Editorial Review

One of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told -- Aron Ralston's searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home.

It started out as a simple hike in the Utah canyonlands on a warm Saturday afternoon. For Aron Ralston, a twenty-seven-year-old mountaineer and outdoorsman, a walk into the remote Blue John Canyon was a chance to get a break from a winter of solo climbing Colorado's highest and toughest peaks. He'd earned this weekend vacation, and though he met two charming women along the way, by early afternoon he finally found himself in his element: alone, with just the beauty of the natural world all around him.

It was 2:41 P.M. Eight miles from his truck, in a deep and narrow slot canyon, Aron was climbing down off a wedged boulder when the rock suddenly, and terrifyingly, came loose. Before he could get out of the way, the falling stone pinned his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall.

And so began six days of hell for Aron Ralston. With scant water and little food, no jacket for the painfully cold nights, and the terrible knowledge that he'd told no one where he was headed, he found himself facing a lingering death -- trapped by an 800-pound boulder 100 feet down in the bottom of a canyon. As he eliminated his escape options one by one through the days, Aron faced the full horror of his predicament: By the time any possible search and rescue effort would begin, he'd most probably have died of dehydration, if a flash flood didn't drown him before that.

What does one do in the face of almost certain death? Using the video camera from his pack, Aron began recording his grateful good-byes to his family and friends all over the country, thinking back over a life filled with adventure, and documenting a last will and testament with the hope that someone would find it. (For their part, his family and friends had instigated a major search for Aron, the amazing details of which are also documented here for the first time.) The knowledge of their love kept Aron Ralston alive, until a divine inspiration on Thursday morning solved the riddle of the boulder. Aron then committed the most extreme act imaginable to save himself.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place -- a brilliantly written, funny, honest, inspiring, and downright astonishing report from the line where death meets life -- will surely take its place in the annals of classic adventure stories. ... Read more

Reviews

Compelling, riveting tale of survival and human strength
I agree with the last reviewer. The fact that Aron Ralston used poor judgment, i.e. hiking alone and not telling anyone where he was, only makes his story more compelling. Hasn't everyone made a huge mistake that leads to a painful, regretful plight?
Calling the media sensationalistic,in this instance, is just plain silly--amputing one's arm in order to save one's life IS a sensational, highly unusual event. I don't think the media or Aron is making it anything more than what it was. The charge that Aron is self-promoting is just as ridiculous. After you read the book, you will see that Ralston is a humble person with great integrity and strength. He is simply telling his own, true, unbelievable story. Bottomline, this book is incredibly well-written, moving and not to be missed.

Must-read literature
Aron's story is intelligent, sincere, warm and at many times, funny. As amazing as the story of his ordeal is, what is nearly as amazing is that something this well-written was created by the person it involved, not a ghost writer. It is nothing short of fine literature, not to mention an obviously compelling story.

Aron inspires us all. He shows us that a motivated person can save himself, and that the force of life can beat unbelievable odds against the force of death. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air, Krakauer's epic account of the May 1996 disaster

By writing Into Thin Air, Krakauer may have hoped to exorcise some of his own demons and lay to rest some of the painful questions that still surround the event. He takes great pains to provide a balanced picture of the people and events he witnessed and gives due credit to the tireless and dedicated Sherpas. He also avoids blasting easy targets such as Sandy Pittman, the wealthy socialite who brought an espresso maker along on the expedition. Krakauer's highly personal inquiry into the catastrophe provides a great deal of insight into what went wrong. But for Krakauer himself, further interviews and investigations only lead him to the conclusion that his perceived failures were directly responsible for a fellow climber's death. Clearly, Krakauer remains haunted by the disaster, and although he relates a number of incidents in which he acted selflessly and even heroically, he seems unable to view those instances objectively. In the end, despite his evenhanded and even generous! assessment of others' actions, he reserves a full measure of vitriol for himself.This updated trade paperback edition of Into Thin Air includes an extensive new postscript that sheds fascinating light on the acrimonious debate that flared between Krakauer and Everest guide Anatoli Boukreev in the wake of the tragedy."I have no doubt that Boukreev's intentions were good on summit day," writes Krakauer in the postscript, dated August 1999. "What disturbs me, though, was Boukreev's refusal to acknowledge the possibility that he made even a single poor decision. Never did he indicate that perhaps it wasn't the best choice to climb without gas or go down ahead of his clients." As usual, Krakauer supports his points with dogged research and a good dose of humility. But rather than continue the heated discourse that has raged since Into Thin Air's denouncement of guide Boukreev, Krakauer's tone is conciliatory; he points most of his criticism at G. Weston De Walt, who coauthored, The Climb, Boukreev's version of events. And in a touching conclusion, Krakauer re!counts his last conversation with the late Boukreev, in which the two weathered climbers agreed to disagree about certain points. Krakauer had great hopes to patch things up with Boukreev, but the Russian later died in an avalanche on another Himalayan peak, Annapurna I. In 1999, Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters-a prestigious prize intended "to honor writers of exceptional accomplishment."According to the Academy's citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer.His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind." ... Read more

Reviews

A Classic Tale
I first read "Into Thin Air" right after it was first published five years ago. It haunted me at the time, and it continues to do so today. By now, the story has been told so many times and by so many different people that it hard to remember that Krakauer's original account is the one that made it famous to begin with. Were it not for his incredible abilities as a storyteller, it is doubtful that anyone outside the world of mountaineering would remember what happened at the peak of Everest in that fateful May of 1996.

Krakauer's account is so compelling because it reads like a book length confession, which it is in a sense. The author worked through his very considerable feelings of survivor's guilt in the book's pages. His descriptions and not inconsiderable opinions have become legendary. For example, how many people read of AOL Chairman Robert Pittman's recent outster from the company and remembered him as the husband of Sandra Hill Pittman, who personified the rich amature climber who buys their way to the top of the world's tallest peak and who has no business being there? Krakauer's descriptions of Mrs. Pittman on the mountain are an example of his simple but devastating observations.

Krakauer's highly readable prose make the book read like fiction, probably another reason why it was so popular. He signed on for the Everest climb intending to write a standard mountaineering magazine article. That he chose the fateful May 1996 climb is simply a rare case of someone being at the wrong place at precisely the right time. Though it caused him plenty of personal torment, it also allowed him to write a story for the ages.

Overall, "Into Thin Air" fantastic storytelling make it one of the best non-fiction books published in the last decade or so.

AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE - MOVING,SHOCKING,REAL
Having never understood why people climb mountains, and after seeing Beck Weathers on television last year, I bought INTO THIN AIR in order to gain more insight. Krakauer delivered.

Have some time on your hands, because once you begin reading Jon's story depicting the turn of events throughout his journey on Everest in the Spring of '96, you won't be able to stop reading until you've read the last word in his book. This account of summitting Everest is a page turner even though the outcome is old news. It will leave you wanting to know more about other attempts made on Everest, both failed and successful.

For those who don't understand why on earth anyone would want to do something as dangerous as climbing "Into Thin Air" on rock and ice ... this book answers that curiosity. Because Jon introduces his readers to the backgrounds and personalities of the main characters in his book, we can better comprehend the different reasons people spend thousands of dollars and two or more months of their lives in "hell" on a mountain - freezing and injured - 'just to get to the top'. We learn through Krakauer why they continue their ascent even though the conditions are pure torture and more life threatening with each step; why they don't give it up once they've lost feeling in their extremities, separated their ribs, lost their vision, can no longer breathe due to oxygen depleted air, why they don't turn back even when they see the dead who've attempted to reach the summit on prior expeditions. You'll understand because of Krakauer's talent as a writer ... his ability to replay his emotions, his thoughts, his experiences, and his opinions through writing.

You'll feel the frigid wind, the snow, the ice, the pain, the desperation, the sorrow, the regrets. The "if only's" will torture your soul just as they have and continue to torture Jon's.

He writes in such a way you will have no choice other than to join him on that mountain. You'll meet and get to know the members and guides of Rob Hall's team as well as Scott Fischer, his guides, and some of his team members whom you will respect even though you may not like. Unfortunately, not everyone on the mountain was a "good guy" ... you'll be livid thanks to the danger the teams encounter due to the inexperience, egos, arrogance, and ruthlessness of the few "bad apples".

For the survivors, Jon's book is an avenue in which fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and other loved ones are portrayed as the heroes they were. Although some of the deceased's relatives were upset with Krakauer, it will seem unjust because of the respectful way in which he depicts his fellow mountaineers and the Sherpas.

Page by Page Suspense
Even if you already know the story of the deadly Mt. Everest expeditions of 1996, you will appreciate Jon Krakauer's own first person account of the Adventure Consultants and the Mountain Madness groups. Both of these expeditions were led by well-seasoned Everest climbers---Rob Hall from New Zealand and Scott Fischer from the States--and had the aid of expert guides, Sherpas from Nepal and "outsiders". But we soon find that even these experienced people are not immune from the human frailties of greed, denial and self-serving. Those Achilles' heels will cause both expeditions to completely fall apart. At the same time, human error combined with the unforgiving terrors of high altitude climbing sets the scene for heroism in many of the climbers and crew.

Krakauer, a journalist who signed on with Hall's expedition to do a story for Outside magazine, doesn't disappoint as weaver of a tale. I took the book everywhere with me while reading it, always eager to find out what would happen next.

If a book that explores deftly our desire to reach an unreachable summit appeals to you....especially when that book does not shy away from the tragedy caused when the desire to reach it undoes common sense and humanity....I highly recommend "Into Thin Air."

How to tell the truth at 29,000 feet
By and large, the negative reviews posted here have little to do with the quality of this book and almost everything to do with the presumed character of the writer, Jon Krakauer. Similarly, those who dislike Krakauer's Into the Wild tend to focus their judgment of the book's worth on their own feelings regarding the essay's subject, Christopher McCandless, the young man who traveled the Western United States and Mexico for two years before perishing in Alaska. I read Krakauer differently. I am not interested in Krakauer's liberal politics, his emotional instability, and variable maturity. I am not interested in whether he portrays the absolute truth in his account of the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster for the simple fact that I don't believe the truth can be told. Writing is a very poor substitute for a frostbitten finger or a hypoxic head. All we have is Krakauer's writing, so let's look at what he does as a writer.

Krakauer is a sensationalist journalist, and since he reports on dangerous and near-death experiences regularly, he really can't help being grandiose and spectacular. The subject of his writing demands that he ratchet up the emotional power of his style and word choice. And let's be honest--don't we, as readers, demand it of him as well? Don't we want a voyeuristic and graphic account, where the size, the shape, and the smell of death seem to lift from the pages? Who wants to read about a mountain climbing disaster sans the emotion and the ego it takes to put one's self unnecessarily into such perilous situations?

Perhaps some readers want a quiet truth about what happened on the mountain, but this is to ask the impossible since every climber is guaranteed to have a different story and different perceptions of similar experiences--none of which are altogether true and none of which are altogether lies. And when he/she goes to tell about it, pieces of reality will inevitably be missed and left forgotten on the mountain. Emotions will well up and color an event with bias. Egos will peek from behind a boulder and whisper truths and nonsense.

No writer can make sense of all of that, but Krakauer has tried, and largely succeeded, to give the reader an idea of what it was like on Mt. Everest in late spring 1996. He may or may not have retraced every path exactly, but he acts as a good guide. He welcomes the reader to disagree with him and simultaneously makes a bold and convincing case. He admits a myriad of his own mistakes and points out the mistakes of others. I'm impressed mostly with the balanced feel of his account. For example, much is made of Krakauer's portrayal of Anatoli Boukreev's actions on the mountain. Those who read Krakauer as blaming Boukreev for the deaths of some climbers must not have closely read the many times Krakauer praises Boukreev's numerous heroic actions. By telling of both the shameful and heroic actions of Boukreev--all told from Krakauer's self-admitted hypoxic state--I find that Krakauer achieves a kind of truth about both Boukreev and himself.

In the end, for me, the book is about how truth changes states: It's solid and reliable when you start to climb Mt. Everest. And then you climb too high, and the truth becomes slippery and liquid; you're not quite sure and you're not quite in doubt. And then sometimes, the truth changes to a gas, a gyre of contradictions--the terrible beauty of chaos, which you'll never completely remember or entirely forget.

Thrilling and Unforgettable
I found Into Thin Air, as well as Krakauer's excellent Into the Wild, to be two of the most gripping, emotional, unforgettable reads of my life. Into Thin Air tells a fascinating story of hardship, tragedy, heroism and perhaps lack of respect for nature, and unlike virtually all books of the genre the author was there, suffering through the storm and watching his comrades fall. Sebastian Junger, in his compelling book The Perfect Storm, pieced together information to try and imagine what it was like on the Andrea Gail out in the North Atlantic. Krakauer was actually on the summit of Everest in May 1996, and he takes the reader on one helluva ride.

Most of you who have gotten this far in the reviews knows the basic premise. Krakauer was sent to Everest by Outside magazine to join New Zealand guide Ron Hall's expeedition in the spring of 1996. He was there to write an expose about how anyone who is reasonably in shape, has some (and not a lot) of climbing experience, and who can fork over more than $60,000 could be taken to the summit of Everest while Sherpas and yaks carried most of your supplies, cooked your meals, and carried you when you collapsed. One climber even brought an espresso machine. He also wanted to comment on how Everest has become a virtual junk yard, with empty oxygen cannisters strewn all over the face of the mountain.

What he found changed his life forever. Krakauer was caught up in a deadly storm, that appeared virtually "out of thin air", leaving members of his and other teams stranded on the summit and on Hillary Step (a ledge just below the summit) with little chance of making it down. The story is gripping, suspenseful and ultimately deeply moving. The reader may think humans, especially those with pregnant wives at home, have no business at the summit of Everest, but you cannot help being deeply moved as you read about Rob Hall talking to his wife on the other side of the world, via satellite phone, to discuss the name of their unborn child while Hall is stranded on the mountain. The book kept me up nights as few others ever have.

A point about the "feud" with Anatoli Boukreev is worth mentioning, since, in my opinion, this has been blown out of proportion by others. Krakauer recognizes that each climber has his own way of doing things, but he took some shots at the Mountain Madness expedition led by Scott Fischer, and at his guide Boukreev in particular, for climbing without supplemental oxygen and for descending ahead of the group's clients. I think he made some good points there. Boukreev was no doubt a great climber, and his death in an avalanche the next year makes the whole debate a little pointless, but I think a client if I were to fork over $60,000 I have the right to expect that the guide will be out on the mountain with me as I descend, not warming up in the hut drinking tea. Boukreev is credited by Krakauer with a heroic trip back up the mountain during a blizzard to reach Fischer, and he may have been told earlier by Fischer to descend (we'll never know for sure), but those tactics are surely open to debate. Some reviewers here on Amazon have taken personal shots at Krakauer's actions during the storm, but he was no paid guide, and he rightfully takes some blame himself in his book for abandoning Beck Weathers and for giving some false info to the family of one of his guides, Andy Harris that added to the confusion in those first days of the incident.

In any event, if you want to get caught up in the whole Krakauer v. Boukreev debate, be my guest - you can read both of their accounts of what happened on that fateful trip. For my money, Krakauer's account is the definitive, well-written story, which should at the very least be used as a starting point for anyone interested in the 1996 Everest tragedy. And for most people (like myself) with little or no interest in climbing, read Into Thin Air on its own as a gripping, unforgettable account of a very public tragedy which you will not soon forget.

Getting up is easy, the hard part is getting down
Jon Krakauer takes you for a front seat ride up the deadly slopes of Mount Everest, during the notoriously deadly expedition of May 1996. Barely escaping the mountain with his own life, journalist Krakauer remembers the team members and friends left on the mountain. Four out of eleven members died on the fatal mountain.

Inch by weary inch, step by shivering step, Krakauer takes us on his journey up Everest and introduces us to the members of his team. This book is so well written that you can feel the oxygen depravation and the cold, and are left feeling the personal loss of lives you come to know and care about as fully fleshed out people.

He brings to life the real concerns of guided ascents up Everest, the use of oxygen by guides, the inexperience of people who pay mega-bucks to be escorted to the world's highest peak, the state of mind that thin air brings to the human mind, and the accomplishments and follies of those who attempt such an extra-ordinary feat.

The book includes a map, eight pages of glossy black and white photos, some dark pictures leading into every chapter, blurbs from different publications that lead each chapter, a bibliography, and an extensive postscript answering some outstanding issues that arose in DeWalt's account of the same ascent called 'The Climb'.

This is one of the best non-fiction books I've read in a long time. The story is compelling and the telling is honest. Krakauer speaks of his survival guilt with open poignancy and candor. He passes over his own hardships and applauds the heroism of those who helped to save many of the stranded members of the climbing parties. He reports on bottlenecks high up on the mountain, particularly on the Hillary Step, that cause costly delays and could mean the difference between life and death at such altitudes. If you're looking for an exciting, heart pounding non-fiction read then look no further. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

ENGROSSING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING
Jon Krakauer's narrative of the 1996 disaster on Mt. Everest is excellently written and extremely engrossing. Although the events are true, the book reads like a top action/adventure thriller, keeping us turning pages until the end. This is definitely a first-person account, though, and Krakauer makes sure the attention is centered on him, as he alternately extolls his virtues and reveals his faults. I felt extremely saddened when reading this book and I think we must look closely at how and why this tragedy happened. I cannot help but fault, in part, the two guides, Hall and Fischer. Both were experienced climbers and both had previously been on Everest. As guides, these men were running a business for profit and were desirous of satisfied customers--that meant making the summit. But these two men had also accepted the responsibility of caring for their clients' safety, as well as for the safety of those in expeditions not their own. The fact that they ignored self-imposed turn-around times simply cannot be forgiven. Ultimately, however, each person must take responsibility for his or her own actions. Technically, Everest is an easy climb, but the physical demands are enormous. The bulk of climbers were untrained, unfamiliar with their equipment, and simply not in the top physical condition needed to withstand the rigors of high-altitude climbing, a fact of which they certainly must have been aware. And if they weren't, then certainly Hall and Fischer were. Many of the previous reviewers have faulted the climbers for turning their backs on Beck Wethers and Yasuko Namba, but once you have actually engaged in high-altitude climbing, as I have done, you know Everest is not the place to become your brother's keeper. No one should have died and had Hall and Fischer turned around, as they should have, in all probability no one would have. Into Thin Air is a fascinating tale and one that poses many thought-provoking questions each man and woman must answer, not only on Everest, but in the course of his or her day-to-day life.

Riveting - But Tread Cautiously Through It
This account ignited a long distilled passion for the mountains, and renewed interest in the Outdoors. Krakauer (the name itself conjures up courage and strength)writes with immediacy and more important, from firsthand experience. He's a hardcore adventurer, he's lived it, and is one of those rare, original people able to express what is often inexplicable. This book was easy to read in one or two sittings, and tremendously compelling (leading me to read Into The Wild and other books related to the 1996 Everest incidents).

I was also one of those chagrined to discover, after having loved and being incredibly excited by this book, that for all its accuracy, there are some areas that should not be read without circumspection. Although the book mostly avoids The Blame Game, it lapses into this once focus moves to the Head Climber of Mountain Madness, the heroic but inarticulate Boukreev. Krakauer's facts are interspersed with some opinions, and a few of these opinions, especially those of Boukreev (who died in 1997, in an avalanche on Annapurna 1, instead of remaining in America to receive one of the highest awards for mountaineering bravery) - some of these opinions are distasteful.

