Into Thin Air Book Review

Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer, is an epic account of an Everest expedition that took place in the spring of 1996. Throughout the book each climber (character) is introduced to all have their own interests, motives,and flaws when it comes to climbing the tallest mountain in the world. I found that one of Krakauer’s strengths through the book is the vivid description of the climbers. One of the main reasons why so many people died on Everest in 1996 is because of the selfishness and greed of those who will stop at nothing to reach the summit of Everest.

Krakauer also gives us a look of the humanity of climbing Mount Everest, which allows all readers to connect with the climbers and the process behind reaching the summit. I had a lot of sympathy for the many climbers throughout the years,not just in 1996, who had to turn around so close to the summit. I know that I would never want to turn around when I have spent so many months training to reach the summit of Everest.

Another aspect of the book that I could connect to was the grief and regret that Jon Krakauer felt after surviving the 1996 Everest Disaster. Obviously I have never been exposed to an event as traumatic as what  Jon Krakauer experienced on Everest. His description of his grief makes it absolutely relatable on a personal level. I could relate to Krakauer because he had a natural human reaction when going through the tragedy of the 1996 Everest disaster, and he portrayed it well in Into Thin Air.

I recommend Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer, to a wide range of people. Which include people connected with the disaster, the media, anyone considering to climb Everest, and the public at large. Jon Krakauer’s book serves as a peersonal account of what happened at 29,000 feet. I believe that Krakauer wanted his book to be read so he would have a way to express his side of the disaster for everyone to see. I truthfully recommend Into Thin Air because it is an epic nonfiction, that shows what can happen on Everest during an epic blizzard.