Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Into Thin Air: A Personal Account Of The Everest Disaster

An all too common word to describe this book is "Harrowing", but it really does fit. A really gripping story about the 1996 Everest storm that took so many lives, as well as the culture surrounding the climbing community, how they interact with each other, and the native Sherpas. The last 70 pages are incredibly gripping, so many ups and downs as the members of the expeditions fight for their lives. Absolutely insane that this book is rooted in real events.

While the events are indeed interpreted from the Author's viewpoint and extensive interviews, he does his best to acknowledge things his own mistakes and other aspects of the events he was unsure of, and provides rebuttals to others that have challenged him in the post-script.

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lingonberry's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative slow-paced

3.0

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aspenpastore's review

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adventurous challenging reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This was tense. Jon wrote a well-researched confessional about the 1996 Everest disaster. The writing is thorough and excellent, almost chilling in his matter-of-fact description of what came to pass. I came to care about all those who either died or survived. Wild to imagine the suffering they all endured and how it all happened. and yes, as jon wrote, mountaineering is exciting because of the danger, not in spite of it. the reality of what that danger means is what this book lays out in detail. there are no villains, and hardly heroes, only some heroic actions.

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