While I am merely a reader, and I respect and admire the talents of these men in the mountains a great deal, I do wonder what prompted Krakauer to pursue his character assissination of Boukreev. Krakauer has dogged determination in his writing as much as he does in his climbing, but also a stubbornness, and in writing Into Thin Air (which he did incredibly quickly after the fact) seems to strive to be seen as the one and only leading authority, acknowledging that it is not perfect, but nevertheless the complete'the best'and total story of that 1996 climb. This is unfortunate, because Krakauer himself was on the mountain, and his own perceptions were not 100%. He does succeed in communicating his experience with profundity. He fails though, in a few of his many interpretations, including of some of his own mishaps, and thus, has opened the door to a raging debate on 'what really happened', including, for example, what happened to Andy Harris, his encounter on the Kangshung Face, and important conversations he was not privy to close to the summit.

His 'Postscript' response to The Climb goes to great lengths, and like the rest of the book, turns out to be well worded, but does not hide what eventually are borne out to be a few inaccuracies (inadequacies?). His experience on Everest is not his best mountaineering experience (he was at one point assisted by 2 guides), and Boukreev fared far far better. Actions, should at the end of such events, speak louder than Krakauer's (or anyone else's) words, and Boukreev's actions do. Krakauer's behaviour on that day was quite limited by comparison.

Krakauer needs to be more gracious to a man who helped insure the safety of every one of the members on his team (all but the leader survived,) with no permanent damage, while 4 members of Krakauer's team died, and at least one survivor had severe and permanent damage. The idea should not be to blame people in mountains, when things go wrong, but to recognise the right things that happen that save lives.

Krakauer's own account of his meeting with Beck Weathers also differs from Weather's own version. Krakauer actually resisted Weather's desperate plea for assistance, although Krakauer paints a more gracious picture of himself in his story. The point though, is not to point fingers, and Boukreev puts it perfectly when he says 'each is responsible for his own ambition' on the mountain. Thus, others should not be blamed when things go wrong, but hopefully, will have the wherwithal to respond in these extreme circumstances. The reality in the Death Zone is one person who breaks down, slows down, and needs assistance causes a domino effect, it leads to an exponential increase in the risks to the lives of others, as valuable resources of energy and oxygen and time get used up.

We live in world of soundbites, of show, and of course the 1996 Incident has been written about, and made into a television show.

Into Thin Air powerfully communicates the meaning and drama of that high world. It's most important defects though, are not recognising the astonishing courage of a man who stood up through the storm that day while it seemed everyone else, including the sherpas, whimpered in their tents. Few understand what happened, and Into Thin Air sadly perpetuates that mystification as far as it communicates Broukeev's role. Read The Climb after Into Thin Air, for more perspective. It's equally engrossing, well written, but a far more genuine account.

Impossible to put down!
Perhaps timing is everything, but don't tell that to Jon Krakauer, an outdoors writer and mountain climber who was offered the opportunity of a lifetime to climb Mount Everest; only to find himself in the middle of the most notable catastrophe to ever strike the mountain. With the 50th anniversary of the successful assent by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, there is renewed interest in Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for the mountain. Previous to the second half of the twentieth century, Everest was a forbidden monolith that crushed anyone who attempted to scale it's heights. But with it's invincibility shattered by Hillary and Norgay, Everest began to shed some of it's mystery, and bit by bit, the appearance (but just the appearance) of it's lethality. By the 90's, the primary requisite for a summit attempt was a bank account large enough to pay for an experienced guide. New problems like the litter of discarded oxygen canisters became a threat to the mountain, as the climbing ranks swelled with serious amateurs anxious to achieve various ego firsts like "first woman over 60," "first Lithuanian" to summit Everest, along with the highest mountains on each of the continents.

Outside magazine sent Krakauer on an expedition with Rob Hall, one of the most experienced of the new crop of guides, whose business it was to get climbers to the summit. Even with modern equipment and climbing techniques that's still a daunting task, not for the faint of heart or the expanded of waistline. However the professional mountaineers of Hillary's generation were being followed on Hall's expedition by a postal employee, a New York socialite and others. They were joined on the mountain by various teams, some so inexperienced as to be comical. Among the other teams was one led by Scott Fisher, another guide that was making a name for his ability to get people to the top and in a bit of braggadocio had even claimed that he had "found a golden staircase to the summit."

Krakauer outlines all of the minutia regarding preparation and execution of an Everest climb. You can almost find yourself wheezing as he describes what existence is like above the elevation that is known as the Death Zone. And he recounts in harrowing detail the storm that hit while Hall and Fisher's teams were near or below the summit, and the efforts of the others to rescue them. I had mixed feelings when I read of the final conversation between Rob Hall, as he sat helpless and dying on the mountain, and his pregnant wife back in New Zealand. Here is a man and woman exchanging their final words, both fully aware of his fate, and yet we mortals who will likely never be tested in this way are privy to his private thoughts and her quiet despair.

Moving from the role of dispassionate observer, into a deeper role of survivor, Krakauer anguishes over what he could have done differently, of the mistakes he believes he made and how he will ever reconcile his grief. Yes, he stood on the summit. Yes, he survived and returned home. But he has no satisfaction about conquering the mountain. And he questions why anyone else would even attempt it.

Seeking a state of grace
I remember the spring of 1996 and the Everest disasters very well. I was stuck in traffic when a writer named Jon Krakauer was briefly interviewed on NPR when he first returned as one of the survivors of a deadly climb. I had never given mountaineering or Everest much thought but the drama, and especially Krakauer's traumatized voice, inspired a curiosity I've only now actually pursued by reading this book.

If you have ever been at a popular tourist spot when several buses pulled up and disgorged different tours, you have the picture of what mountaineering on Everest had become by 1996. The golden era of exploration and mountaineering on Everest was over. Commercial expeditions charging $65,000 a head would take up clients who could pay, not necessarily those who were vetted mountaineers. Base Camp was a cross between a vanity fair and a scout jubilee. Krakauer, a practiced climber who was commissioned by Outside Magazine to write about the experience, had signed on with an ethical and highly skilled outfit. There was, to the climbers, little warning that anything could go wrong. Across the next several weeks, the climbers moved slowly up the mountain, becoming acclimated. Perhaps the first clue of the reality of Everest was encountering dead bodies from previous years that had simply been left behind. The 1996 groups kept going. The ravages of altitude sickness, the increasing consumption of oxygen canisters, and the physical punishment should have been more flags. The day scheduled for achieving the summit became a train wreck of bad choices, rejection of basic guidelines such as turn around times, altitude sickness, and the surprise of a subzero storm that suddenly grabbed the top of the world with hurricane force. The scramble for survival meant, in some cases, abandoning people for dead on the mountain, people who had become comrades on the ropes. Krakauer documents incredible stories of heroism and survival, as well as the death toll and permanent physical injuries incurred by some.

Krakauer is an astonishing writer who does a good job of sorting out a confusing series of events. Realizing the limitations of one person's memory in the midst of a traumatic experience that has bequeathed a sense of guilt, he went back and interviewed other survivors to get at the truth. Although he never imposes overarching themes on the narrative, his story illustrates classic conflicts as humans are seen tempting mortality on the grandest scale on earth. The more they push their human capacities, the more the mountain seems determined to push the climbers down into their very flawed human place. In the end, this is not so much a tour of a mountain as it is an exploration of humanity. There are a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks pointing fingers at those who survived, and some are pointed weakly at Krakauer, but I found this to be very evenly handled.
... Read more

Editorial Review

THE “EXTRAORDINARY” (Booklist) #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER—THE “HARROWING” (The Washington Post) SURVIVOR’S MEMOIR YOU WILL NEVER FORGET

Aron Ralston, an experienced twenty-seven-year-old outdoorsman, was on a day’s solitary hike through a remote and narrow Utah canyon when he dislodged an eight-hundred- pound boulder that crushed his right hand and wrist against the canyon wall. Emerging from the searing pain, Aron found himself completely stuck. No one knew where he was; no one was coming to rescue him. With scant water and food, and a cheap pocketknife his only tool, he eliminated his options one by one. On the fifth night, wracked by delirium and uncontrollable shivers, Aron scratched his epitaph into the rock wall, certain he would not see daylight.

Yet with the new morning came an epiphany: if he could use the rock’s vise-like hold to break his arm bones, his blunted pocketknife could serve as a surgeon’s blade. . . . ... Read more

Reviews

one of the best books i've read., December 17, 2010
I'm not sure who these reviewers are who have such pity for Aron Ralston, or who think he's a "dumbf--k" for his risk-taking, or who think he hasnt learned something of crucial importance from his experience at Blue John Canyon. Either they missed the point of this incredible story, or I did. Given how deeply this book touched me, I'd say it's a safe bet that it wasnt me that missed the point.

The story of his saga in the canyon is retold in this book in often excruciating detail, to the point where I sometimes found my hands clenching, my heart pounding, my eyes welling with tears as he reminisced, hallucinated, struggled with things that seem to me the very core of being human - in particular, discovering a greater appreciation for the people we love.

I would recommend this book to all but maybe the most squeamish of individuals, and even then I would suggest sucking it up and reading it anyway. This story is inspiring in so many ways. Totally worth reading.

Aron, if you're reading these reviews....thank you. Your suffering was not in vain, my friend. And i thank you for sharing it with all of us.

A Fabulous Compendium of Adventure Stories, December 14, 2010
This book was well written and a great read. I was delighted by the central story's backdrop of numerous other contrasting adventures Mr. Ralston experienced scaling mountains in the wild on his own - in the winter. I was wowed by the unexpected depth and breadth of his numerous solo expedition experiences. I particularly enjoyed the bear-stalking story from the Tetons.

Mr. Ralston is a person singularly intent on achieving his goals despite any extenuating circumstances. And he pays for his myopia - dearly. The numerous messages to readers are self-evident within the storylines of his tales: leave your food accessible, get stalked by a bear; lead your friends down a chute with questionable snowpack stability, almost kill one of them; canyoneer in a remote area without notifying anyone of your whereabouts, lose an arm. One thing I think we can all admire about Mr. Ralston is his relentless (albeit at times thoroughly reckless) pursuit of high adventure in the great outdoors, a sentiment many of us stubbornly harbor in our modernized cyberspace world.

Thank you for your stories, Mr. Ralston.

Only 12 hours to read this good book!, November 22, 2010
Aron Ralston is a gifted writer and a very adept and prolific climber/mountaineer/canyon explorer.
It was impossible to put this book down, once I got my reading underway. Ralston alternates between his BlueJohn Canyon mishap, and his vast prior experiences in the wild. There are many stories of Ralston being out in the wilderness and he is careful to include all sorts of details. Sometimes - if you were to ask my opinion, he includes way too many technical details ... not every person reading this exciting book will appreciate all the dry techie details but it's doable.
He does include a special mountaineering glossary in the rear of the book, which is very handy.

What I was interested in most however, was understanding the inner psyche of Aron - I wanted to understand the mental process he had to undergo in order to sever his right forearm....once he was trapped deep within a slot canyon, with no chance of somebody coming along to help. He being right-handed, his right hand was the more valuable of the two hands he could have lost.
Fate dealt him this hand, and with great stamina and stoicism, he had to do the deed.
And he had to do it with a very dull knife - which was a gift given to him by his own mother. So, on one hand - she should have splurged and bought him a top of the line knife, not a cheapie.
But on the other hand, had she not have given him this cheapie knife, he would have died at the hand of the rock. So it is seen that his mother handed him back his life - during a very dark hour of choosing.
The woman who birthed him 27 years earlier was the same woman who inadvertently handed him back his life, when it hung by a fragile balance. Oh, the irony of it all!

Nurses would attempt to understand his psyche by assigning him a self-mutilation nursing diagnosis, as approved by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Assocation of America.
Self mutilation related to right hand pinned by 800 pound (immobile) boulder while canyoneering, as evidenced by (self) amputation of right distal forearm.
The goal would be that he would not place himself in any other similar area of risk ever again - but we all know that Mr. Ralston is out there still; engaging full-heartedly in mountain climbing and whatnot. The question is, is he full-hearty or fool-hearty? The jury's still out on that one.

I am glad that Mr. Ralston survived this terrible ordeal. Why he didn't join up with his two angel friends of Blue John Canyon, Meghan and Kristi, when they met on the trail earlier on that fateful day - I will never understand - but I do beleive they were sent there by God to intervene with Ralston, but he stubbornly clung to his lonely pursuits.
I guess all things happen for a reason, but I fail to find any such reason to justify the sacrifical offering of ones' right hand?
The price was too high.

I just feel so sorry for the man, but he's alive and well and he's loving his life, so that's really the most important thing of all.

I hope he does all he can to protect the rest of his 3 surviving extremeties.

I highly recommend this interesting book; I also saw the movie, 127 Hours and I highly enjoyed the visual journey of the beautiful, otherworldly Utah Canyon Wildnerness. The red rocks are so gorgeous, and their spooky names add a frightful dimension to the experience of being out there in the desolute rock valley. The ancient maroon-colored pictographs etched on 300 foot-tall canyon walls add to the mystery of ancient peoples who once inhabited this desolate region. And to think that the 800 pound chokstone rock was around to silently witness all of that...but it remains to this day - motionless and aphasic.

Both versions of Ralstons's story are excellent stories - the book is able to explain vastly more vital information in it than the movie. I love both equally because they are unique ways to spin the yarn.

I wish Mr. Ralston and his family all the best.
Thank you, Mr. Ralston - for sharing your story and hopefully many young men will hear it and take precautions and tell someone WHERE they are headed before they leave the house, tell them WHEN they will be back and WHO they are going with. Most importantly, it's always best to hike with buddy or 3 or 4. Hiking solo is really asking for trouble, so - take a friend, people!!!!
Take a friend, take alot of food and water, and remember to pack that Swiss Army Knife in your pocket!!!
Guess what my 2 sons are getting in their stockings this Christmas? SWISS ARMY KNIVES!!!! Yes!
That's the most popular gift under the tree this year. Merry Christmas to all!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Joe Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, had just reached the top of a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes when disaster struck. Simpson plunged off the vertical face of an ice ledge, breaking his leg. In the hours that followed, darkness fell and a blizzard raged as Yates tried to lower his friend to safety. Finally, Yates was forced to cut the rope, moments before he would have been pulled to his own death.

The next three days were an impossibly grueling ordeal for both men. Yates, certain that Simpson was dead, returned to base camp consumed with grief and guilt over abandoning him. Miraculously, Simpson had survived the fall, but crippled, starving, and severely frostbitten was trapped in a deep crevasse. Summoning vast reserves of physical and spiritual strength, Simpson crawled over the cliffs and canyons of the Andes, reaching base camp hours before Yates had planned to leave.

How both men overcame the torments of those harrowing days is an epic tale of fear, suffering, and survival, and a poignant testament to unshakable courage and friendship.

Reviews

EXTREME ADVENTURE IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES, July 30, 2000
An amazing tale of courage, fortitude, and a desire to live, despite dire circumstances. The author, Joe Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, ascend a perilous section of the Peruvian Andes. Near the summit, tragedy strikes when Joe, up over 19,000 feet, falls and hits a slope at the base of a cliff, breaking his right leg, rupturing his right knee, and shattering his right heel. Beneath him is a seemingly endless fall to the bottom. Simon reaches him but knows that the chances for Joe to get off the mountain are virtually non-existent. Yet, they fashion a daring plan to to do just that.

For the next few hours, through a snow storm, they work in tandem, and manage a risky, yet effective way of trying to lower Joe down the mountain. About three thousand feet down, Joe who is still roped to Simon, drops off an edge, and finds himself now free hanging in space six feet away from an ice wall, unable to reach it with his axe. The edge is over hung about fifteen feet above him. The dark outline of a crevasse lies about a hundred feet directly below him.

Joe couldn't get up, and Simon couldn't get down. In fact, Joe's weight began to pull Simon off the mountain. So, Simon was finally forced to do the only thing he could do under the circumstances. He cut the rope, believing that he was consigning his friend to certain death. Therein lies the tale.

What happens next is sure to make one believe in miracles.

The Odyssey of Joe Simpson, June 30, 2001
This is not primarily an adventure story about climbing. It is an account of one man, not just facing the abyss but being in the abyss and having his very being stripped to a raw struggle, not to survive but to want to survive.

Simpson and a climbing partner in an excess of youthful bravado planned a new route up a monster Andean peak in Peru. The area was remote and civilization was somewhere else. After an arduous ascent, Simpson fell and broke his leg while descending. The reader gradually realizes what a chilling horror has befallen the pair. They have no possibility of rescue; the mountain was almost unclimbable for two superb athletes with two good legs. How can they possibly get down when one of them is unable to walk?

Partner, Simon Yates, ropes Simpson to himself and tries to guide Simpson down who is forced to crawl, slide, and inch himself forward. Then Simpson goes over the edge of a cornice and is dangling with only the rope holding him over the void. Yates heroically digs in, but gradually he himself is being inexorably drawn to the chasm. He finally, with shuddering reluctance, cuts the rope, and Simpson falls many feet into a crevasse.

The rest of the book is Simpson's six-day excruciating journey down the mountain: his thoughts, hallucinations and agony. Simpson is a powerful writer without a trace of self-pity. He doesn't try to impress us with his stoicism - far from it, at times he is almost mad with fright. There is nothing lurid here; the book is exhausting, but thought provoking. You won't forget it easily, and you cannot help but wonder what it is like beyond the edge and into the maelstrom.

This is a griping story of survival and human endurance., May 16, 1999
How far can the human body be pushed before total collapse? What can the mind endure before succumbing to what seems like inevitable termination? Joe Simpson's tale of survival after what should have been a fatal mountaineering event begins to explore the limits of human capability. Readers in our book group felt the prose was not first rate but written well enough that few wanted to put the book down. This book is good enough to become canon in mountaineering literature. For those with no mountaineering experience, some of the climbing aspects and descriptions may be difficult to envision. Nonetheless it is an amazing story. Our group read this in conjunction with Caroline Alexander's book "The Endurance", another incredible story of survival against unbelievable odds. While Simpson's ordeal occurs over the span of a few days, the story of Shakleton's group living on the ice for nearly two years explores the other spectrum of what it takes to survive - the two stories seem to compliment each other in the scope of human endurance.

A mountain tragedy with a difference....., January 15, 2000
A good many books and short stories have been written about mountaineering accidents and tragedies. Every bookshop worth its salt will have at least one or two to chose from, but if this one is on the shelf - get it! This is a tale which will grow on you as you turn each page, compelling you to read on and on to its breathtaking conclusion. Simpson nearly died the first time, but there was worse to come. The author has made no attempt to glorify the story, nor alter the facts to shed a kinder light on his own thoughts and words, or the actions of his partner. This book is not just an account of a human tragedy on a mountain; it is a journey into the depths of a man's soul. It is as much about philosophy as it is about mountaineering, but don't let that put you off - it's a real heart thumper!

The Bandwagon Rope-Trick, December 22, 2003
This might not apply to American readers (or it may, I don't know) but there's a huge misconception in the UK as to what this book is about. I work in a bookshop and we're selling this by the dozen, which infuriates me not because I do not believe it should sell well and be widely read, but because people are buying it for the wrong reason.

