Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

 This book was 50 cents at the Treasure Chest down the street, and since I had read many glowing reports about it, I decided to pick it up. I'm so glad I did! It's an amazing story that gives a little window into the people who risk their lives climbing mountains. It describes their conversations, their feelings, and their suffering. Krakenauer is a journalist and a clear writer, so his style suited the subject very well.

I enjoy watching documentaries of alpinists and free climbers, so this is a natural for me. I love the thought of being on the top of the world in this way. What I didn't understand was the intense training and suffering that's required to climb at such high altitudes. I always thought the Everest "base camp" was a more comfortable place and that from there, climbers ascended. It isn't all that comfortable, apparently, and there are four more camps spread out before one reaches the summit. The conditions are spartan and cold. Bodies of fallen climbers lay pretty much undisturbed in the cold. Kind of like cryotherapy!

The particular expedition that Krakauer describes was in 1996 and was a deadly one; leaving several guides and sherpas as well as clients in its wake. When a person was described, I kept flipping back to the dedication to see if this was a person who survived or succumbed. It was a fascinating story of people who refused to give up under the most trying of conditions. I also didn't realize how "stupid" and confusing people become with limited oxygen; plus there are other myriad potential deadly health problems at high altitudes. All of these were interesting, and I kept wondering, was it worth the risk? And I didn't know about the divided thought on whether bottled oxygen was a good thing to use or not... I feel like I have a better understanding now of some of the risks and controversies associated with these high-profile climbs. And how disturbing it was to read about all of the hundreds of discarded oxygen bottles littering the top of Mt. Everest.

Here's something else I should have realized, but didn't: the top of Everest is usually shrouded in its own huge, unrelenting wet, snowy and cloudy weather system, so that when you get to the top, there isn't much to see!!! And the climb is so dangerous and requires so much of you, there's wasn't much talk at all about the views or vistas or beauty around. I think it's all lost in the climb...it's too dangerous to take a look around, and even if you could, there's not a lot to see. However, Krakauer does describe the stars and that would have been wonderful to see.

I really enjoyed reading this tragic story and appreciated what seemed to be an even-handed description of some of the personalities and issues involved in such an undertaking. This has been a nice nonfiction break from my recent infatuation with Dickens' fiction.