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A review by rbruehlman
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
5.0
Three for three on Jon Krakauer books for me--similar to the two other books I've read of his, this was engaging and riveting, transporting me right there as if I were there myself. This time Krakauer details his expedition up Mount Everest and how everything goes horribly, fatally wrong.
Krakauer's descriptions of Mount Everest were stunning. There are no photos in the book, but I'm not sure it needs any. He paints what feels like almost a movie, both in serene scenes and during periods of intense agony and terror, as climbers literally freeze to death. Harrowing scenes feel etched into my mind.
Of course, it's not just a gripping story. It's an exploration of the personalities who embarked on such a dangerous endeavor, and how and why things ended up so horrifically deadly. Krakauer pointedly notes mistakes made, for instance, how unprepared many of the hikers were (Sandy Pittman insisting on her electronics being hauled up a mountain struck me in particular), or why the guides seemingly inexplicably chose to not turn back from the peak when they said they would.
Striking to me most of all was examining the psyche of someone who attempts Everest. Krakauer rightly admits that the same person who is undaunted by--rather, compelled--to top Everest is the exact same sort of person who will ignore warning signs that others would heed. Everest isn't something you can best with sheer experience and technical ability; while mistakes were made that contributed to this particular disaster, ultimately there is no assurance something might go wrong. For some, this aspect might make Everest all the more appealing--a gamble against fate!--but I see even less appeal going to Everest than I ever did before (not that I had any grand aspirations to do so). It is, however, humbling for me to see how some natural wonders are still yet unconquerable by technology.
I really enjoyed how, similar to Under the Banner of Heaven, Krakauer directly addresses criticism of Into Thin Air. It lends credibility to one's work, in my opinion, if you don't shy away from criticism, but instead address it head-on. Addressing criticism--criticism a reader may not even know about, as I did not--is a vulnerable thing. You could just ignore the criticism and hope your average reader never reads up on your book or any related controversies, after all. But Krakauer brings it up himself and writes a thoughtful counterargument, one I felt was satisfactory.
Krakauer's descriptions of Mount Everest were stunning. There are no photos in the book, but I'm not sure it needs any. He paints what feels like almost a movie, both in serene scenes and during periods of intense agony and terror, as climbers literally freeze to death. Harrowing scenes feel etched into my mind.
Of course, it's not just a gripping story. It's an exploration of the personalities who embarked on such a dangerous endeavor, and how and why things ended up so horrifically deadly. Krakauer pointedly notes mistakes made, for instance, how unprepared many of the hikers were (Sandy Pittman insisting on her electronics being hauled up a mountain struck me in particular), or why the guides seemingly inexplicably chose to not turn back from the peak when they said they would.
Striking to me most of all was examining the psyche of someone who attempts Everest. Krakauer rightly admits that the same person who is undaunted by--rather, compelled--to top Everest is the exact same sort of person who will ignore warning signs that others would heed. Everest isn't something you can best with sheer experience and technical ability; while mistakes were made that contributed to this particular disaster, ultimately there is no assurance something might go wrong. For some, this aspect might make Everest all the more appealing--a gamble against fate!--but I see even less appeal going to Everest than I ever did before (not that I had any grand aspirations to do so). It is, however, humbling for me to see how some natural wonders are still yet unconquerable by technology.
I really enjoyed how, similar to Under the Banner of Heaven, Krakauer directly addresses criticism of Into Thin Air. It lends credibility to one's work, in my opinion, if you don't shy away from criticism, but instead address it head-on. Addressing criticism--criticism a reader may not even know about, as I did not--is a vulnerable thing. You could just ignore the criticism and hope your average reader never reads up on your book or any related controversies, after all. But Krakauer brings it up himself and writes a thoughtful counterargument, one I felt was satisfactory.