Touching the Void is, simply put, the story of the human spirit's ability for survival against all the odds. There are many occasions where both Joe and Simon could have given up; many moments when it could all have been for naught; but they kept going, and both lived to tell the tale. Simpson's writing is, as ever, vivid and visceral, putting you up on Siula Grande with him. We vicariously experience his time in the crevasse, his efforts on the glacier, and then his crawl back towards the camp, wondering if there will be anybody there even if he does make it. You know all along that he survives, but when he reaches safety you want to cry out because he describes it so painfully well. This is what the book is about.

With the impending release of the movie, and widespread radio coverage in the UK featuring interviews and editorials, a terrible misconception has crept in. Almost everyone who has come into the shop and asked me about the book has said, "I heard about this book on the radio. It's about a climber who cuts the rope on his friend. Do you have it?" By focussing on Simon Yates' cutting of the rope, it seems that everyone is missing the point. Far from a cold-hearted act, everybody fails to acknowledge that had Yates not lowered Simpson down several thousand feet of the mountain, a non-stop feat of incredible courage and fortitude, Simpson would not have survived, period. Simpson himself does not blame Yates for his actions, and this is the lead we should be taking. All these people who have never been on a mountain in their lives saying, "Ooh, he broke the code, he shouldn't have done that," just have no idea.

I'm glad the book is selling well, and deservedly so, but I wish it could sell for the right reasons and not because people want the inside story on The-Man-Who-Cut-The-Rope.

Bone crunching, nerve freezing drop into the edge of life and death., September 27, 2005
This is a true story of a mountain expedition in the Andes where two British partners take risks acceptable to experienced and fit climbers. But here they draw a spectacularly bad hand - first with Joe having a terrible bone crunching accident that leaves him scarcely able to move, and then with rapidly deteriorating weather. Partner Simon attempts the impossible and begins an inventive, courageous one-man rescue operation, but half way down the mountain he is forced to make a ghastly choice: stay roped to Joe and both will perish, or cut the rope and make a desperate bid to reach the bottom.

Simon chooses the latter, and the result is horrifying: with Joe plunging into a deep crevasse with no way of climbing up the sheer ice.

But of course this memoir is written by Joe so we know that somehow, against all odds, our author will also get himself to safety. How he does so, and how he skirts around the very edges of death provides the book with its extremely powerful human resonance.

I read this after seeing the excellent movie, and Joe's reflections, at the end of this book about the experience of helping make the film and reliving the horror (he and Simon are played by actors in wide shot, but the climbers provided all the close-up technical shots)- provides additional and unexpected depth and humanity.

There's another reviewer below who was bored by this book. They must have been having a really bad day because Joe's writing takes you right into the heart of his ordeal. This is a stunning story. Five stars aren't enough.

Words cannot express..., March 19, 2007
`Touching the Void' is the story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates who climbed the West Face of Siula Grande, a mountain in the Peruvian Andes. After an accident Simpson has a broken leg and little chance of getting off the mountain alive. Yates lowers Simpson off the mountain quickly (as they do not have enough supplies to stay on the mountain) and unknowingly off a cliff face. Simpson cannot beck up the rope and Yates cannot pull him back up. Seconds before being pulled off the face of the cliff himself Yates cuts the rope and Simpson falls off the cliff and down the mountain. Yates, leaving the mountain the next morning, thinking Simpson dead, leaves Simpson to crawl off the mountain with his injuries.

In the best portions of the book you get both Yates's and Simpson's thoughts about the accident, where they were and what was happening step by step in the days following the accident. You feel the pain, guilt, fear, and panic in both parties and get the idea that something fantastic occurred on Siula Grande.

I say you get the feeling because in the poorer portions of the book you do not understand why one `crevasse' is worse than another, why a `pear shaped cornice' is a bad omen, why it is hard to place a `friend' in a secure position on the mountain, and why a `bollard' is dubious. In Simpson's words one portion of the mountain blends into the other and you have to be told this portion is scary, or that he is making progressing, rather than seeing why he is scared or how he is making progress.

Simpson admits as much in the Epilogue to the book when he says `I simply could not find the words to express the utter desolation of the experience' and to be fair Simpson was not an experienced writer at the time of this book (he has written six since then). However, you are certainly left wanting for a description you can understand, and emotion that stands out from the rest, and a story you can grasp on to instead of feeling that `you needed to be there'.

Worth reading as well as watching, December 21, 2004
A few weeks back, in search of something good to watch at the video store, I picked up Kevin Macdonald's Touching the Void documentary from the shelf. As I was skeptically reading the back of the DVD case, the fellow standing next to me said that it was a "really good movie." I took him on his word and later disovered a movie that I have since been raving about to all who will listen. It is a riveting story in which an injured climber is left for dead on a Peruvian mountain and manages to crawl his way off. It sounds like fiction, but, as is often the case, this true story is incredible beyond what a writer could believable construct. So, when I found out that Joe Simpson (the climber left on the mountain) had written a book, Touching the Void about his harrowing adventure, I knew I needed to read it.

The movie and the DVD extras take the viewer on an emotional path where one at first dislikes the arrongant and impetuous Simpson, while his climbing pal Simon Yates seems more sympathetic. However, as the movie continues and especially if you watch the Return to Siula Grande DVD extra, it becomes hard not to empathize with Simpson's reaction to returning to the place where he had faced so much trauma and to, in contrast, find Yates cold and unfeeling, as if the experience they shared so many years before no longer affected him personally. The end of the movie leaves one with the impression that Simpson, although understanding at what Yates did, does not really like Yates and does certainly not consider him a friend.

The book, written several years earlier, certainly leaves a more positive impression of Yates. While Simpson admits to having written the book in part to clear Yates's name in the climbing communitry, his storytelling takes the reader beyond a defense of Yates's actions. In fact, Simpson's description of Yates's attempt to lower the injured Simpson down the mountain portrays an act that is nothing short of heroic. It is clear that his cutting the rope was a last, desperate resort to end a situation in which there was no way out.

While the book and the movie both tell very closely the same story, reading the book and seeing the movie is neither a redundant experience nor an exercise in detecting differences in the two plots. In fact, the one enriches the story in the other. The maps and the first-person telling in the book complement the documentary-style script and the sweeping vistas caught on film.

Incredible, November 15, 1999
Ive done some climbing, traveled and climbed in the Andes and read many climbing books and this book is outrageous. I guess there are not many tales being told from that close to the edge (the authors tend not to survive). Stay alive Simpson and give us more of your writing. You are absolutely no bs.

(congratulations on a spectacular first ascent)

the title is right- it is pretty harrowing, February 26, 2007
I like this type of story a lot. In old Outdoor Life they used to be called "THIS HAPPENED TO ME.." (caps intended). I always hate it when they take some hardship like being stuck in the car for a couple of days without water and make each tick of the clock seem like the end of the world. This book is the linear opposite. The hardships come through, but the writing is almost never sensational- it is understated if anything. It begins at a leisurely pace, much like the journey of Joe Simpson and his climbing partner Yates. As the tension increases we know the big Accident is around the corner, but when it finally happens it seems routine, and Simpson makes evident how fragile life can be- that a pretty simple turn of events can have disatrous consequences. I suppose it's no spoiler, since we know he wrote the book, to let it be known that he survives a broken leg and a 100 foot drop above 19,000 feet, and manages to crawl his way back to camp when everyone thought he was dead. For a first-time author he does a tremendous job of relating this story, and it is even more realistic without the touches of a ghost writer or heavy handed editor.

It's hard to find a real weakness, other than the story itself doesn't seem to totally capture what must've been the sheer horror of the journey, and the dialogue and characters are not quite as sympathetic as one would expect, probably due to some first person modesty. In any case, this is a minor complaint, and I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who likes adventure/outdoor literature. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A great read for those at sea level and rising, June 12, 2000
How to do justice to a writer like Krakauer....well, he's such a good writer that I feel any review I write would suffer compared to the source. Nevertheless, here I go.

This is Krakauer's first book. It's a collection of his previously published articles on mountaineering (save the last one about Devil's Thumb which was written for the book.) What a gread read too whether you are an afficionado of the sport or, like me, you've never seen a pair of crampons in your life (by the way, those are a set of spikes climbers strap to their boots to support themselves and prevent slipping on icy slopes.) Some of the famous peaks that make an appearance here include K2, Mt McKinley, and the titular Eiger. Throughout you will read about some of the eccentric personalities in the international climbing community, personal triumph and inspiration, offshoots like bouldering and waterfall climbing, and horrific tragedy.

If you read Into Thin Air, you'll be surprised at how funny this book is. Krakauer displays a wry, self-deprecating wit in several of these stories-something the somber subject matter of the latter book didn't permit. The last one, about his decision to solo the Devil's Thumb in Alaska in his early twenties is hysterical.

Anyone who can make a story about being tentbound or the inventor of the perfect ice axe riveting deserves attention. If you are on the fence, just go ahead and get this book. It's definitely worth it.

What an incredible book., October 27, 2007
What an incredible book. Once you start reading it, you won't be able to set it down. I even got yelled at by my boss for reading the book on company time. I've read it 4 times and each time is like the first time. There is alot of information to process so get ready be blown away. It's awsome. Also, if you missed reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates, go and read it.

Excellent Collection of Stories, July 28, 2002
"Eiger Dreams" is a compelling collection of twelve stories by mountaineering writer Jon Krakauer. Included are several first person accounts of his own adventures, including his life-defining attempt to climb the Devil's Thimb in Alaska as a young man and his later failed attempt to scale the Eiger face. Krakauer also failed in his attempt to climb Mount McKinley, but manages to say more with one of his defeats than other climbers do with their success.

Krakauer also proves himself to be a first rate reporter with his accounts of other mountaineering stories. Particularly good is his tale of John Gill, the man who practically invented "bouldering." Krakauer goes on to describe waterfall climbing, canyoneering and the horrors of being tent bound with his deft narrative touch. At 186 pages, and featuring his easily readable prose, the book is a delightful experience for those who like good adventure stories of the kind featured in Outside Magazine.

I got vertigo reading this, November 9, 2003
I've read three of Krakauer's books including this one. Into Thin Air is eclipsed by Kenneth Kamler's Doctor On Everest, but Krakauer's own Under The Banner Of Heaven and Eiger Dreams are in a class by themselves. I have never had a fear of heights, but the stories in this book, particularly the one of his climb of the Devil's Thumb, a volcanic chimney in Alaska, lifting hundreds of feet into thin air is perhaps one of the most evocative pieces of writing I've ever read. If you are fascinated by mountins and the madmen and crazy women who climb them, this is your book. Either it will make you drop everything and head for the high remote places of the world, or render you at least sane enough to say, "I think I'll take my adventure in another way." Say in some weird polygamous community in southern Utah or northern Arizona. Krakauer knows mountains, and he knows how to take us with him, shaking, sweating and not daring look down, up a shear, icy face. This is great outdoor adventure writing. Highly recommended. wfh

A Wonderful Collection of Stories........., October 25, 2000
I've read Into Thin Air and Into the Wild so when I picked up this book in the Seattle airport after getting off Mt. Rainier I was hoping it would be as good. I wasn't disappointed.

An excellent mix of both adventure and mountaineering stories, I finished this book in no time at all. What really strikes me is the life that Krakauer has been able to lead. I only wish I had had the time and direction to attempt half of what this guy has done and then be able to write so candidly about it.

This book is first rate. From the stories about canyons in the Southwest to excellent climbing stories that focus not only on the terrain, but the personalities along the way, make this book enjoyable cover to cover. The fact that climbers are such an interesting cross section of society is vividly expounded on in this book. You finish feeling you know these folks intimately or at least relate to just about everyone as a friend or contemporary.

Buy it.....read it. Then give it to a friend like I did. The Burgess Boys are worth the cost alone!

Cliffhanger, October 6, 2000
"I have fallen. I am dying. Please send help. Quickly!" Mountain climbing is on of the most dangerous sports in the world. This quote shows why in the book Eiger Dreams by Jon krakauer. This collection of memoirs is about adventures on mountains and the tragedies that occur on them everyday. This is a great collection of memoirs that are descriptive and very interesting. For instance, when he talks about he climbs, you actually feel like you're on the mountaiwith those brave sole. Even though there are one or two stories that are just boring, the rest of the stories are entertaining and keep you on the edge of your seat. For me, this book was a big page-turner. I wanted to read on from the first sentence to the last word. I occasionally drifted off, but I definitely wanted to figure what would happen next. If you like climbing, you will like this book. Another aspect this book excelled in was that it finished very strong. On every memoir that was recited, there was a good ending. They never left me hanging, and they connect to the memoir. The endings make a huge exclamation mark on an already great book. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. Even if you don't climb. It can have philosophical and physical significance for everyone. Like I said, there are some definite weak spots, but its worth reading through them. This book is typical Jon Krakauer, wonderful.

Surprising Variety, August 24, 1998
If ever I thought that a collection of mountain climbing stories would be a little stale from lack of variety, EIGER DREAMS certainly shattered my preconceptions in this regard. Krakauer writes on a diverse assortment of subjects relating to outdoor climbing, superbly avoiding monotonous repetition. Whether musing about the derring-do spirit of the denizens of Chamonix, the flyboys of Talkeetna, or humoring the reader with candid confessions of what it is like to be tentbound, Krakauer displays great range, penetrating insight, and clear style with his writing ventures. I liked this book every bit as much as INTO THE WILD and INTO THIN AIR.

Mountaineering and Mountaineering Culture, September 25, 2003
Krakauer is fine author. His stories read like well honed long magazine articles and capture the drama and danger of high altitude mountain climbing (Into Thin Air) as well as mental soloing(Into The Wild).

Eiger Dreams is a collection of stories about mountaineering and mountaineering culture. This collection of a dozen or so chapters (I suspect all were magazine articles first) regales the reader with the danger of high-altitude climbing, the uniqueness of attitude among many of the climbers and a slice of the culture that surrounds the climbing world.

On the whole the stories are gripping and interesting. It falls short only in one or two instances when the author delves into set place stories like describing the town near Mt. Blanc that seems to derive it's personality from the towering rock and those who are drawn to it in great multitudes each year.

The chapters on individual climbs introduce the reader to the thrills and dangers of high-risk climbing, without the chance that one will tumble out of an armchair 10,000 feet to become part of a mountain. Particularly enjoyable are the articles on the North face of the Eiger, the author's own journey to solo climb Alaska's Devil's Thumb at age 23 and a chapter on the Burgesses -- two mountaineering hobos who combine moxie with single mindedness as they climb the world's tallest peaks. I also enjoyed the chapter detailing early attempts to divine whether or not Everest was really the tallest mountain -- some of the journeys associated with ascertaining the claims of competing peaks remind one of Scott's Polar expeditions -- fueled more by British resolve than planning and logistics.

One wonders at the bent of mind that draws climbers to the highest climbs. Mountains like Everest and K-2 are littered with well over a hundred corpses (it is to arduous in the thin air and brutal conditions to haul reachable bodies down -- and impossible for those who tumble a mile off the edge or several hundred feed down a crevasse). Something like one person perishes for every four who reach the summit of Everest. A strikingly large number of survivors endure amputations of fingers or toes. It is the same or worse at some of Nature's other monoliths.

This is a sport that makes auto racing and boxing seem like rational athletic endeavors. One is left to ponder why (perhaps no better answer exists than Mallory's "Because it is there") some are willing to risk life itself for the privilege of standing ten or so minutes atop one of the tallest mountains. Krakauer does not pursue this question directly, though the brief character sketches he paints of climbers -- including himself -- offers some conclusions.

A fast read and entertaining book.

Turn up the heat and secure your climbing harness!, November 17, 1998
A collection of brilliant stories from Jon Krakauer that will send chills up your spine and waves of vertigo through your mind. No one brings home the terror of dangling 2000 feet in the air by an ice ax like Krakauer. His wonderfully humorous (and occasionally downright absurd) depictions of characters and situations paint a memorable portrait of the anguish, the isolation, and even the occasional reward of cold-climate climbing. If you want to get close enough to vertical ice to feel the shuddering thunk of your ax as it bites into the Eisinglas, or high enough on an arctic slope to see your breath whisked away in a -40 degree gale without leaving the comfort of your living room, then this is the book for you.

fascinating short articles about mountaineering, February 17, 2001
This is my favorite of all the books I've read by Jon Krakauer; maybe because he's not trying to prove anything. It's a selection of short, non-fiction, stories about different aspects of mountaineering and the types of people that do it. Krakauer is very, very good at writing. He's funny and entrancing. This book is more about people than about mountaineering. Read it even if you're not into the sport, or if you're put off by macho posturing. It's not like that at all.

The articles in the book include a description of ice-climbing; a horrifying account of a particularly murderous year on K2; various profiles of particularly interesting mountaineers; a very funny description of what to do if trapped for days in a tent in a storm; a history of glacier flying; and some of the author's personal climbing experiences, including some awkward cross-cultural encounters with French climbers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The deepest cave on earth was a prize that had remained unclaimed for centuries, long after every other ultimate discovery had been made: both poles by 1912, Everest in 1958, the Challenger Deep in 1961. In 1969 we even walked on the moon. And yet as late as 2000, the earth’s deepest cave—the supercave—remained undiscovered. This is the story of the men and women who risked everything to find it, earning their place in history beside the likes of Peary, Amundsen, Hillary, and Armstrong.
 
In 2004, two great scientist-explorers are attempting to find the bottom of the world. Bold, heroic American Bill Stone is committed to the vast Cheve Cave, located in southern Mexico and deadly even by supercave standards. On the other side of the globe, legendary Ukrainian explorer Alexander Klimchouk—Stone’s polar opposite in temperament and style, but every bit his equal in scientific expertise, physical bravery, and sheer determination—has targeted Krubera, a freezing nightmare of a supercave in the Republic of Georgia, where underground dangers are compounded by the horrors of separatist war in this former Soviet republic.

Blind Descent explores both the brightest and darkest aspects of the timeless human urge to discover—to be first. It is also a thrilling epic about a pursuit that makes even extreme mountaineering and ocean exploration pale by comparison. These supercavers spent months in multiple camps almost two vertical miles deep and many more miles from their caves’ exits. They had to contend with thousand-foot drops, deadly flooded tunnels, raging whitewater rivers, monstrous waterfalls, mile-long belly crawls, and much more. Perhaps even worse were the psychological horrors produced by weeks plunged into absolute, perpetual darkness, beyond all hope of rescue, including a particularly insidious derangement called The Rapture.

James M. Tabor was granted unprecedented access to logs, journals, photographs, and video footage of these expeditions, as well as many hours of personal interviews with surviving participants. Blind Descent is an unforgettable addition to the classic literature of discovery and adventure. It is also a testament to human survival and endurance—and to two extraordinary men whose relentless pursuit of greatness led them to heights of triumph and depths of tragedy neither could have imagined.

