"Into Thin Air" Book Review

Title of Book: Into Thin Air

Author: Jon Krakauer

# of pages: 279

Star Rating:

(There were some hard parts, but overall amazing book)

Oxygen deprived and fighting off frostbite, Jon Krakauer made it down Everest hours before a storm took the lives of several of his companions. His book Into Thin Air is an intense story describing the unfortunate events that unfolded on May 10th, 1996 at the top of the world. Jon joined the Adventure Consultants team and embarked on a journey to climb Mount Everest. He describes in great detail a first hand account of the friendships, hardships, terrors, regrets, and delights he experienced on his ultimate adventure.

The idea behind the story is very intriguing. A group of mountain climbers join together to tackle the largest obstacle in the world. Even if you have no mountain climbing experience, Jon writes in a way that takes you up on the perilous slopes with him. His writing is honest and includes such raw emotion as he reflects on the turmoils of those who did not make it back to basecamp alive. Much of the book is an emotional rollercoaster, while some of it is harder to absorb.

The faint of heart should think twice before reading Into Thin Air. I was not prepared for the gruesome recounts that Jon describes in full detail. These gory parts were necessary for the story to be fully told with honesty, but they left me queasy to my stomach. While reading there were times I was actually shaken so much that I had to put the book down and process the tragedy I had just read. Jon’s book is not only a story to entertain and remember the lives that were lost, it serves as a warning to thrill seekers that climbing Everest can be deadly, even for the experts.

Even so, most mature readers will enjoy this book. Adventure oozes out of every page and fascinating elements will leave you mind-boggled. You will be swept away in the climbing perils and frostbite accounts and in the end, be thankful you were able to experience it all on the comforts of your living room couch.