Into Thin Air Review

Title of the Book: Into Thin Air
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 291
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
 Review:

The word Everest of itself, conjures up images of a stunning mountain surrounded by clouds and covered in snow, but most  importantly holds the title of the tallest point in the world.  With the allure of that title, the next thought that comes to mind is common among the climbing community(“Let’s climb it!”).  That’s exactly how Jon Krakauer felt, as he was assigned to climb Everest with a guided venture for an article for Outside Magazine.  But, as Krakauer goes on this adventure he becomes acquainted with people that really don’t have any business attempting to climb the tallest mountain in the world.  It’s not just people that seem to be causing problems on Everest though, Krakauer comes to terms with his climbing shortcomings as well as those he’s surrounded by.  Because of the events taking place on the mountain, Krakauer makes several realizations about himself, climbers, and the strength of the human spirit, even as events spiral out of control.

Throughout the entire I felt myself not being able to put the book down from the very beginning.  Krakauer uses a different format to discuss the biggest problems at the very beginning of the book, before starting at the beginning of the book.  There are some chapters that readers could find strange in which Krakauer discusses some of the history that Everest has been a part of, as well as the various climbers that have been up to Everest.  At times Krakauer may seem like he’s jumping all over the place in his storytelling, but manages to all connect it in various different ways.  This can take away from the overall flow of the book, but it’s vital to the story.

I believe that this book is a must read, especially for those that consider themselves to be climbers, but also for everyone else.  It’s important to gain insight on the stories that play large roles in the world that we live in.  The events that took place on Everest in 1996, are important to how people respect mountaineering as well as the guiding business.  Krakauer’s writing ability allows the reader to fully immerse oneself in the world of Everest, and feel like they know the characters and have a grasp on the events that take place on Everest.