Includes a 16-pg full-color insert ... Read more

Reviews

Armchair Caver's Delight!, May 18, 2010

Wow, May 19, 2010

Awesome Caving Book - Get Ready For An Adventure!, May 1, 2010

Blind Descent, May 5, 2010

Like I Was There ... Without All the Physical Strain, May 20, 2010

A Dark Dangerous Quest into the Earth's Bowels (4.5 Stars), May 13, 2010

Incredible places where few will set foot, May 8, 2010

Now this book is a DEEP subject, May 26, 2010

Steep and thrilling descent with a few grueling passages towards the end, May 10, 2010

Gripping, May 8, 2010

Editorial Review

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE RENOWNED BIBLE OF CLIMBING AND MOUNTAINEERING.

With more than 600,000 copies sold, Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills is the acclaimed bible for climbers all over the world, and the new edition marks the 50th anniversary of this seminal title.
Since the publication of the first edition in 1960, Freedom, as the book is known, has endured as a classic mountaineering text. From choosing equipment to tying a climbing knot, and from basic rappelling techniques to planning an expedition, it is all here in this essential mountaineering reference. A team of more than forty experts, all active climbers and climbing educators, reviewed, revised, and updated this compendium to reflect the latest evolutions in mountaineering equipment and techniques. Major updates include a significant new chapter on conditioning, plus detailed and extensive revisions to rescue and first-response, aid climbing, and waterfall and ice climbing. ... Read more

Reviews

The Absolute Pinnacle of Mountaineering Information, October 29, 2010
With over 1/2 a million copies sold, "Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills" is truly is "the bible" of safe and efficient climbing. With the book measuring in at over one inch thick, it would be impossible to accurately give it justice in the space provided here. Therefore, I'll hit the highlights. The 6th edition, which I have, is divided up into 6 parts:

-outdoor fundamentals...covers things such as clothing/equipment/land nav/food

-climbing fundamentals...knot tying/rappelling info

-rock climbing...footholds/shoes/leading on rock

-snow, ice, and Alpine climbing...the in's and outs of ice and snow climbs (includes various rescues)

-emergency prevention and response...leading in a crisis situation/first aid

-the mountain enviroment..mountain geology/snow cycles/cloud types (neat pics!!)

The book ends with a nice list of additional reading (like you'd really need to with all the info in this book!). As you can see, there's really one word to describe this book- COMPLETE. So, if you're looking for a mountaineering resource to put on your shelf for when some questions come to mind- GET IT! Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff if you have a shoulder problem that interferes with your climbing.

A review by GearFlogger.net, November 14, 2010
Remember Steve Martin in The Jerk? "The new phone books are here!" He was excited, but he's got nothing on mountaineers everywhere who are rejoicing at the 50th anniversary 8th Edition of Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. It's at least 3.7 percent better, 596 pages for the 8th Edition versus a mere 575 pages for the 7th Edition from waaaay back in 2003. That's pre-Facebook for you punks who won't get off my lawn.

FOTH has sold over 600,000 copies since the first edition in 1960, and it is without question the bible for those who would rather be in the mountains thinking about God than in church thinking about the mountains. Over thirty experts worked for Seattle based nonprofit publisher Mountaineers Books to update all 27 chapters, including completely redoing the conditioning chapter and producing major updates to rescue and first response, aid climbing, and waterfall and ice climbing. One example of the updates is a treatment of equalettes in the anchors section of the fundamentals chapter.

FOTH is a solid grounding in the basic rules of mountaineering, with only the occasional omission, e.g. clipping through on a running belay. FOTH recommends the middle climber unclip from the rope in front and then clip in the rope behind, but this is less safe than grabbing both strands of the rope, on either side of the middle climber's harness tie-in, and clipping them simultaneously into the anchor carabiner. Likewise sport climbing is given short shrift, with a few paragraphs detailing the dangers of not tying in the belayer but no mention given to the advantages of a dynamic belay, e.g. a softer catch.

But these are minor quibbles with the master text, and Mountaineers Books provides many complementary volumes of advanced learning in the mountain arts through its Outdoor Expert series. OK, so here's what you do: click on the link below to go to Amazon. Add FOTH to your cart. Then add The Mountaineering Handbook by Craig Connally to your cart. Connally's book is the edgy, fast and light version of FOTH, so for about 33 bucks you get free shipping and two books that complement each other very well. The truly discerning climber will add Glacier Mountaineering by Andy Tyson, with its excellent illustrations by Mike Clelland, for a mere 12 bucks. That's a Ph.D. in getting high for under a Ulysses. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this riveting work of narrative nonfiction, journalist Graham Bowley re-creates one of the most dramatic tales of death and survival in mountaineering history, vividly taking readers through the tragic 2008 K2 ascent that claimed the lives of eleven climbers, severely injured two others, and made headlines around the world.

With its near-perfect pyramid shape, the 28,251-foot K2—the world's second-highest mountain, some 800 feet shorter than the legendary Everest hundreds of miles to the south—has lured serious climbers for decades. In 2008, near the end of a brief climbing season cut even shorter by bad weather, no fewer than ten international teams—some experienced, others less prepared—crowded the mountain's dangerous slopes with their Sherpas and porters, waiting to ascend.

Finally, on August 1, they were able to set off. But hindered by poor judgment, lack of equipment, and overcrowded conditions, the last group did not summit until nearly 8 p.m., hours later than planned. Then disaster struck when a huge ice chunk from above the Bottleneck, a deadly 300-foot avalanche-prone gulley just below the summit, came loose and destroyed the fixed guide ropes. More than a dozen climbers and porters still above the Bottleneck—many without oxygen and some with no headlamps—faced the near impossibility of descending in the blackness with no guideline and no protection. Over the course of the chaotic night, some would miraculously make it back. Others would not.

Based on in-depth interviews with surviving climbers and many Sherpas, porters, and family and friends of the deceased, No Way Down reveals for the first time the full dimensions of this harrowing drama.

Reviews

Interesting but not comprehensive, July 17, 2010

Chilling Reality, July 5, 2010

Another and better perspective ., August 16, 2010
Everyone who found "No Way Down" interesting should also read "One Mountain Thousand Summits " by Freddie Wilkinson for further insight into the events at K2 in August 2008 . While Graham Bowley's "No Way Down" contains a very helpful chronology and is an admirable attempt at presenting a balanced view of the participants ,his obvious ignorance of climbing simply hampered his ability to tell the whole story . Freddie Wilkinson is an experienced climber and because of that is much more able to understand and communicate the signifcance of the events and how Himalayan climbing has evolved to the point that a disaster like K2 in August 2008 could happen in the first place . That is why Jon Krakauer in "Into Thin Air" was able to interest the non-climbing public in a way non-climbing authors couldn't . I'm glad I read Mr. Bowley's book first but found that it left too many unanswered questions about too many things .

Inaccuracies Plague the Story, August 19, 2010

Decent but not great, August 12, 2010

Jon Krakauer it ain't, July 21, 2010
I bought this book because I love these extreme adventure mountain climbing stories. Obviously, "Into Thin Air" is the best of the genre. "No Way Down" is not nearly as well written, or as suspenseful. That would be fine if that were the only problem with this book. Unfortunately, it could have done with a good proofreader. The flat writing is made more distracting by the grammatical and typographical errors. All in all, it was a disappointment.

A post-mortem and an adventure story., June 24, 2010

A Shocking Story of Survival and Adventure, September 30, 2010

Heartbreaking and Action-filled Story, September 29, 2010

What if you got to the top and found there was ... No way down?, September 25, 2010

Editorial Review

Winter recreation in the backcountry has increased steadily over the years and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. As search and rescue teams are increasingly strapped for funding, self-education has become a larger necessity for snow-sport enthusiasts. The new edition of Bruce Tremper's seminal book is organized according to the structure of American Avalanche Association classes and all chapters have been updated and reviewed by peer experts. ... Read more

Reviews

The best of my avalanche books, May 30, 2005
I own 6 of the most popular books on avalanche safety; this is by far the best. The core information needed to assess avalanche risk is given in some detail but the explanations are presented in "everyday" terms and are quite easy to understand. None-the-less,Tremper never talks down to his readers and the full level of complexity inherent in the subject matter is maintained. This is simply a very well written book by an author who appearantly is able to write well naturally. He would probably do very well writing about any subject.

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, February 10, 2002
Bruce Tremper has written the book compiling modern information about avalanche dragons & staying safe in their lair. From the first hand narrative of Bruce's introduction to the power of avalanches to the avalanche actuarial table illustrating the necessity of making good decisions to detailed specific information for backcountry travellers trying to stay safe on skis, snowboards & snowmobiles Bruce shares the knowledge gained from his 25yrs of professional avalanche experience. Full of firsthand wisdom, gentle humor, terrific illustrations & photographs this is a very readable text on what often is a very dry subject. Everyone who knows Bruce's Utah avalanche forecasts will have an idea of what to expect. Everyone else can look forward to enjoying a common-sense easy to understand book written with passion & humor on state of the art avalanche safety for backcountry travellers. If you travel in avalanche terrain you want to read this book.

Tremper Finds Avalanche "Sweet Spot", December 16, 2001
In Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Tremper has found the "sweet spot" in modern avalanche education. With the changing demographics of winter backcountry users, it is becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy everyone all of the time. Tremper pulls it off with a writing style and progressive approach that is easily digested by novices, yet technically insightful for snow safety veterans. The book is also unique in its "cross-cultural" approach to snow safety, addressing the subject from the perspective of not just skiers, but snowmobilers and snowboarders. This comprehensive, yet entertaining book will become core reading material for students of snow safety for years to come.

The best I've read, January 8, 2004
This is an excellent, highly enjoyable introductory book to avalanche safety. Tremper nicely balances technical detail with readability far better than any avy book I've seen. With its copious figures and pictures, it's almost impossible to get bogged down in the middle chapters and abandon the effort. Additionally, his chapter discussing the influence of human nature on avalanche accidents is unique and highly insightful. This is a wonderful first book that will inspire many readers to pursue further avalanche training, and hopefully save lives.

A great intro to avalanche safety!, February 3, 2005
This book is comprehensive and very thorough. Even though it's the first book I've read on avalanche safety and do not have much experience in winter mountain travel I found this book very easy to read and comprehend. Some parts are repetitive and I wish I could skip them but I'm afraid I might miss an important point. The last chapter on human mentality is very insightful and perhaps it sets this book apart from others.

Excellent reading - excellent value, May 21, 2006
The books is written in a easy to follow style,no-nonsense,and contains both academical info about avalanches and practical , hot tips. A lot of valuable information is packed up in this book. The book is also copiously illustrated with both photos and graphical drawings to reinforce the knowledge contained in the text.
All in all, it's a book that everybody which deals in mountain sports , or professionaly work in avalanche exposed terrains should read this book.

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain., March 14, 2006
The Best Avalanche book I have ever read. I would recommend to pros and novices alike.

A Must Read for anyone who loves winter outdoor activities, January 8, 2003
Trempers concise writing takes complex concepts and explains them in very clear terms bringing the subject of the book to life. Avalanches kill so many people because most people know so little about them. Tremper does a wonderful job of educating readers as to the importance of avalanche safety while keeping the readers, not only interested, but entertained and excited to learn more ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the first hours there was nothing, no fear or sadness, just a black and perfect silence.

Nando Parrado was unconscious for three days before he woke to discover that the plane carrying his rugby team, as well as their family members and supporters, to an exhibition game in Chile had crashed somewhere deep in the Andes. He soon learned that many were dead or dying—among them his own mother and sister. Those who remained were stranded on a lifeless glacier at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, with no supplies and no means of summoning help. They struggled to endure freezing temperatures, deadly avalanches, and then the devastating news that the search for them had been called off.

As time passed and Nando’s thoughts turned increasingly to his father, who he knew must be consumed with grief, Nando resolved that he must get home or die trying. He would challenge the Andes, even though he was certain the effort would kill him, telling himself that even if he failed he would die that much closer to his father. It was a desperate decision, but it was also his only chance. So Nando, an ordinary young man with no disposition for leadership or heroism, led an expedition up the treacherous slopes of a snow-capped mountain and across forty-five miles of frozen wilderness in an attempt to find help.

Thirty years after the disaster Nando tells his story with remarkable candor and depth of feeling. Miracle in the Andes—a first person account of the crash and its aftermath—is more than a riveting tale of true-life adventure: it is a revealing look at life at the edge of death and a meditation on the limitless redemptive power of love.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Story, Great Insight, April 12, 2006
Piers Paul Read wrote the great book Alive and after an excellent movie it could be thought there was little more left to the actual story. Wrong. Nando Parrado adds much much more to this survival story and doesn't re-tell like Read but lets you know what happened to him and his emotions on the mountain. This is a great companion to the classic book. Most (myself included) wanted to be Nando - he was strong, and saved his friends through unreal internal fortitude - he's a genuine hero. His is one of the most compelling survival stories in recorded history and this is a worthy memoir.

Where Read lets you know what happened Parrado lets you know the why's and how's they survived - the real heart of this story. He let's the reader know in more detail the miserable existence on the mountain. When you read his thought "tears waste salt" it might sound cold hearted but it was the RIGHT thought and you begin to understand his inner strength. His thoughts about his family are touching, his feelings about his great father are insightful - what a fortunate son, what a fortunate father. Without his father the disappearance of the plane would remain a mystery.

In an interview Roberto Canessa once said the survivors know each other better than anyone. I really didn't understand that until reading this book. Parrado also sheds light on some negative depictions of survivors in Read's book and it helps the reader understand their actions. I also enjoyed reading what happened to Parrado after the incident and how the words and behavior of his friends who died on the mountain has influenced him. It took Parrado a long time to realize how inspirational his story is and it's great he's written his story. Make no mistake; this story is not about cannibalism, it is about love, survival and determination. I'm a better person for having read this book.

A Masterpiece!, May 15, 2006
This is one of the most remarkable books I've ever read - just an incredible story and told with perfect pacing. I started reading the book on a plane of all places and then finished it the first night at 4:00 in the morning. You won't be able to put it down - even though you'll know the ending.

The story truly puts our small problems in perspective and gives the reader an apprecition for the human spirit at it's most tested.

Now I just want to find someway to hear Nando Parrado speak in person.

Soul-Searching Horror, July 11, 2006
As a youngster, I heard bits and pieces of this story--an Andes plane crash; a rugby team; cannibalism; heroism and terror. When I saw that a new, more personal account was being released, I knew I would have to read it, to experience the horror and amazement that my own father felt in the generation before me.

"Miracle in the Andes" is a superbly written book. A prologue hints at much greater trouble to come with a brief description of the plane crash's aftermath. Then, with building, unrelenting drama, the story follows the chronological path of the ordeal. As a reader, I was awed by the grandeur and beauty of the Andes, then frightened by their rapid weather changes and malevolent moods. I related to different individuals' reactions--and lack thereof--to the trials they endured. At certain points, I laughed. Or shook my head. Or took a deep breath and moved on. By the end, I was moved to tears by Nando's final poignancies and his reunion with his father.

Like "Into Thin Air" and "Endurance," this book has all the qualities of fantastic non-fiction, mixing detail and human drama without melodrama. It provides tasteful photos and clear maps for clarity. Going beyond even the soul-searching of "Touching the Void," "Miracle in the Andes" moves forward with unflinching honesty and believable introspection. It's an account of challenge and encouragement to each of us as we go through trials that life throws our way. With his talented co-writer, Nando peels back the layers of his memory and emotion to glean from his experience and then to pass on that learning to others. The passage of time not only lends weight to his words, it lends a humility and grace.

30 Years On, Another Telling of a Great Story, May 15, 2006
I read the book "Alive" years ago and also saw the movie. In all the years hence, though I have read many books on survival and inspiration, nothing resonates like this story. For me, it is the most incredible tale of a terrifying journey through the worst human misery, death and despair to the ultimate in courage, friendship and sheer determination to reclaim life. And Mr. Parrado has to me always been at the center of the story; to my family he is so inspiring that "NANDO" is our code word for never giving up and having courage when faced with the worst you can imagine.
I was delighted to see that Nando Parrado wrote this book and reading it only confirmed to me how extraordinary a spirit he is - and how heartrending the ordeal all the souls on that plane endured. This book offers a deeper picture of the tragedy, giving an unvarnished look at the suffering and emotions of the people involved in the crash, as well as a firsthand account of the "miracle" of how they rescued themselves.
You can view this book as an incredible story of survival, a true guide for facing adversity with bravery and will, or an inspiring revelation on living life to the fullest - it is all of these. Nando Parrado says he is not a hero, but his spirit and story are transcendant, compelling, wonderful. Don't miss it.

Sad, thought-provoking, couldn't put it down, June 16, 2006
Although the stories of the rugby players who crash landed in the Andes and survived there for months is well known, especially as told by Alive. In this book, a survivor tells the story from his perspective. This book makes you really believe the saying that truth is stranger than fiction. I would find it hard to believe that a charter plain could crash land in the Andes (after coming apart in mid-air), have over half those on board survive (but not the plane's crew), that these remaining mostly young men could survive for 72 days in the freezing temperatures with just snow to drink and flesh to eat, and that two men could attempt a ten-day journey through the Andes. But it happened, and this is the story as told by one of the two men who went in search of rescue.

Quote: "Nando, I want you to remember, even in this place, our lives have meaning. Our suffering is not for nothing. Even if we are trapped here forever, we can love our families, and God, and each other as long as we live. Even in this place, our lives are worth living."

I thought this book was amazing- sad, though-provoking, suspenseful, I couldn't put it down. The author makes it clear that he is telling his own story, not just the facts of what happened, but also his feelings and internal conflict during that time. He does not sensationalize the story (which he felt the media did)- instead of dwelling on grisly facts for shock value, he mentions them, that the survivors did what they had to do, and moves on. what the media considers most important in the story and what he believes people should take from it are very different things.

The greatest survival story ever told, July 19, 2006
This is without a doubt one of the greatest survival stories ever told. If you have an interest in truly inspirational stories of survival, such as Joe Simpson (Touching the Void), Aaron Ralston (Rock and a Hard Place), then this is a story that you MUST read. This is a first hand account of the survival of the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the middle of the Andes mountains in South America in 1972. Though the book 'Alive! was written in 1974 by Piers Paul Read and documented the story from extensive interviews, this book is an autobiographical account written by Nando Parrado (one of the men who managed to climb out to get help), and not only describes the unbelievable hardship the survivors of the plane crash had to endure for 72 days, but also gives an amazing insight into the faith and courage that human beings can find in adversity. Most people are familiar with the story, which is notorious for the consumption of their dead counterparts bodies, however Parrado's account is so much more than just this aspect of the survival. He takes the reader inside a situation that is so disastrous it defies belief, but by a combination of incredible camaraderie and faith in each other, and the way they adapt to their desolate surroundings, a small number hang on despite the horrendous adversity. Parrado also describes in detail the aftermath of the survival and how he coped with getting back to reality and getting on with his life - which is a story in itself - as well as describing the unshakeable bond between the survivors and how they meet up each year on the the rescue anniversary.
There are too many awe inspiring moments to champion this novel, the survivors cheated death every day for 72 days, but Nando's descriptions of how he maintained the will to live are the recurring theme. I read this book in one sitting as have waited a long time to get a first hand account of the saga and was not disappointed. You cannot help but want to tell everyone you know about the story like me. This book can change your life as you realise how fragile human existence is and what the human spirit is capable of. Live every moment, don't waste a breath.

