Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

[Allshallbewell2021]

For the second time.

Fascinating book about the disastrous season on Everest in 1996.

I saw the film one night and as I do I fell Into a Google worm hole reading all sorts about the disaster.
I ended up downloading:Jon Krakauer - Into Thin AirAnatoli Boukreev - The ClimbBeck Weathers zLeft For DeadAll were good reads and obviously they are their own perspectives. I imagine there are truths and embellishments in each book. Once I read the books I was still in the worm hole so ended up watching a series on tv that was about the guys who do the helicopter rescues, quite a eye opener.

I'm glad I'm not the only armchair mountaineer😆.

all I get in a flap halfway up climbing walls 😳. I could do a sensible mountain, but I don't do risk.

Found this except from the David Breashears book, hewww.theguardian.com/books/2003/mar/30/everest.features

Thanks Elebag Really interesting perspective from the IMAX team.

I did the same, once I read one of the books, I had to read the others straight away as I really wanted to get all the perspectives.

Armchair mountaineering is certainly far safer!

Thanks Schloss - have you seen the IMAX film that was started in 1996? That must be amazing on a huge screen.

Slightly more visceral armchair mountaineering!

No not seen the IMAX film, I am sure it must be amazing though. Think I may stick to the books as the film may be too much like I was there and I am not too sure I would want to feel like that!

Some of the books on K2 and Annapurna are also worth reading, sadly many detailing deaths but in a less commercial environment than Everest. The info about high altitude climbing and the effects on the body are sometimes incomprehensible.

The film is amazing. It was one of the first made specifically for imax. It only mentions the disaster in passing playing down the significant input made by the filmmakers both by people and by making all equipment such as oxygen cylinders freely available to rescuers.

The IMAX film is brilliant, I too am obsessed by it all

Into Thin Air is the book I’ve most recommended to others.

Just wanted to throw in a word for Into The Silence by Wade Davis. It’s a mammoth book about Mallory and early attempts on Everest. It took me ages to read but it’s a classic. I’ve read another book on the discovery of Mallory’s body but the name escapes me.

Thank you BestIswest.
It's my go to subject for no accountable reason.
Have you read 'mountains of the mind' by Robert McFarlane? So good.

Blind Descent - Bruce Dickinson is a good read. I think the book about finding Mallory's body may be Last Hours on Everest by Graham Hoyland?

Should give an honourary mention to the Ascent of Rum Doodle which makes more sense when you've seen Scott of the Antarctica's grocery list.
It was still being name checked when I was in Nepal in'95

Oh nice thread! I read into thin air, touching the void and into the wild as part of the literature review for an essay at uni on the subject of 'perceptions of wilderness' back in about 2003?!

I'm another one that's fascinated by Everest despite going dizzy if I climb a ladder!
I'm currently listening to Everest Inc by Will Cockrell. Very interesting run through of the commercialisation of climbing Everest that's just come out.

@BestIsWest i am obsessed with the George Mallory mystery. He is my hero. What he and Irvine did was so much more impressive to me than the successful attempts of the 8000ers many years later.

(he definitely made it up 😎)

I also am fascinated by climbing and mountaineering despite being a very average climber myself. I have done various treks in Nepal including to Everest Base Camp and it is truly unbelievable.

I love mountaineering books too, but am afraid of heights so would never attempt to climb one. I really enjoyed Krakauer's book; and have also read The Climb. I can also recommend this book

Schloss
I've just finished The Climb - wow, what an amazing perspective.
Krakauer - not correcting his copy! Shocking!

I thought the people who wrote the Everest film clearly didn't like Krakauer as he was portrayed very unsympathetically.

Absolute armchair mountaineer here too. I can recommend the Chris Eakin book " A Race Too Far" for a similar vibe and an incredible story but in the sailing world.

Mountains, especially Everest, are a bit of a special interest of mine, despite having no desire to climb anything more technical than Ben Nevis. There are a couple of good series on BBC Sounds:
The Crowning of Everest - about Mallory and Irvine
The Everest Obsession - about the commercialisation of climbing

Regions of the Heart, the biography of Alison Hargreaves is also an interesting read

Oolong
All the different accounts are now merging in my head now. I have to watch the film again to remind myself what its narrative is.
What's interesting is how Boukreev gets such a negative spin from Krakauer and (to an extent) from Neal Beidleman about coming down fast on his own when he had agreed to this approach with Scott Fischer.
It's so fascinating.
Crabble 🫡🫡🏔️🫡

Thank you sandcastle, I agree sailing is a parallel fascination.
But not the Donald Crowhurst one! I can't watch the film - it's too sad a story.
*
Maiden* is a great film!

Oh yes, @HippyChickMama the Alison Hargreaves book was sad. Did you see the documentary about her son?

Also has anyone mentioned Free Solo?

Bestis - the film about her son 💔