacts the The Climb is Boukreev's limited understanding of English. Essentially, this book is DeWalt's version of Boukreev's version of events. And when we do get to read Boukreev's actual words from a transcript, it can be hard to follow what he's saying. For me, this gave the book an overall choppy feel.
I would highly recommend picking up both Into Thin Air and The Climb as they are great companion books. Krakauer is definitely the better storyteller, but Boukreev is able to offer new insights and share details Krakauer either overlooked or ignored.
This was an excellent book that shone a light on things Krakauer either didn't know or reported incorrectly. I am glad, however, that I read Krakauer's book first and had a strong base knowledge of the events that happened in 1996 before going into Boukreev's book.
One of the things I think that negatively impacts the The Climb is Boukreev's limited understanding of English. Essentially, this book is DeWalt's version of Boukreev's version of events. And when we do get to read Boukreev's actual words from a transcript, it can be hard to follow what he's saying. For me, this gave the book an overall choppy feel.
I would highly recommend picking up both Into Thin Air and The Climb as they are great companion books. Krakauer is definitely the better storyteller, but Boukreev is able to offer new insights and share details Krakauer either overlooked or ignored.
A defence against Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.
One should not, but the book almost invites one to do so, compare the two. They are different stories, written for different reasons. Krakauer's is the better written book. Both are very interesting. I am not inclined to say who is right or wrong, only that in the rarefied air of Mt Everest and in situations of life and death, no decisions are wrong or all are.
One should not, but the book almost invites one to do so, compare the two. They are different stories, written for different reasons. Krakauer's is the better written book. Both are very interesting. I am not inclined to say who is right or wrong, only that in the rarefied air of Mt Everest and in situations of life and death, no decisions are wrong or all are.
Another very personal recount of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.
What moved me the most was how changed Boukreev came out of the experience and how it affected further climbing attempts.
I do think it is slightly better than 'into thin air'.
What moved me the most was how changed Boukreev came out of the experience and how it affected further climbing attempts.
I do think it is slightly better than 'into thin air'.
Non-fiction about the tragedy on Mt. Everest in May, 1996. It focuses on two expeditions and the elements that led to death on the South face. I had previously read Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer’s account of the disaster, which implicates Anatoli Boukreev’s actions as a contributing factor to the fatalities. Krakauer was a client-climber on the Adventure Consultants expedition and Boukreev was a guide on the Mountain Madness team. At the time I made a mental note to read The Climb to find out Boukreev’s side of the story.
Mountaineering seems to attract strong personalities, and each of these two believes he is correct. In the end, like many tragedies where numerous people have taken part, each person has a different experience, and each remembers what happened differently. This book clearly states Boukreev’s philosophy and cites evidence to back up his position, refuting Krakauer’s assertions.
The Climb tells a riveting story. It highlights the importance of preparedness, leadership, and communication in the extremely hazardous environment of high altitude climbing. I felt it occasionally slipped into repetition and a bit of defensiveness, but I can understand the reasons for it. There are several appendices included, and I found it very informative to read the transcript of the Mountain Madness team’s debriefing made a few days afterward.
In the end, I was glad to have read both accounts and now feel I have a more complete understanding of the tragedy. Recommended to anyone who has read Into Thin Air or is interested in extreme sports, especially mountaineering.
Mountaineering seems to attract strong personalities, and each of these two believes he is correct. In the end, like many tragedies where numerous people have taken part, each person has a different experience, and each remembers what happened differently. This book clearly states Boukreev’s philosophy and cites evidence to back up his position, refuting Krakauer’s assertions.
The Climb tells a riveting story. It highlights the importance of preparedness, leadership, and communication in the extremely hazardous environment of high altitude climbing. I felt it occasionally slipped into repetition and a bit of defensiveness, but I can understand the reasons for it. There are several appendices included, and I found it very informative to read the transcript of the Mountain Madness team’s debriefing made a few days afterward.
In the end, I was glad to have read both accounts and now feel I have a more complete understanding of the tragedy. Recommended to anyone who has read Into Thin Air or is interested in extreme sports, especially mountaineering.