Maybe The Best True Story Ever Told, June 9, 2006
This story, already known by many readers, will never get old because the type of heroism depicted here by Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa is so unusual that it was truly astounding that ANY human being was capable of successfully doing it. You will cry when families are reunited. You will shiver in the cold of the Andes. You will breathe more shallowly as the avalanche hardens over your body. You will suffer when survivors of the crash die on the mountain of other causes. You will understand when the victims discuss whether to die by starvation or by the pervasive cold. But, it is such an uplifting story that everyone should read it. The author, Vince Rouse, was supremely successful in not being a part of the story. He simply disappears from view as the ghost writer, but his words are powerful, accurate, and hard to improve on. It is a shame that five stars is the maximum rating. This book deserves eight of them, and I am not prone to using hyperbole.

Inspiring first-hand account of a real hero, April 11, 2006
Piers Paul Read's classic, Alive, introduced the world to the tragedy that befell the Old Christians rugby team when their chartered plane crashed in the Andes Mountains. Nando Parrado follows up, over 20 years later, with what should be another classic. Miracle in the Andes is Parrado's first-hand account of what happened, how he and his teammates survived while waiting for help that would never come, how he and Roberto Canessa struggled mightily over mountain passes in subzero weather to find help, and how the experience has affected every moment of his life for the better.

While Read's account is in no way diminished and remains a classic, Parrado adds a depth to the story that only an actual survivor can provide. Only he can fully convey the emotions of knowing his mother and sister were killed in the crash, and that his father back home didn't know that he was struggling to survive. Only he can convey the emotions and the difficult choices the survivors faced. Only he can convey how his life was changed. Parrado succeeds on all levels.

This is not simply a rehash of Read's book. It comes from a unique point of view that is compelling and inspirational. It adds a new dimension to the story and addresses many issues that Read did not and could not. This is a story written by a true hero. It is timeless, and that is why, almost 25 years after the tragedy, it still resonates with so many people.

Piers Paul Read wasn't there; Nando Parrado was, August 18, 2006
And this is his story.

Those who couldn't stomach the graphic descriptions of cannibalism in "Alive" could handle this; Parrado doesn't go into much detail but simply describes what they all had to do. That ANYONE survived that long under such adverse conditions was amazing in itself, and his description of how he and Roberto Canessa walked out of the mountains almost sounds like an Everest expedition....without the most basic supplies.

One might have expected the survivors to succumb to suicide, multiple divorces, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. but that doesn't seem to have been the case. Parrado and another survivor had to do an "intervention" on a third survivor, but who knows? He might have been prone to addiction anyway. All 16 men still live in Uruguay or the region, and get together at least once a year. They have been through something together that only they understand.

It's a love story - a story of love for family and friends, and his understanding of God.

Read this book!

A staggering story....Intense and Incredible!, May 6, 2007
When my book club chose this book, I honestly wasn't looking forward to reading it. I had read ALIVE and thought I already knew the story, as it had been told in detail.
Boy, was I blown away! What an amazing surprise MIRACLE IN THE ANDES turned out to be!

Nanado Parrado very skillfully and gently takes you into those mountains with such vivid images and heartbreaking exchanges of dialogue, that you 'feel' the immense cold, your stomach actually churns with their hunger, and your body aches with an emotional empathy.

The calm camaraderie of these astonishing young men amazes with their awe-inspiring courage!

The reader comes to know and care about every man and woman caught in this horrible nightmare of survival at it's bleakest.
So many times throughout the novel, just when hope was gaining or plans were coming together to find a 'way out', a devastating set-back would occur. As hope was dashed once again, the spirit and love of these stranded survivors would not diminish....and another plan was carefully thought out.
Everything in their lives was re-examined; their faith repeatedly tested and the bonds of brotherhood strengthened beyond belief!

This riveting account is sure to elevate and illuminate faith in the love that shines the light on their 'miraculous' journey.

Suz ... Read more

Editorial Review

This gripping and triumphant memoir follows a living legend of extreme mountaineering as he makes his assault on history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.

For eighteen years Ed Viesturs pursued climbing’s holy grail: to stand atop the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, without the aid of bottled oxygen. But No Shortcuts to the Top is as much about the man who would become the first American to achieve that goal as it is about his stunning quest. As Viesturs recounts the stories of his most harrowing climbs, he reveals a man torn between the flat, safe world he and his loved ones share and the majestic and deadly places where only he can go.

A preternaturally cautious climber who once turned back 300 feet from the top of Everest but who would not shrink from a peak (Annapurna) known to claim the life of one climber for every two who reached its summit, Viesturs lives by an unyielding motto, “Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” It is with this philosophy that he vividly describes fatal errors in judgment made by his fellow climbers as well as a few of his own close calls and gallant rescues. And, for the first time, he details his own pivotal and heroic role in the 1996 Everest disaster made famous in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.

In addition to the raw excitement of Viesturs’s odyssey, No Shortcuts to the Top is leavened with many funny moments revealing the camaraderie between climbers. It is more than the first full account of one of the staggering accomplishments of our time; it is a portrait of a brave and devoted family man and his beliefs that shaped this most perilous and magnificent pursuit. ... Read more

Reviews

adventure addiction, March 21, 2007
There are 14 mountain peaks in the world that tower to 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), and when Ed Viesturs finally conquered Annapurna, a peak on which one climber dies for every two who try, he joined an elite group of five people who have accomplished that feat without using supplemental oxygen. He's the only American to have done so. It took 18 years and 30 expeditions to the 8,000ers; on 10 trips he turned back short of the summit, once when he was only 100 feet away, exercising extraordinary willpower to follow his "deepest article of faith" that "getting to the top is optional; getting down is mandatory." Not bad for a man who in 1992 at the age of 33 had quit his practice as a vetinarian, was living in a windowless basement apartment, had $25,000 of school debt, and was banging nails as a construction worker to make ends meet.

No Shortcuts is a fun read because it is about more than mountain climbing, which, of course, almost none of his readers will ever attempt. But everyone has their personal Annapurna, as he says in the final pages of the book, whether battling cancer or conquering a fear. Failure, perseverance, passion, patience, risk management, teamwork, self-sacrifice for others, endurance and death are all life lessons that easily emerge from the book. His chapter on the 1996 disasters on Mount Everest when a dozen people died, including world class mountaineers Scott Fischer and Rob Hall, ads his personal perspective to Krakauer's Into Thin Air. In the last few pages Viesturs reflects upon whether his pursuit was selfish, adventure addiction, growing older and realizing he cannot climb like he could twenty years ago, feeling letdown after such a remarkable accomplishment, and how climbing has impacted his marriage. For movie versions see the IMAX film Everest (the highest grossing IMAX movie ever made) or the documentary Everest: The Death Zone.

Endeavor To Read This Book, October 19, 2006
We finally got a copy of the much anticipated Ed Viesturs memoir. Endeavoring to read it cover-to-cover and absorb all the drama, low and high altitude adventure, and very personal insights - we weren't disappointed.

Ed and David Roberts have given the reader a never before look into the climbing and personal life of America's icon of mountain climbing. This includes the mental methods of climbing with various partners, dealing with circumstances outside of the sphere of control, and the decisions impacting self and family.

An added surprise is Ed's opinions on epic climbs by other climbers that were highlighted in media, movies, and books. It certainly gave us reason to review our own opinions of the events.

A valued purchase with b/w photos.

A fair memoir of adventure on the high peaks, January 21, 2007
I have followed the adventures of Ed Viesturs and his pursuit of the 14 summits with great interest over the years. Though I am not a mountaineer in the least, it is a subject that I have been fascinated by ever since I was a youngster and saw a presentation by a man who had attempted to climb Everest. I was enthralled by the challenge and the seeming overwhelming and inherent risks. Then, years later, I was fortunate enough to see a presentation by Jon Krakauer during his tour in support of the outstanding "Into Thin Air".

Another reason I followed the mountaineers like Mr. Viesturs and Mr. Krakauer - among others - is that they convey a sense of respect and sanity about climbing these high peaks. In this new era where highly unqualified people are trying to summit peaks like Everest and ethical dilemmas more often overshadow the achievements, it is the reasoned voices of these climbers who can hopefully reverse the trend.

With that said, I was excited to see that Mr. Viesturs published "No Shortcuts To The Top". I ordered it almost as soon as it came out, and couldn't wait for the opportunity to read it.

Mr. Viesturs provides a pretty complete picture of his life to date. He nicely summarized his childhood, but fortunately kept it short to focus in on the things that drew him to climb. He does a great job of relating the sacrifices he had to make - especially financially - in order to pursue this passion. The reader gets to fully understand that climbing is not the type of "hobby" where you can just pick up from your job on a weekend and head to the hills.

More importantly - like Mr. Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" (though perhaps not as dramatically so) - Mr. Viesturs takes the reader with him on his climbs to show the many risks and possibility for death that constantly surround you at those great heights. "No Shortcuts To The Top" does a great job in relating the constant challenge of weighing the desire to push for the summit versus preserving one's safety. Time and again, Mr. Viesturs relates his motto, "Reaching the summit is optional. Getting down is mandatory." At times, this repetition gets to be a bit annoying, but then you begin to understand that climbers have to repeat that to themselves every time they head up a peak.

Those looking for yet another account of the 1996 tragedy on Everest may be disappointed. I think Mr. Viesturs (rightly) assumes that too much has been written about those days already, and in some cases, the story has been better captured by other authors. So, we do get his perspective as a member of a team following the ill-fated expeditions, but without a great deal of detail.

Probably the most enjoyable part of the story involved his repeated attempts to finally summit Annapurna. Given his relation of the climb and weather that goes with it, this sounds like the most difficult of the 14 highest peaks in the worlds.

As the book progresses, we also see that the "high-adventure" mountain climbing community is a pretty close-knit one. Mr. Viesturs frequently encounters these select few that are challenging the world's highest peaks. Some he is friends with, some are rivals, some have massive egos, and some are very down-to-earth. But all possess the desire to climb and challenge themselves.

A criticism I have of this book is that Mr. Viesturs at times gets very technical in his descriptions of gear and climbing, to the detriment of his recollections of his summits. That seemed to bog the book down in places. Also, while I realize it is important to relate to the reader the type of equipment one is climbing with, he sometimes seemed to go into a little too much detail. I wouldn't have minded so much, except for the fact that he didn't really go into a lot of detail about some of his climbs. So, it almost conveyed a sense that he was leaving things out to talk more about boots, parkas, and tents. I could overlook this penchant for the overly technical and excessive information, but the casual reader would probably get bored with it or become uninterested.

You will note as you read this review that by and large, my review is pretty positive, yet I am rating it with 3 stars. I wrestled with that rating. If I were basing it purely on how I liked it, I would probably give it four stars. But, as I alluded to above, I think the excessive technical lingo and detail would put off the casual reader who may not be quite as enthralled by mountaineering as I am.

I am glad that Mr. Viesturs wrote "No Shortcuts To The Top". I may have hoped for a little more, but it's good to have this account of his successes on the mountains. I hope he continues to be a prominent voice in the mountaineering community for a little "reform" in today's expeditions, so that safety and experience doesn't get lost in the face of deep-pocketed individuals who foolishly believe that money equals a guarantee of an easy transit to the summit of an Everest or other high peak.

A wonderful autobiography, November 6, 2006
I have long dreamed of climbing mountains, and from a young age, I've eagerly devoured books on the subject. Ed Viesturs has always been somebody to look up to (literally) in the climbing world; I was in awe to meet him at a recent book signing and to get a copy of this book.

This is one of the better books I've read about mountaineering. Viesturs talks about the dangers of climbing, and he doesn't gloss over the less-than-pretty parts: he wants you to understand that no matter what you see in the movies, climbing mountains is a serious endeavor, something you need to go into with your eyes wide-open. He tactfully handles such matters as the 1996 Everest disaster, and he is modest about his participation in several high-profile projects. He knows he's done some amazing feats, but he doesn't make you feel as if he's let it go to his head at all. If anything, his book is wonderfully conversational, making it a good read, even if you're just an armchair adventurer.

Intimate and Inspirational, December 18, 2006
This retrospective gives an intimate look at one of the all-time greats of Himalayan mountaineering. You get a good feeling for what drives Ed, how he evaluates the risks vs. the rewards of an inherently dangerous activity, and how he views life overall. What doesn't come through adequately (nor could it in any book) is his amazing personality--always humble in spite of his accomplishments, always putting others first if help is needed, always planning for the future in spite of the set back of the day--for that, you just have to climb with Ed and get to know him. (Full disclosure: I was an early climbing partner of Ed, so I may be a bit biased in his favor.) What inspires me most about Ed is not his accomplishments above 8000 m, but that he built a career doing exactly what he loves to do, while so many of us sit in offices doing stuff we hate, just daydreaming of the mountains and adventures unfulfilled. This book could be cataloged under either "mountaineering" or "living life to the max."

Fine autobiography of one man's quest, May 12, 2007
I was intrigued by Ed Viesturs because he's only the sixth person, and first American, to summit all fourteen of the 8,000 meter (that's 26,247 feet) mountains in the world (all in the Himalayas) without bottled oxygen. An amazing feat. It took him 17 years, and his motto was "Getting to the top is optional, getting back to the bottom is mandatory."

So I decided to read his recent autobiography.

It was a very enjoyable read - a real life adventure about a personal quest. My own outdoors experiences are limited to day hikes in the Hudson valley and Catskills, car camping with my family, and one or two night jaunts on the Appalahian Trail.

The book begins with Viesturs and companion Scott Fisher having a close call in 1992 on the face of K2 (the world's second highest mountain at 8,611 meters), with Viesturs doing a "self-arrest" to keep them from plunging 8,000 feet. They were actually in the midst of trying to reach and help two other very experienced climbers who'd gotten into trouble further up the mountain - everyone survived the situation.

Later in the expedition, Viesturs, Fisher and another American climber did reach the summit of K2, but Viesturs believes their decision to push for the summit was the worse decision he ever made on any of his Himalayan climbs. Even though they got to the top and back down again without serious incident, the weather conditions and timing were much too risky. Viesturs references that decision, and the fact that they were extremely fortunate to have made the summit and gotten back down again without a disaster, on a number of occasions later in the book.

The remaining seven chapters and epilogue blend in Viesturs early family life, his learning curve as a climber and guide on Mount Rainier, his struggle to become a professional climber (as in making a living through his climbing), Himalayan summit efforts, and his family life with a wife and three children.

He explains his reasoning for not using oxygen assistance when attempting a summit (however, he does use oxygen when working the Himalayas as a guide/expedition member - he feels he owes it to his clients who are depending on his expertise and aid). His rationale is that you are not meeting the mountain, on it's own terms. In a very real sense you are lowering the mountain, since you are breathing an oxygen mixure that is not found at the highest altitudes.

Viesturs views himself as a risk manager, not a risk taker. He makes the point (continuously!) that it's not good enough to get to the mountain summit, you have to get down again! Viesturs plans his climbs starting with the return from the summit, not getting to the summit. He feels one of the main reasons for fatalities on the mountains is the failure to plan for the descent, as people single-mindedly are interested in summitting and over-push themselves, leaving no physical and mental reserves for the climb down, or they arrive at the summit too late in the day and suffer the combined consequences of exhaustion, bad weather, and darkness. This was the cause of most of the deaths in 1996 on Everest, including his friend Scott Fisher, who was the head of one expedition (he probably died of pulmonary edema), as well as the head of the another expedition, the New Zealander Rob Hall. Viesturs was on the mountain that day (at a lower camp) and was involved in resuce efforts - there could easily have been many more deaths. There's a well-regarded book about the series of incidents causing the deaths, entitled "Into Thin Air."

On several occasions, including Viesturs first effort on Everest, he cut short his climb even though near the summit, because in his judgement a summit push would have involved too much risk. He was actually only 100 vertical feet from the top of Everest on his first attempt, when he and hs partner made the decision to descend. His attitude was always that he could come back in another season and reach the top. It actually was only on his third attempt on Annapurna, in 2005, that he got to the top. That was the last of the fourteen 8,000 meter peaks Vieturs needed to climb to complete his quest. He'd failed on Annapurna in 2000, and again in 2003.

And that, of course, begs the question. Why get involved in such a risky, life-threatening sport? For every seven climbers who summit Everest, one dies. And Everest is by no means the riskiest Himalayan mountain! For every two who summit Annapurna, one climber dies.

You'll have to read the book for Ed Viesturs answer.

Many amazing journeys - one fascinating book. Highly recommend., December 21, 2006
As an avid armchair mountaineer, I've read many mountaineering books and this one ranks up there with my favorites, `Into Thin Air' and `Annapurna'. This book is set apart from many others because it describes not only one, but fourteen (plus) successful summit bids on fourteen different mountains - and all the training, preparation, and good judgment that lead to success. So many mountaineering books are about tragedy; it's refreshing to read one about success.

Insightful & inspiring, December 23, 2006
Viesturs is a stand-out in the world of mountaineering. Not just as an extremely skilled & experienced mountaineer (one of the best in the world), but as a truly down-to-earth & likable guy. We're so lucky to be able to learn about this sport & these mountains from a true voice that is unencumbered by machismo & ego. Even with the help of David Roberts, this memoir is not a literary masterpiece. But the stories, the pictures, the insights, and Viesturs' inspiring voice come through loud & clear. As a simple hiker who will never make it to the Himalayas, I was fascinated by the story of how a person born in the midwest ends up on top of Everest many years later. I was equally fascinated by all the details he gives about daily life on an 8000m peak. I think this book will appeal to a wide range of people -- from experienced climbers to casual hikers to total couch potatoes. A totally enjoyable read that will take you through a range of emotions from start to finish. (And I finished with a smile on my face)

Climb with the best, January 23, 2007
In No Shortcuts to the Top, Ed Viesturs has given us an excellent account of what it is like to attempt to climb all of the world's peaks over 8,000 meters in height. He also explains how it was possible for him to do the huge amount of mountaineering he has done yet still make a living and raise a family. The climbing sections are wonderful. Like most people, I am purely an armchair mountaineer so books of this type are as close as I will get to going high in the Himalayas. Mr. Viesturs makes it clear that getting to the top is optional. As he says many times, getting back down is mandatory. I particularly appreciated his insights into the 1996 Everest disaster, and I found his descriptions of his attemts to climb Annapurna unbelievably gripping. This book also brings home to the reader how many of the best climbers eventually die in their mountaineering efforts. The book is also helped significantly by the editing and writing of David Roberts. He is one of the best in this field.
One other suggestion. After you finish this book, read Ed Viestur's Himalayan Quest. It is primarily a book of outstanding photographs of his climbs, and the photos should be more meaningful after you have read the descriptions of the climbs in No Shortcuts

An Everest of a Book, August 18, 2007
Ed Viesturs may not hold the title of Most Amazing American Athlete Most People Have Never Heard Of, but he's got to be in the team picture.

In "No Shortcuts to the Top," he comes across as a genuine, thoughtful, focused, kind, determined man. But that's not why I highly recommend it: With the help of David Roberts, Viesturs has also woven a masterful account of his remarkable quest to scale all 14 of the Eight Thousanders--without the aid of supplemental oxygen.

I was awed by the extensive detail that courses throughout the book...seems as if Ed has been taking very good notes for quite some time. It's a pleasure to see that effort--a microcosm of his overall attention to detail and day-to-day discipline--bear fruit in "No Shortcuts to the Top."

