Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

[Allshallbewell2021]

For the second time.

Fascinating book about the disastrous season on Everest in 1996.

I’ll check out the ghosts of K2, thank for the recommendation.

I just love reading about mountaineering stories. They’re fascinating and scary - I just wish so many of them didn’t have sad endings.

I don’t know if there’s a book about it but the story if Jean-Christophe Lafaille is remarkable. He is abseiling down the south face of Annapurna with a partner, when his partner falls to his death along with all of their ropes and equipment. Lafaille is left stranded a mile up the sheer south face of Annapurna on his own with no equipment. Terrifying.

🙁 @Crabble.

Annapurna sounds lethal.

I second this recommendation.

Thanks for the recommendations folks!

When I’m reading about climbing the highest summits I get cross about the foolish choices that some mountaineers make. Each book I have to be reminded that in the death zone, especially without supplementary oxygen, it’s like making life or death decisions when you’re really quite drunk.

Annapurna by Arlene Blum is a good tellimg of the first female only ascent of Annapurna. After a glut of expedition accounts from various men it’s really interesting to notice the difference in style from the women’s group, not just of the climbing but the organising and the documenting of the expedition too.

Still listening to the Reunion on BBC Sounds and Mike Trueman from the International Expedition features. I don't recall him featuring massively in Krakauer's book, but it turns out he's got his own book out, The Storms. Haven't seen it mentioned here, has anyone read it?

Also, can't believe they have Makalu on from the Taiwanese expedition, after what I've read about him to date!!

Additionally... the fact that the actor Brian Blessed was also on the mountain in spring 96 was a twist I did not see coming 😲