I also appreciate that Viesturs doesn't shy away from including elements that don't necessarily reflect perfectly on him. He acknowledges mistakes he's made, and he shares frank personal information that others might have glossed over or sidestepped altogether.

Also, you need not be into mountain climbing to appreciate this book. The most I ever climb is a flight or two of stairs, for example.

Full disclosure: I had the pleasure of speaking with Viesturs by phone a few times before the book's release, as I helped edit a cover story on him for Krakoosh magazine. He's as down-to-earth a guy as someone can be after scaling the world-record heights as he's done. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A thrilling chronicle of the tragedy-ridden history of climbing K2, the world's most difficult and unpredictable mountain, by the bestselling authors of No Shortcuts to the Top

At 28,251 feet, the world's second-tallest mountain, K2 thrusts skyward out of the Karakoram Range of northern Pakistan. Climbers regard it as the ultimate achievement in mountaineering, with good reason. Four times as deadly as Everest, K2 has claimed the lives of seventy-seven climbers since 1954. In August 2008 eleven climbers died in a single thirty-six-hour period on K2–the worst single-event tragedy in the mountain's history and the second-worst in the long chronicle of mountaineering in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. Yet summiting K2 remains a cherished goal for climbers from all over the globe. Before he faced the challenge of K2 himself, Ed Viesturs, one of the world's premier high-altitude mountaineers, thought of it as "the holy grail of mountaineering."

In K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Viesturs explores the remarkable history of the mountain and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time he probes K2's most memorable sagas in an attempt to illustrate the lessons learned by confronting the fundamental questions raised by mountaineering–questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory. Viesturs knows the mountain firsthand. He and renowned alpinist Scott Fischer climbed it in 1992 and were nearly killed in an avalanche that sent them sliding to almost certain death. Fortunately, Ed managed to get into a self-arrest position with his ice ax and stop both his fall and Scott' s.

Focusing on seven of the mountain's most dramatic campaigns, from his own troubled ascent to the 2008 tragedy, Viesturs and Roberts crafts an edge-of-your-seat narrative that climbers and armchair travelers alike will find unforgettably compelling. With photographs from Viesturs's personal collection and from historical sources, this is the definitive account of the world's ultimate mountain, and of the lessons that can be gleaned from struggling toward its elusive summit.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

The price of victory, September 28, 2009

AN INTENSELY PERSONAL & HISTORICAL LOOK AT K2: ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT CLIMBS, October 1, 2009

"Base camp" for beginning your study of the history of climbing K2, October 4, 2009

If you have "mountain lust" you'll like this book!, September 27, 2009

Too much sharing, September 26, 2010
I'm not a mountain climber, but began to enjoy being an armchair climber after reading "Into Thin Air" and have since read the odd book on climbing now and again. I'm aware of the respect this climber has, and there was some very good explanations of various expeditions. But for me, I got thrown off as I was expecting a more "you can feel the ice" sort of book, but this one was kind of off-putting for me, seeming to meander to personal musings to family life and other details I didn't have any interest in - book wasn't quite what I was expecting. Still, mountain and rock climbers would probably appreciate a copy and I found some information interesting, such as there are climbing "subgroups" with their own jargon. Not a bad book but one I wouldn't read again, and it's not like "Touching the Void" film that just reels you in. Wish I had liked it better, but I left it behind in a hotel room. Guess I was hoping for a more "real-time" feel of what it's like to climb the notorious K2 (although some of the author's snarky comments of the overuse of the "savage mountain" description for K2 were hysterical).

Great stories begging for an editor, July 21, 2010

As the Irish Would Say: Savage!, October 4, 2009

a antidote to that absurd movie,vertical linit, December 17, 2009

Gripping and inscrutable, October 31, 2009

Takes your breath away, October 27, 2009

Editorial Review

Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature. ... Read more

Reviews

More than a hiking narative., May 10, 2000
This is much more than a travelogue of two neophyte hikers on the Appalachian Trail, and readers looking for a blow by blow account of the travails of Bill Bryson and his companion, Stephen Katz, will be disappointed. Hiking provides only a backdrop to a heartfelt discourse on the social condition of America, local history, the environment, and the complexities of friendship. The pretext for the book was Bryson's return to the United States after twenty years in Britain, and his interest in "rediscovering America" after such a lengthy absence.

The vast majority of the reviews of the book cite its hilarity (one reviewer called it "choke-on-your-coffee funny"), and indeed there are very many funny parts. However, the deeper I got into the book, I detected a strong shift in the author's sentiment from satire to deep introspection. His observations became more acute, more angry, and more individualized as his long hike constantly brings to his mind the fragile environment of the Trail, the insanity of bureacrats entrusted with the AT, and his own personal limitations.

This was my first encounter with Bill Bryson, and while I found him entertaining, a beautiful writer, and an astute observer, some readers will be put off my his sharp satiric wit. It is certain that he will offend somebody. A friend of mine, who also read the book, was very much upset by the fact that Bryson and Katz didn't hike all 2,200 miles of the Trail, and that somehow their "failure" should prevent the telling of the story. This is utter nonsense and just throws more manure onto the present dung heap that has accumulated from the participants involved in peak bagging, wilderness races, and experiential therapy groups.

Bryson and Katz at least tried to hike the entire AT, and they returned from their hike as changed men who learned many lessons about the wilderness and friendship. Towards the end of the book, the two men are talking about the hike. When Katz remarks that "we did it," Bryson reminds him that they didn't even see Mount Katahdin, much less climb it. Katz says, "Another mountain. How many do you need to see, Bryson?" I agree with Katz (and ultimately Bryson). They hiked the Appalachian Trail.

I strongly recommend it to anyone, February 7, 2000
A Walk in the Woods is a travel memoir on the Appalachian Trail, one of America's greatest hiking routes. The author, Bill Bryson lived in England for 20 years and came back to the United States with the urge to go on a long hike. Stephen Katz, an old college friend, and a former alcoholic accompanies him. Both men are out of shape, and beginners at hiking, so it is a wonder how they can endure such hardships along the trail. They had to carry a pack that contained their tents, food, water, clothes and other items. Katz and other interesting characters provide the book with much comic relief to keep the reader involved. At some points in the book I was laughing out loud. Along the journey they meet many people including Mary Ellen a slow-minded woman who follows them around, and Beulah, a fat woman with a very angry husband. The commentary about the long, rich history of the Appalachian Trail brings insight on the wilderness that we hardly know about. It also speaks for the preservation of the forestry and animals that we take for granted in the city. After reading this book I have more appreciation of the wilderness, and an interest in going hiking myself. One downside of the book was that some points in the book the author expanded the book with knowledge that made it a little less interesting, then the actual story. But I liked how Bryson went back and forth to discuss his journey and the history, creating a balance of interests. This book will offer something to any type of reader because it is funny, and contains a lot of historical information, and is interesting enough to keep the reader to keep going. But for someone who wishes to go on a hike, this is not a how to guide. It is also not an amazing adventure of two men and the great outdoors. What this book has to offer is an entertaining journey of two regular guys, who decide to go on a hike along one of the most difficult trails in the United States. I am highly recommending this book, and it will truly leave the reader entertained.

Interesting history of the trail, second half less compelling than the first., September 23, 2006
As both a Bill Bryson fan and a long distance hiker myself (although I have not done the Appalachian Trail yet) I really expected to love A Walk in the Woods. I was a little bit concerned, since when my partner handed it to me (he finished the book first) he said, "I don't think you're going to like it..." But still, I was really looking forward to reading it.

For the first half of the book, I also really did enjoy the book. I wasn't bothered by the fact that they were unprepared or out of shape. Nobody is really prepared for their first long distance hiking trip until they are a few weeks into the trail. I remember my own experience of staggering along under my overly ambitious pack. I also enjoyed that he talked honestly about the experience of hiking, and I liked the way that he interspersed history and facts about the trail with the travel writing.

The second half, however, got much less interesting. The day trips and the abortive Maine portion were actually kind of disheartening. The whole feel of the prose got sort of mean spirited. He didn't have to walk the whole trail to feel like he walked it, but I honestly would have preferred to see him expand the first half and leave the second half out completely.

There is still quite a bit of good stuff in here, particularly if you are interested in the southern part of the trail. There is also quite a bit of truth about the culture of the long distance hikers. I laughed quite a bit while I read. I guess that the complaints boiled down to not quite being as good as it could have been.

Laugh out loud funny!, January 8, 2000
Very seldom do I read anything that makes me laugh out loud. To do so more than once or twice in a single book almost never happens. With "Walk," I became almost hysterical over certain chapters - in an airport, no less, while waiting for my flight. People must have thought I was nuts! Anyway, this is the story of two middle-aged and out of shape men (Bryson and his buddy, Katz) who decide to hike the Appalachian Trail. The AT is the third longest nature trail in the US, stretching from Georgia to Maine, along some incredibly rough terrain. Not all of their journey is rustic, however, as they often take a break to spend a night in the closest little town off the trail to have a shower, sleep in a "real" bed, and wash the grime from their clothes. It is during one such trip to the laundromat that Katz has a rather interesting encounter with 300 lb. Beaulah, her extra-large-sized panties, and a washing machine. Aside from the comical adventures, Bryson also has a great deal to say about the AT itself, and in particular, how much the National Parks Service needs a giant kick in the pants to help preserve these Trails.

It's not only funny, it's educational., March 19, 2007
Bill Bryson has a great sense of humor and an excellent, precise way of expressing it. My husband had just had heart surgery when I started reading this book. I was concerned that my LOL while reading A Walk in the Woods might disturb him as I sat next to his hospital bed. However, on the other hand, I thought it might expedite the healing process. He told me later he heard me laughing and it made him feel better. So, there you go, Bill, your book is good for heart patients!!

Bill and buddy, Stephen Katz, the only person to take Bill up on the offer to join him as he hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1997?, began their odyssey on March 9 (this just happened to be the day I began reading the book...2007). The laughs came early and continued throughout, though parts of the book are more history and information than comedy. I took notes in these sections.

Both Bryson and Katz were out of shape when they hit the AT, but Bill noticed his body slimming and becoming more svelte right away (one thing I looked for, but never found, was word on how the adventure affected Katz's weight and figure. I would've been interested in knowing that). The men hiked the AT in two segments and, incidentally, did not hike the entire trail, which they decided was okay. I agree. At any rate, they hiked a few weeks in pre- and early spring and again in the heat of August. While they were off the trail, Bryson took day trips to walk parts of the AT between where he and Katz left off and the Hundred Mile Wilderness in Maine they planned to hike in August. This book not only tells the tale of two men attempting to walk the 2,200 miles of the AT, but is full of history lessons, geological and geographical information, stories of lost/doomed hikers, and social intercourse (i.e., the more than rude, self-centered, and boorish hikers the boys meet on their next to last day on the trail the first time).

This book is a good companion so read it slowly, digest it thoroughly, and you will enjoy it immensely.

Carolyn Rowe Hill

Nature writing and a travelogue with "oomph"!, August 18, 2007
Perhaps it was a fit of angst dealing with his own personal version of a mid-life crisis that led Bill Bryson to tackle the challenge of hiking the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail! It was certainly a solid understanding of his own personality and clear recognition of his own physical and mental limitations that prompted him to invite his friend, Stephen Katz, an overweight and out of shape recovering alcoholic with an inordinate fondness for snack foods and cream soda to accompany him on this daunting challenge. The demands of the AT ultimately proved too much for Bryson and Katz who sensibly (and with an almost relieved sense of philosophical acceptance) decided to abandon the notion of a complete through hike. But the resulting story, drawn from Bryson's daily journal of the summer's efforts, is an overwhelming success and pure joy in the reading.

"A Walk in the Woods" is an extraordinary, entertaining travelogue on both the AT - the Appalachian Trail - and the people and places of small town America that dot the trail's path along the eastern seaboard from Georgia to Maine. At the same time, it is much, much more. Bryson is scathing in his political commentary and almost enraged criticism of the ongoing state of mismanagement and the sadly misguided policies of both the Parks and Forest Services of the US government. "A Walk in the Woods" is also a deeply moving introspective examination on the nature of friendship, family, perseverance, joy and despondency. As he and Katz amble along rock strewn trails dappled with sunlight broken by the leafy forest canopy, Bryson frequently, effortlessly and almost without our even noticing the change, wanders metaphorically off the main trail and onto a side path of lightweight but nonetheless informative and educational sidebars of nature writing on an amazingly wide variety of topics. Glaciation, bears, bugs, ecology, continental drift, hypothermia, hypoxia and weather are only a few examples of the topics which he elucidates for the lay reader with his clear, concise prose.

Then there is the humour! It is perhaps an understatement to say that, in this regard, Bryson has a rare gift. He has treated his readers to laughs originating in every imaginable corner of the vast world of humour - wry sardonic wit; biting satire; slapstick; self effacement; sarcasm and insults; fear; and even extended comedy sketches worthy of stage or television. His description of the astonishingly stupid and entirely self-absorbed fellow hiker Mary Ellen who has the annoying habit of constantly clearing her sinuses with a grating honk is definitely laugh-out-loud material.

Pure entertainment and enjoyment from first page to last. I believe Bill Bryson would consider it a compliment if I suggested that "A Walk in the Woods" is the first book I've ever read with a smile on my face during every single moment of the reading. Highly recommended - even if you've never spent a single night under nylon in the woods.

Paul Weiss

Funny and informative., February 27, 2002
Bill Bryson's travel writing has influenced my personal life in no small way. His 1989 book "The Lost Continent" (which I first discovered in 1996 and have since revisited many times), documenting his (mis)adventures driving cross-country in the United States, played a significant role in my own decision to hit the road and see this fascinating nation for myself. (Coincidentally, I am currently writing this review from Iowa, Bryson's birthplace and frequent target of his signature dry wit.) Having spent the greater part of his adult life abroad in England, Bryson returned to the United States with his family several years ago, settling in a small town in New Hampshire, to rediscover the land he'd left as a youth. He has since written two books about his time spent in America, one of them being "A Walk in the Woods", Bryson's account of his experiences hiking the renowned Appalachian Trail.

Considered by many to be the Holy Grail of hiking trails in the United States, the Appalachian Trail runs approximately 2,100 miles long, stretching from Georgia to Maine and passing through 12 additional states along the way. Every year, hundreds of people attempt to walk the entire length of the trail from beginning to end, with only a small portion of them successfully completing the endeavor. Known as "thru-hikers", the majority of these aspiring individuals underestimate the sheer scope and arduousness of the undertaking. Most drop out well before the halfway point. Those who persevere are treated to extreme temperatures hot and cold, gruesomely harsh terrains, unrelenting winds and rainfall, a wide variety of wild predators, and some of the most awesomely scenic sights of natural beauty on earth.

Bryson begins his own trek along the Appalachian Trail admittedly inexperienced and somewhat out-of-shape. Accompanied by an oafish college buddy named Katz with whom he shares a decidedly odd love-hate relationship (it often feels like Katz's sole purpose in being there is so that Bryson will always have someone to make fun of), the two set off with full backpacks on what promises to be a journey filled with humor, wit, insight and adventure. Along the way they encounter other hikers (some highly eccentric in disposition), endure the hardships of bad weather, visit neighboring small towns, and cover more ground on foot in a scant few weeks than most of us will in an entire year. Eventually they end their first phase of the hike in northern Virginia and part separate ways. Bryson continues to investigate key points along the trail in short spurts over the next several months, embarking on daytrips and brief overnighters in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New England. In the last section of the book Bryson and Katz reunite to tackle the final hundred-mile stretch of the trail in Maine. Although Bryson never actually completes the entire length of the trail in true "thru-hike" fashion, he explores enough of it from enough different places to ensure that his description of the Appalachian Trial overall is valid and well-informed.

If you have read any of Bryson's previous books, you will be familiar with his penchant for digressing from the main line of action to muse on various tidbits of history, factoids and trivia. In one paragraph he'll be admiring the splendid view from a mountaintop; in the next he's providing an overview of the trail's origins. Some of this information, especially when it pertains to the ecological aspects of the Appalachian Trail, is genuinely fascinating. Bryson is also well-known for his wry and witty observations about virtually everything he encounters: from the exasperating science of shopping for hiking gear, to the shoddy upkeep of certain portions of the trail. Though not as laugh-out-loud funny as some of his other works, there are plenty of moments scattered throughout the book that will inspire a hearty chuckle. He also does an admirable job of conveying the beauty and grandeur, not to mention the less attractive elements, of the Appalachian Trail. Although you never obtain a true sense of actually "being there" from reading his descriptive passages, Bryson nevertheless provides an adequate depiction of what it must feel like to embark on this epic journey.

There is something agreeably comforting in reading a book by Bryson, who comes across as a friendly, educated, next-door-neighbor type of guy who would make a fine traveling companion. His informal, chatty writing style is ideally suited for a warm, lazy summer's afternoon sitting on the front porch with a glass of lemonade by your side. It's a pleasant, light reading experience that provides equal doses of laughter and insight. Although "A Walk in the Woods" is not particularly romantic, it is affectionate and sentimental in the right places, and may very well inspire me to someday throw on a pair of hiking boots and head off for a little 2,100-mile walk of my own.

You will LOVE this book!, November 18, 1999
Fair Warning -- do not read this book while commuting - you will be laughing so uncontrolably you will risk being committed by your fellow commuters. I have loaned this book to 3 friends - in each case, the spouse was so intrigued by the constant belly laughs that they also read the book before returning it. One friend bought copies for Christmas presents. The appeal is that universal. I dare say even those with no interest in backpacking or the Appalachian Trail would find the book highly entertaining.

Laughing out loud while I'm riding the train, April 7, 2007
I'm about 2/3 of the way through this amazing book and have to let everyone know that you need to read this one. I have been reading it during my train commute, grinning from ear to ear, and cackling out loud every few minutes.

The book alternates between a hilarous telling of a lengthy hike along the Appalachian Trail by the author and his out-of-shape buddy Stephen, and a well-researched description of the AT's construction, history, & ecology. The stories of their hiking-gear research, the author's deathly fear of bears, and their run-ins with neurotic fellow hiker Mary Ellen had me in tears.

This book ties with "Catch 22" as the funniest I've ever read, just ahead of Palahniuk's "Lullaby".

Half good read, half disappointment, August 30, 2004
If you are looking for a book that describes the experience of hiking the ENTIRE Applachian Trail (a.k.a. "the AT," per hiking lingo)in a year's time, then do NOT read this book.

Yep, you read that sentence correctly. This is NOT that kind of book.

Knowing this one important fact in advance (as the book jacket copy does not disclose this), then you won't be disappointed as I was when I hit the point, midway through the book, when Bryson and Katz, a friend from high school days who decides to accompany Bryson on the AT, make the decision to stop at Front Royal, Virginia, part ways for a few months, and then resume the hike later that same year in Maine's Hundred Miles Wilderness. (They don't even bother to hike the entire segment from the start of the AT to Front Royal, getting into a cab at one point to take them further along the trail.)

The first half of the book is incredibly funny and educational as Bryson prepares for the hike and begins to learn about the history of the AT. He also begins to face the truth of what it means to make this type of journey. Hiking the entire AT in a year is, after all, not your typical Sunday afternoon hike or 3-day backpacking holiday in the Sierra Mountain range. The piece on the dangers of bears is especially fine writing, and places the issue of bears in the larger context of the wilderness lands that surround us, even in large urban centers. Bryson skillfully weaves current events, history, and anecdotes about the AT.

However, the quality of the book suffers once Bryson and Katz finish the first part of their great adventure. Bryson's writing almost mirrors the disappointment he must have felt, knowing he wasn't going to finish the trail but still had to complete the writing of this book. The writing in the second half is sketchy and almost haphazard, seemingly written in bits and pieces that lack the loving flow, attention to detail, and story-telling that mark the first half of the book.

This is my first book by Bryson, and I may pick up another of his books, although I'll probably borrow it from the library rather than buy it. "A Walk in the Woods" is probably best saved for readers who already know Bryson's work from other books and are already-won fans of his writing style. ... Read more

Editorial Review

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Reviews

Finding Beauty in Pain, Partnership, and Purpose, October 17, 2009
In a time when most of the accomplishments in mountaineering are so summit oriented, alloyed with sponsorship and even reality TV, how can you not be pleased to read the account of someone whose accompishments are purity of the opposite? The value of the climb, the route, and the unique experience of successful climbing partnership are lost to all except the climber. Steve House brings this all back to its proper value and vividly in his own words. This book is an act of Alpine art in itself. No Sherpa support, no supplemental oxygen, only minimal equipment, and nothing left on the mountain!

Compelling, October 16, 2009
In Beyond the Mountain, Steve skillfully plots his career with a series of truly amazing stories. Mostly we are treated to gripping descriptions of climbing at the edge of human ability, in which his relentless drive risks his life for reasons he struggles to identify. But there are also understated love stories here -- not of romance, but of the partners and others who have meant the most to him personally in his vertical pursuits. Steve seems to have put all of himself into this work, writing with a psychological honesty that is uncommon, reliving for us his victories and moments of clarity, but also his intense inner struggles with the desire to succeed and the fear of failure, the love of the sport and the crushing despair over fallen friends, the will to risk everything and the nagging question of why he does this given the intense personal costs. It is because of his brutal honesty, with others but mostly with himself, that what Steve gives us here is truly a gift, a glimpse into another man's soul, so that ironically this biography of the uber-athlete is the story of Everyman. You will start to read it because it is the must-read of the year for everyone who has ever felt the thrill of going on belay, but you will blast through it and then dwell on it for days because Steve has not tried to oversimplify or falsely dramatize or glorify, but only to describe his lifelong quest to answer with his body the fundamental question of how one should find meaning and fulfillment.

compelling, honest, October 21, 2009
Beyond the Mountain is a must read for anyone interested in alpinism and the motivations and sacrifices of those who practice it at its highest levels. Steve House obviously went through a lot of soul searching to write this account of his career to date leading up to his successful ascent of Nanga Parbat. The result comes off as an honest and heart felt tale which is a pleasure to read and left this reader with as many questions about personal motivation and accomplishment as it did provide answers. Highly recommended.

Not just another climbing tale!, September 11, 2009
Just finished reading "Beyond the Mountain" by Steve House. His story of alpine climbing and the personal struggles and sacrifices associated with it are real, undiluted and eloquent. Not a handful of people can do what he does physically, much less use the profoundest of prose to lay bare the essence of what it is to be human. I have received many levels of inspiration by reading "Beyond the Mountain". A heartfelt thanks to Steve for sharing his story with the rest of us.

A Glimpse of Reality, October 22, 2009
This is a book with broad appeal. Whether the reader is an alpinist who guides for a living, a weekend climber who can't put down a climbing magazine until it is read cover-to-cover, or an Everest enthusiast who never plans to climb a mountain, this tale is a winner. Steve manages to give us a feeling of being in the moment that other climbing literature only touches superficially. His honest reflection on the emotions and decisions he makes, while climbing out on the edge of what is possible, is a true gift to the reader. I look forward to the next book from a gifted writer. Perhaps after a successful climb on Makalu's West Face?

Education of a Pioneer, October 7, 2009
Unlike a lot of memoirs written (or should I say ghost-written) by accomplished athletes, Steve House's memoir isn't an exercise in ego. Almost the opposite is true. This book seems to be, as much as anything else, an exploration of the egolessness and humility that the mountains taught him over nearly three decades of pioneering climbing. There is little that is "extreme!" in this book and there is none of the self-aggrandizing daredeviltry that has come to dominate the American action sports scene a'la the X-Games. Most surprising about House's story is his candid admission that summiting some of the world's great peaks is frequently a disappointing experience, underlining the refrigerator magnet platitude that is true however trite it might seem: the beauty lies in the journey.

Gripping, April 19, 2010
I got a chance to see Steve speak at Amazon when he dropped by for a slideshow and a talk about his book. He was humble enough in that discussion to just talk openly and straightforwardly about his climbs. I really had no idea at the time of his accomplishments, his high achievements in alpinism. I loved this book. It was a page turning gripping read, one of the best books I've read in a long time. Honest, haunting; an exposition on the triumphs and the costs of his pursuit. I especially liked his exploration of why he climbs and the tough answers that he admits he often doesn't have. Highly recommended.

Destined to Become a Classic, October 16, 2009
Steve House has written what will become the new standard by which future mountaineering books will be judged. By completely opening up himself and pouring his soul into this book, both climbers and non-climbers alike get to feel what it is to totally commit oneself to an endeavor where the outcome, and ones own life, is constantly in doubt. The honesty with which Beyond the Mountain was written makes this book go far beyond the 'dig me' chest thumping so common in mountaineering writing. Ultimately, however, this book is about the strong bond, "dare I say love", between partners who must have complete trust in each other for their own survival. I'm looking forward to visiting this book again soon!

Awesome modern alpine classic, October 14, 2009
Gives you a look at the real man. Well written, inspiring, lovely photos. A must have modern classic for anyone interested in alpinism. OR even for those mountain snow plodders who want to see what real climbing is all about

A must-read of climbing writing, October 16, 2009
Far from just a climbing book, "Beyond the Mountain" is a narrative of achievement at the highest level, the difficulties of choosing a path in life and making one's way upon it: the personal losses and sacrifices that come with choosing `the road less traveled'. Honest and unflinching, it will evoke feelings and responses from every reader, a remarkable result from a first book. In the same way that Herzog, Beckey, Wickwire, Chouinard, Robbins, Messner, and Twight have inspired and motivated generations of explorers through their writing, "Beyond the Mountain" is the narrative of an explorer of a new generation. Mr. House picks up the torch in the new, grey, complicated world we live in and shows us that our motivations are not so simple as the goals in front of us, that the difficulties along the way give us more commonalities than differences, and that in bringing our passion to our pursuits, we can experience the joy of fulfillment regardless of whether we achieve our personal summits.
... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Even couch potatoes would like this book, March 30, 2006
I love to travel and backpack and am addicted to nature adventure tales. I found this book very informative and entertaining. It is full of fun facts and larger than life character sketches. And while there is a lot of information presented, the author manages to present it in a coherent, relevant and entertaining way.

While he obstensibly writes about lessons learned from great (and not so great) adventurers, the lessons contained in this book can easily be used to inform us on how to successfully guide ourselves and others through life's everyday challenges great and small.

LOVED IT!!

Tales of Adventure and Exploration, June 29, 2008
God I love this book! Although written in the manner of a 'how-to' or 'guide' book, this book is really more of a history of exploration and travel as told through anecdotes about various famous adventurers, liberally spiced with various facts about the great outdoors. Legendary names like Ernest Shackleton, Sir Richard Francis Burton, Wilfred Thesiger, Robert E. Peary, Freya Stark, Hiram Bingham, Captain Cook, Col. Percy Fawcett and others can be found within these pages.

Each chapter is arranged by theme or topic. The first chapter covers 'getting started' with fund-raising and team-building, while 'getting going' includes things like wearing a safari suit and pith helmet, finding water in the desert, and dealing with animal attacks. Next chapter covers 'getting along,' such as leading your men up a mountain, dealing with natives like Ekimos, Bedouin and Polynesians, and preventing a mutiny. Then we move on 'getting there,' which covers famous expeditions like Burton's search for the Nile, Amundsen's quest for the South Pole, the Kon Tiki Expedition, and the ascent of Everest. And finally we have 'getting back,' which gives not only gives a very nice list of travel books, but also covers dealing with the press, proving your exploits and a list of explorers who died in the field.

Overall, this is quite a fun little pocket book that will teach you a surprising amount of information on travel, exploration and famous adventurers. Along the way, you'll learn such useful facts and information as how to keep the cleanest underwear after months at sea, using a camera to win the respect of Bedouin tribesmen, and how to survive an anaconda attack. It's a pretty fun book, and it'll make a seasoned adventurer out of any reader, even if you never intend to scale Everest, map the Amazon or cross the Arabian desert! I strongly recommend picking this book up, reading it and savoring every minute.

Great Insight and a fun read, September 4, 2007
Want a fun and insight full read into what it takes to run and expedition? This is the book for you. Mick has written a great book that would be great for any armchair explorer or upcoming adventurer. ... Read more

Editorial Review

You and your group are on the adventure of a lifetime, far from civilization, surrounded by wilderness. Someone gets hurt or sick. What do you do? With Dr. William Forgey's comprehensive Wilderness Medicine: Beyond First Aid in hand, you can recognize, assess, and treat many kinds of medical emergencies. This illustrated text is essential reading for anyone from trip leaders, guides, and search and rescue groups to EMTs, paramedics, and physicians who must provide immediate care when access to a medical facility is difficult or impossible.Learn how to survey, assess, and stabilize the victim and the medical situation, what questions to ask to gain necessary vital information, how to manage physical symptoms as well as care for wounds and orthopedic injuries and much more. ... Read more

Reviews

The one book you really need foran expedition, January 26, 2000
I lead canoe trips in northern Canada for the Science Museum of Minnesota. Many of our expeditions take us above the Arctic Circle. I'm no expert in Wilderness Medicine--and that's why I rely on this book. Doc Forgey knows wild places: he has a fly-in cabin deep in Northern Manitoba. Forgey understands that "evacuation", per se, is often not an option in a genuine wilderness setting. This book clearly and quickly pinpoints solutions to problems and tells you how to deal with them. Forgey provides a host of medical options: you can choose sophisticated Rx medicines, or stick with over-the-counter stuff. "Doc" lays out all options and provides alternatives. A superb index provides fast reference to problems--and, this handy little book fits right in your backpack. It's worth every penny--and each new revision is more thorough than the last. I also heartily recommend Buck Tilton's excellent book, Medicine For The Backcountry. Get them both and you'll be covered for everything.

Contest with Nature, January 7, 2008
Living out in the wild, in the wilderness, is a contest with Nature. Most of the time, man wins the contest, but sometimes ... stuff happens.

Chapter One is about Assessment and starts with that key question: scene safe? Then Dr Forgey takes his reader through the ABCD's, vital signs, levels of consciousness, head to toe examination, shock, respiration rates, heart rates, and CPR. (The numbers for chest compressions and breaths has been changed by the AHA since Dr Forgey updated this book, but that is a minor issue.)

Chapter Two is about body system management. The focus of this chapter is on the systems in the head but the abdomen and reproductive system are given sections as well. There is also a very good, short section on poisoning from food poisoning to shellfish poisoning.

Chapter Three covers soft tissue wounds and treatments ... and suturing and stapling.

Chapter Four covers orthopedic injuries from head to foot.

Chapter Five covers bites and stings and anaphylactic shock. Interest-ingly Dr Forgey finds that rubber suction cups are as worthless as mouth suction. His lone endorsement is the Sawyer Extractor (which is available from Amazon.com).

Chapter Six is on infectious disease. Dr Forgey lists the most signif-icant *wilderness* diseases for North America and the world should one be contesting Nature abroad.

Chapter Seven's environmental injuries include hypothermia, heat stress, high altitude related illnesses, and ... being struck by lightning. Step current is caused when lightning hass struck and the current spreads out like a wave across the ground and the victim's feet are different distances from the strike point. Since the body has less resistance than the ground, a circuit is completed.

There are two useful appendices at the end of the book.

I am EMS certified and as a BLS instructor. I had a few quibbles with Dr Forgey such as his choice of prescription medications to list in one of the appendices. However I had no major disagreements and found the book to be more easily readable than any EMS book I have read. Lots of nuts and bolts and no fluff.

Also as I write this review, I am preparing a first aid segment for a TCLEOSE course on mantracking. Dr Forgey's book provided me with a lot of detail and anecdotes to include. However just as the title says this book is about wilderness medicine *beyond* first aid.

buy this book, February 27, 2006
Buy it because you are planning that trip where you'll be three days from civilization.

And keep it around cause life tends to throw things you're way when your'e out and about.

This is my most tattered book. I use it for every medical thing I come across. It not only can set you up to stabilize pretty much any situation and give you the time you need to get help. It will also tell you what to do when you step on an sea urchin or accidentally burn yourself making coffee the same way you make coffee everyday.

a fantastic reference

Great book but needs updated references, December 28, 2006
I have several outdoor medical and first aide books and this one is the best. It really approaches topics that other books avoid like what to do if you cannot get to a doctor or hospital. The suggested kits in the back are also the best I have found. I only have two negative comments:

1. The techniques and advice in the text could be cross referenced to the medical kits better.

2. The references for more information are old or not very good. The website for the book seems to be underconstruction for at least a year and the major suppliers only offer about half of the items suggested. Most of the hard to find items can be purchased at Amazon or Moore Medical.

The other book to consider for dealing with a lack of traditional medical care is "Where there is no Doctor" but that is geared towards running a clinic in the third world rather than hiking.

Perfect Information for Boondocks Travel or Living!, May 11, 2004
I actually owned and read a much earlier version- listened to the advice- set up my 'Traveling Medical Kit'- and really appreciated the clear and concise medical information- and NOW- an updated version- many new ideas interspersed with time-tested procedures and meds- If you spend any time at all in the 'boondocks'-or just travelin'- You need a copy of this book- >and get copies for your kids too-when they get out on their own! This manual is good, practical and will prove itself in the reading of it- and putting into practice it's wisdom- That Dr Forgey- he's something else!!

Don't leave home for a wilderness trek without it!, February 3, 2000
William Forgey, MD's Wilderness Medicine appears in an updatedfifth edition to provide the latest details on assessing medicalproblems while in the wilderness. It goes far beyond most first aid manuals, covering soft tissue care and trauma, infections and diseases which may evidence themselves far from medical care, and treatments which can take place in the field. END

Easy read provides accurate and useful medical help, March 5, 2001
With this book in hand, the novice to the expert can diagnose illness and when possible, provide on site treatment. It is a must for anyone who travels in the wilderness. It is an execellent reference source that is easy to use, and Dr. Forgey provides this information in a manner that anyone can understand.

Not just for the Average "Joe", June 8, 2008
First off, this is a great book. If anyone thinks this is just a glorified first-aid book, think again. Dr. Forgey's is quick to point out that some medical emergencies are best treated at a hospital by professionals, having said that he plays a "what if" game where evac is not possible and then provides detailed treatment strategies based on your level of skills and supplies on hand. It's a clever approach where plan A is better than plan B which is better than plan C which is better than plan D. Although, he'll point out that plan D is better than doing nothing. His sense of humor is not lost in this book which makes for a compelling read. It's a must have for laymen or practicing pro new to wilderness medicine. I couldn't recommend this book enough. My only complaint, if it qualifies as a complaint is that there isn't a 6th Edition with the latest in medical technology represented. Having said that, if a technique worked in 1999 it should still work in 2009 or 2019!

Favorite excerp from the book: "Red-hot branding irons and pouring gun powder into a wound and lighting it, while effective in killing germs and among Rambo's favorite techniques, also destroy good tissue." (Chapter 3 p.93 paragraph 2)

This one is a keeper, and at the current price, you should buy one for anyone that travels a lot...anywhere!


J.D.

Superb source for beyond first aid, February 3, 2008
It's no surprise that every reviewer has given this excellent and comprehensive book five stars.

Written by William Forgey, MD, former president of the Wilderness Medicine Society it goes beyond first aid, dealing with situations where you cannot merely administer initial care and then count on a rapid evacuation. Forgey writes with a light hand; he avoids jargon and has a dry sense of humor. For example (p. 157): "How do you calm a person who's just been bitten by a snake? Not surprisingly, just telling him to remain calm won't work."

There are seven chapters, beginning with assessment and stabilization, and going through body system disease symptoms, injuries, bites and stings, infectious diseases, and environmental injuries. There is an excellent appendix for putting together wilderness first aid/medical kits, both with prescription, and non-prescription meds, and with a bandaging module.

You don't have to be physician, nurse, or EMT to benefit from the book. All the information, is practical and hands-on; of value to the layperson who is interested in first aid and emergency medical situations. After an initial reading, Wilderness Medicine is a fine reference work.


A related website is: [...].

Just what I was looking for, November 30, 2009
Dr Forgey provides assessment tips and treatment options for dozens of traumatic, infectious, and environmental ailments encountered outdoors. Recommendations for gear tend to focus on multi-purpose commodities. For example, Percogesic is listed as a possible treatment for muscle aches, a decongestant, or a sleeping aid. This outlook allows for an economical approach and also cuts down on pack weight. The author is quick to point to obvious and practical substitutions such as bandanas and duct tape for bandaging or sugar solutions as an antibiotic ointment. Also, the detailed medication recommendations are dividied into prescription and non-prescription categories, depending on the level of care being provided. Throughout the book the author tries to provide multiple treatment options dependent on the training and gear of the medic, referring frequently to the gear list in the back. Topics covered are numerous and detailed, with treatment ranging from the simple and mundane (vinegar on jellyfish tentacles) to the advanced (suturing techniques). Very happy to have it in my library. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In 1996, a twenty-three-year-old soldier in the British Army was flying over an African desert on a routine parachute jump. He had a lot to look forward to-a long career ahead of him in the army, a beautiful girlfriend back home. But those dreams were cut short when his parachute failed to open at eleven thousand feet. He had cracked three vertebrae and come within a fraction of severing his spinal cord. A grueling eight months of physical therapy followed. Bear had to retrain his muscles to do all of the things we take for granted-how to sit, stand, walk, even breathe. Eighteen months after his accident he overcame incredible odds to reach the peak of Everest.

THE KID WHO CLIMBED EVEREST is a tale of courage and determination. Bear's quest for funding for his expedition, his seventy days on Everest's southeast face, and a narrow brush with death after a fall into a crevasse at nineteen thousand feet, make the story an essential read for anyone who's ever had a dream and made it come true.
... Read more

Reviews

Fantastic!, November 9, 2002
Someone once commented on this book saying that they had "read better accounts of climbing a mountain" but in saying that I think they have entirely missed the point of the book!

I picked it up and was unable to put it down. Maybe it isn't the best piece of literature around but is certainly one of the most honest. I was gripped by Bear's account of events, emotions, respect, friendship and faith and finished the book feeling both exhausted and inspired!

I would recommend this book to anyone that feels they are incapable of achieving anything greater than life behind a desk.

Like a letter from an old friend, July 15, 2003
Climbing Mt. Everest at the tender age of 23 is a great feat in itself. Only one in a thousand climbers under the age of thirty in top physical shape ever reach the summit.

What people don't know is that Bear Grylls had just recovered from an accident that nearly claimed his life, after his parachute tore at 11,000 feet during an Army training exercise. After spending months in rehab recovering from a broken back, he decided to follow an impossible dream.

There are few surprises here - you know the ending from the title alone. However, his tales of adventure, close calls, and vivid and very candid descriptions of life in the mountain will keep you reading and cheering him on!

Although his prose pales somewhat when compared to literary classics such as "Into Thin Air", and he lacks the experience and knowledge of legendary climbers such as the original "Kid", David Breashears ("High Exposure"), what he lacks in these areas he more than makes up in his enthusiasm, humor, and love of life. You cannot help but wonder what the older, more experienced climbers he is compared to - or even you - were doing at his age.

what an adventure!, February 25, 2007
At 23 Bear Grylls decided that he was going to seed and needed to do something so he and a buddy went off to Mt. Everest. He wrote a book about the experience and it left me alternately laughing and awed. First, forget what you think you know about mountain climbing. Getting to Everest is an experience in itself that requires close encounters with bathrooms that are really just huts with mountains of other people's poop on the floor, diarrhea (inevitable-- the locals are none too clean and unless you want to offend them by not eating or drinking with the them you will get a stomach bug and/or a severe respiratory infection) and air sickness which can kill you if you don't attend to it right away. And because there's no place to bathe you will stink and after awhile even the female yaks will avoid you. Vomiting plays a big role in attacking Everest. On the very first night getting acclimated Bear was serenaded by the sounds of his buddy chundering into his boots. It's not romantic and not a bit like the adventure movies.

Still, Bear has a sense of humor and being 23 at the time he made the absolute grossness of it all incredibly funny. He starts out as a sweetly goofy kid (much "younger" than I was at that age)and gets more serious as he goes up the mountain. He has a couple of nearly deadly close encounters and life in the Death Zone of the mountain is not cute at all.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was sorry to come to the last page.

Fantastic!, August 2, 2006
I could not put this book down...finished it in 3 days, and I work full-time! I am a non-climber, but have read many books on people's experiences on Everest. This is one of the best accounts I've read...I was riveted and felt like I was right there with Bear on the mountain. Well done!

Outstanding Tale by an Outstanding Human Being., May 29, 2008
I have just finished TKWCE and I am totally blown away. I have been a fan of Bear Grylls ever since I saw my first episode of Man vs. Wild and this book has elevated him greatly in my eyes. He is a man to be admired.

Bear's storytelling style made the entire book sound as though it was his interior monologue from Man vs. Wild which made for a quick and entertaining read. As a military man myself as well as an amateur mountaineer, I had no trouble identifying with Bear and his team as he described the pain, fear, exhaustion, and sense of adventure intrinsic to an assault on Mt. Everest. I enjoyed the humor, humility, and introspection throughout the book.

Obviously since Bear wrote this at age 23, it is not Into Thin Air as many previous reviewers have mentioned. However, I enjoyed it a great deal more than ITA as Krakauer had a MUCH different climb and was surrounded by a great deal more controversy than Bear Grylls. Additionally, I think that the editor should be roundly thrashed for merely spellchecking and submitting the manuscript to the publisher!

For somebody new to mountaineering or in the lower age bracket, this is a great book to start you off into Mountain Literature. It is not the flowing epic of Into Thin Air by Krakauer, nor is it the intensity driven, nihilistic assault of Kiss or Kill by Twight. This book is very simply about "A Kid" with a young man's perspective and worldview talking about scaling Everest. Bear makes no secret of the fact that he is a church going man, true, so if that turns you off, this might not be the book for you. However, all would do well to remember that there are no atheists on battlefields,...or in deserts,...or across oceans,...and certainly not on mountaintops!

A good read!, May 25, 2001
I really enjoyed this book. I am a non-climber and I was able to follow the technical aspects of this book. Bear Grylls takes you onto the mountain with him- you experience the boredom of Base Camp and the day-to-day aspects of trek life, the fear of passing through the Icefall and going every higher on the mountain, the pure exhaustion and pain the body experiences when climbing at such high altitudes and the triumph of standing on top of the world. He allows the reader to see his fears, insecurities, hopes and dreams.

From Eton to Everest......., July 31, 2007
Bear has an easy and relaxed style of writing and uses more of a conversational technique in his prose with the added ingredient. He is humble in his abilities and also in his accomplishments. The book is a descriptive account of the full adventure to reach the peak of Everest. The writing is in dispersed with extracts from his own diary entries during the climb. The book provides a very good first hand account of the extreme difficulties and good fortune that are needed to successfully climb Everest.

Despite having an Eton education and a Tory MP as a father, Bear seems remarkably down to earth. However, the only disappointing aspect of the book is the constant reminder of the authors religious beliefs. These are tediously repeated and become more and more frequent as the levels of danger increase. They are needless and should be left to his bible classes and not to those who have paid good money to learn of his adventures.

All that is left to ask is does Bear really stay in hotels during the filming of Man vs. Wild??

Russ

Not great literature, but a gripping and entertaining story., July 8, 2001
(Presumably the book has been re-titled for the US market - it's published as "Facing Up" in the UK.)

Bear was 23 when he wrote the book - the text sometimes reflects this as he expresses a kind of undergraduate attitude and sense of humour. It's not great literature - not nearly as well written as "Into Thin Air" for example.

But he vividly describes the conditions on the mountain - from the squalor of Base Camp, to the brutal, painful fight at extreme altitude and it was this that gripped me.

I really enjoyed the book - and I believe it does add to the genre. He has a different perspective - as he says in the text, most Everest climbers are much older and more experienced and their writing reflects this.

Bear's book is a breath of rarified fresh air!

Great Book, a must read!, July 10, 2010
Let me start by saying I thought this book was excellent. I've read about all there is when it comes to Everest and this is not your typical Everest book. Bear, best known in America for the TV show Man vs. Wild, does an excellent job bringing you into his climb of the worlds highest peak. What the "other" Everest books always seemed to lack, in hindsight, was humor, something this book has no shortage of. Probably one of the most interesting and favorite parts of the book for me were his descriptions of the mountain. He does a great job painting the picture of what he sees, something I've always thought the big name Everest writers have lacked. His descriptions of the view (top to bottom) and the western Cwm/South Col really helped me envision a place I will likely never see. Bear is a storyteller and it shows in this book. As I said before, I found the humor a pleasant surprise and I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occasions. But Bear also knew how to bring the book to a serious point when the story called for it. His story is amazing and inspiring. Do yourself a favor and buy this book.

Not really a "kid's" perspective, but definitely a good story, June 18, 2010
Bear Grylls delivers a compelling tale of high adventure. In addition to the technical aspects of climbing, I learned a great deal about the history of the Himalayas and its people. I felt as if I was with him on the expedition, with all of its discomforts and unexpected challenges.

However, I was really hoping to hear this tale from the perspective of a wide-eyed youngster. And since Bear Grylls wasn't actually a kid -- he was 23 years old -- I did not get any of that youthful sense of wonder. This was a matter-of-fact story laid out by an accomplished adult.

(For the story of an actual kid summiting Everest, check out 13 year-old Jordan Romero's story, THE BOY WHO CONQUERED EVEREST)

The Boy Who Conquered Everest: The Jordan Romero Story ... Read more

Editorial Review

When heading into the outdoors, you chose multipurpose gear whenever possible--bonus points for equipment that's both functional and fun. You can't do better than The Don't Die Out There Deck, a compact deck of playing cards that tucks easily into any backpack or pocket. From construction of emergency shelters and evacuation techniques to how to care for someone with a fracture or construct a solar still, your poker hand contains basic survival tips that could prove lifesaving! The Don't Die Out There Deck makes a great gift for anyone who spends time in the outdoors.

Topics are organized by card suit--Diamonds: survival essentials, signals, locating your position, and shelters; Spades: assessing the situation, water, fire, food, and evacuation techniques; Hearts: basic first aid, hypothermia, frostbite, heat illness, and sprains and dislocations; Clubs: CPR, head and spine injuries, fractures, bites and stings, and evacuating the injured ... Read more

Reviews

A survival guide you can play with? Brilliant!, January 13, 2010
This is a fantastic concept, and don't know why it hasn't been thought of sooner. all the essential backcountry survival info is here, and its easy to find with color coded sections and suits. the cards are also plastic coated to keep them dry. a great item to have in any backpackers trail bag. for my full review and pictures check out [...]

agreed - simple idea that works, May 15, 2010
ok, this just screams "why not!" I changed out the large survival book in my EDC bag to this deck of cards. Its just great. I even use this for reading material at times - sort of a mental-mini-refresher.

My large SAS guide is cool - it's in my bug out bag now. But these cards are just awesome - they will be Christmas presents and such for me to give in the future. The catagories are neat and the info is presented well. ... Read more

Editorial Review

An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art

Our once-pristine wildlands are threatened by ever increasing problems of pollution.Since its first publication in 1989, How to Shit in the Woods has been adopted by outdoor enthusiasts everywhere as part of the solution.In this updated edition, outdoorswoman Kathleen Meyer reviews the newly available portable potties, with special attention to individual trekkers in an all-new chapter, "Plight of the Solo Poop Packer."Other topics include: the growing array of travelers' field water-disinfecting systems, Giardia contamination and the now infamous critter Cryptosporidium, crotch-accessible clothing for women, and a fresh batch of "worst experience" stories, all peppered with irreverent musings.For the purist, there are more wise t.p.-less techniques from the Old World.Written with an effervescent sense of humor, this is a book for anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. ... Read more

Reviews

Finally ... a great help for the novice woodsman, December 12, 2004
Few experiences do more to mar the outdoorsy afternoon or the 8 day backpack trek than stepping over a log and discovering your expensive waffle-stompers are filled with the leavings of another hiker. The problem is as old as mankind. At least, it's as old as mankind after he began noticing what was between his toes.

The Bible addressed the problem, probably in the first surviving form, by demanding that people walk away from others with a spear or spade, dig a hole, and cover it. That method works well where the traffic is light. It works less well on heavily traveled forest trails.

Meyer offers 102 pages of suggestions, anecdotes and solutions for novices who want to experience the woods, don't want to create a problem, recognize it's a necessary body function and must be addressed.

I'd recommend it for everyone who plans a trip into the outdoors and isn't already familiar with how to deal with the function in a way that's not objectionable to those who follow. I'd make it required reading for those who go to the areas I'm likely to visit.

Comprehensive Guide for the "Fecal Tourist", May 16, 2001
Despite the vulgarisms in the title and splattered throughout the text, there is a load of good information contained in this book. Having been a Boy Scout, I thought I was well prepared for these weighty contingencies. But, I found that the Boy Scout Handbook was deficient when it came to defacation.

Ms. Meyer punctilios not only techniques for maintaining privacy and decorum while relieving oneself, but the environmental consequences of so doing. She vents about fecal-born bacteria and disease and how to minimize contaminating surface and ground water. The precautions that must be taken to avoid disease when drinking backcountry water are discharged here, too.

There are also heaps of anecdotes and funny stories, that will have you rolling at the foibles of the less informed "eliminators." She covers methods for many types of terrain and ecosystems and also spouts information on the delicate subject of off-road "runs."

If you are planning a backcountry trip, guided or not, I'd suggest you "dig in" to this book before departing. Through its guidance you can avoid piles of potential embarressment and, at the same time, be more friendly to the environment. Urine good hands with Kathleen Meyer's book. No ifs, ands, or butts. And, wipe that smirk off your face!!!

KEEPING IT CLEAN, January 12, 2000
I love the humorous, down to earth way this subject is approached. Originally I bought this book because the title and the picture on the cover made me chuckle. I've had it in my possession for at least five years. Then a little over a week ago, I decided to read it. To my surprise, I learned that this is a serious book with important information to help a would be hiker stay healthy and leave the environment no worse for the wear. Wish I'd had this book years ago before I started trekking around in the wilds. I found this book fast paced and full of vital information. Though I'm a grandma, this book made me feel like I was receiving counsel from an older wiser grandma imparting to me the secrets of how to take care of the intimate processes of life when venturing away from the accoutrements of running water and the other trappings of civilization. I recommend this book to all who like hiking, camping and otherwise messing around in the great outdoors.

A Masterpiece of English Literature, December 7, 2005
Ok, it's not a masterpiece of English literature. What is there to analyze here? This is like arguing the merits of Benny Hill. For 8 bucks, buy this book. It has a few practical tips about where and how to deficate in the woods (hence the title). Great. The introduction is a tears-in-your-eyes funny anecdote on that topic that is probably worth the price. Then, you have a conversation piece for your bookshelf that will be appreciated by almost everyone. And, the author goes to some length to argue that this title is NOT vulgar (the book includes a useful lexicon for the word that is also worth the price). And, you'll have something to think about the next time you take a hurried necessary behind a tree or abandon a diaper in the Wal-Mart parking lot! Enough analysis already.

A Great Gift for New Scouting Professionals, September 22, 1998
This is one book that always manages to turn up at Scouting Events, Wood Badge Courses, etc. Once you get past the laughts & shock value of the title, the reader will find some common sense tips on being environmentally friendly in the outdoors.

At Camporees we always put this book in our latrine as many of our scouts like to read while doing their "duty." (Hey, it promotes Reading Merit Badge!).

My favorite use of this book is to recognize new District Executives and other Scouting Professionals by presenting this book to them at various Scouting events, usually right after they first land a job in our district (seems like we are getting new D.E.'s all the time) or saying thanks to Scouters in our district.

Anyone who loves this book will also like "Up Shit Creek" also produced by ICS and available from Amazon.

Ed Henderson Associate Editor - SCOUTER Magazine

How to Keep Your G.I. Tract Healthy While Enjoying the Woods, January 3, 2000
Book Review: How to Shit in the Woods 1/3/00 Mozella Rainwater Sunshine If you want to enjoy the woods and leave the place so others can come behind you and enjoy the same space, then this is the book to read before you shop for supplies. And be sure to also put it in your backpack to consult in case you forget a detail or two. In reading this book, it is evident that the author backed her material with solid research and the experience of years of trekking in the wilds all over the world. Ms. Meyer tells you how to keep your entire gastrointestinal track healthy and how to be comfortable when nature has to eliminate your private bio-waste material. There's even a chapter devoted to women and our special concerns in this delicate category.

Be sure to read this book with your children before sending them off to camp so they can come back to you as healthy as they left you.

I wish this book had been available before I went on my first backpacking expedition back in the early 80's. Thanks to the Powers That Be for freedom of the press and the unhindered flow of information.

Lost art? Hardly., April 30, 1998
Kathleen Meyer would be the one lady I would not want to go in the woods without! Her insight to the obvious will keep you rolling until your sides ache! As for cetain kinds of devilish little buggers getting loose into the water supply, Kathleen takes a no-nonsence approach as to how to poop and not pollute! She has a chapter for women only and solutions to the "flat rock problems" most women have to deal with in the woods as well. I strongly recommend this book, especially for scouting mom's!

Required reading if you have to "go" outdoors!, May 13, 2007
To the uninitiated, the art of having a dump in the woods probably seems no more complicated than "squat, squint, squeeze and squeegee"! But, alas, as the world shrinks and the use of the world's limited wilderness terrain by outdoor adventurers increases to the limit of the land's ability to withstand the stress of that use, it's just not that simple. When considerations such as ecology, weather, temperature, privacy, courtesy, hygiene, biodegradation, density of camping use in an area, terrain and so on are factored into the decision as to where and how to complete the necessary feat, all is not as simple as it would seem. The methods one should choose are as varied as the terrains one might choose to visit and the times of year in which those choices are made.

"How to Shit in the Woods" is a book that should be read by EVERY person who would choose to venture into the out of doors - whether you want to spend a weekend at the local campground or you're a hardcore toughened backwoodsman heading out into the bush for a week long solo canoe trip in Canada's northern boreal forest!

Be prepared for lots of silly toilet humour, hilarious anecdotes concerning toilet misadventures, lots of tongue-in-cheek jokes, a good number of belly laughs and a very earthy delivery to be sure - but the message ultimately is entirely serious and well worth the read! There is very little humorous when it concerns encountering the leavings of someone who trod the trail in front of you.

Highly recommended for campers of all stripes, sexes, ages and experience levels.

Entertaining, well-researched, useful, great glossary, March 15, 1998
I bought two copies of this book in December, 1996. The first was purchased as a gift and the second one was for me. My copy has since disappeared. As an avid cross-country skier (and when necessary, outdoor pooper), I found many of the suggestions quite useful. The book also became a great conversation piece with friends on our ski weekends. I highly recommend it.

Don't let title offend you - a useful book, June 20, 1998
Despite the title, this volume should be essential reading to all hikers and backbackers who have a digestive system. Practical and ecological, the humor makes the reading easy and not offensive. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The most popular guidebook to Colorado is now the most up-to-date guidebook to the state.Updated to current conditions, this spectacular third edition features 10 new hikes, including Bear Peak, Lake Isabelle, Mount Falcon, Devil's Head, Red Rock Canyon, North Cheyenne Ca�on, French Pass, Tater Heap Loop, Mosca Pass, and No Name Lake. Beautiful color photographs accompany this collection of the absolute best hikes Colorado has to offer. With this guide's bounty of useful new informational features, hikers will be well equipped to choose a trip that suits their needs.

* Best reviewed hiking guidebook to Colorado * Includes 10 new hikes * Updated trail guide and contact information* Now includes topographic maps, elevation profiles, and a trails-at-a-glance chart ... Read more

Reviews

Concise guide, good information, April 11, 2004
This is a "must have" guidebook if you enjoy hiking in Colorado. Each hike is described in some detail with a ranking of how strenuous each trek is considered. The text is concise and to the point, but gives an adequate feel of each hike. There is at least two pages devoted to each journey and the hike descriptions are to the point. Many such descriptions were the sole reason I decided to hike some of these mountains and I was never disappointed.

The quality of the book is also to be commended. The paperback binding holds up after major 1,000+ mile car journeys I've made with the book thrown in the back seat. If you buy one guidebook about hiking in Colorado, make it this one. I highly recommend it for the description of each trail and just the overall feel of the book.

Favorite Hiking Book, June 30, 2008
I had the older version of this book and absolutely loved it. I've planned many weekend trips and vacations based on the hikes in this book. I've never disagreed with the authur about a hike being one of the top 100 in Colorado.
The new version has elevation profiles which are very nice. However, I don't care for the new maps. The old book had maps which were very easy to see. The new edition has topo maps which I think are too crowded and busy to be able to make anything out. I can't tell if there are streams next to the trails, which is very important to me as I hike with a dog and it's usually the first thing I look at.
There are several new hikes: Bear Peak (Boulder), Lake Isabel (W. of Denver), Mount Falcon (Denver), Devil Head (Sedalia). Red Rock Canyon (Colo. Sprgs.), North Cheyenne Canyon (Colo. Spgs.), French Pass (Jefferson/Fairplay), Tater Head Loop (Crawford), Mosca Pass (Alamosa), No Name Lake (Antonito), Rabbit Ears Mesa (Grand Junction) and Sarvis Creek (Steamboat).

new to colorado, January 14, 2009
This book is perfect for anyone, new or experienced hiker, looking for trails in Colorado. All the info you could possibly need is included. Great trails, all over the state. Love this book!!

100 Classic Colorado Hikes, August 17, 2008
Great book. I have the earlier edition...got this one for the updated features. Make use of it while hiking annually in Colorado. ... Read more