Into Thin Air

A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

By: Jon Krakauer

Narrated by: Philip Franklin

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in 57 hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. As he turned to begin his long, dangerous descent from 29,028 feet, 20 other climbers were still pushing doggedly toward the top. No one had noticed that the sky had begun to fill with clouds.

Six hours later and 3,000 feet lower, in 70-knot winds and blinding snow, Krakauer collapsed in his tent, freezing, hallucinating from exhaustion and hypoxia, but safe. The following morning, he learned that six of his fellow climbers hadn't made it back to their camp and were desperately struggling for their lives. When the storm finally passed, five of them would be dead, and the sixth so horribly frostbitten that his right hand would have to be amputated.

Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of the best seller Into the Wild. On assignment for Outside Magazine to report on the growing commercialization of the mountain, Krakauer, an accomplished climber, went to the Himalayas as a client of Rob Hall, the most respected high-altitude guide in the world.

A rangy, 35-year-old New Zealander, Hall had summited Everest four times between 1990 and 1995 and had led 39 climbers to the top. Ascending the mountain in close proximity to Hall's team was a guided expedition led by Scott Fischer, a 40-year-old American with legendary strength and drive who had climbed the peak without supplemental oxygen in 1994. But neither Hall nor Fischer survived the rogue storm that struck in May 1996.

Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people - including himself - to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense.

Written with emotional clarity and supported by his unimpeachable reporting, Krakauer's eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement. Into the Wild is available on audio, read by actor Campbell Scott.

©1997 Jon Krakauer (P)1997 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc.

Critic reviews

"Into Thin Air ranks among the great adventure books of all time...a book of rare eloquence and power that could remain relevant for centuries." (Galen Rowell, The Wall Street Journal)

"No added dramatics are needed for the listener to imagine the high-altitude cold, fear, bravado and sense of total isolation felt by all who were trapped beyond help, as well as by those who survived. Franklin’s emulations of the multinational voices of guides, clients and Sherpas bring one still closer to the action." (AudioFile)

Gripping first hand account

Fact is stranger than fiction, Krakauer brilliantly illustrates this fact through his harrowing first hand account ascending Mt. Everest.

Fascinating but Hard to Follow

Brutally honest and personal. This account is a bit hard to follow only because of the sheer number of people involved. Didn’t love the narrator. He attempts to do all the accents and voices, and the early reading is very monotone.

Mother of the world

Publishing this piece just a year after the event I feel brought real truth and emotion to this book . I believe that with a event like this waiting to tell your truth can not wait. I am inspired and frightened

A in-depth retelling of the 1996 Everest Disaster

Jon Krakauer gives an in-depth retelling of the 1996 Everest Disaster that claimed so many lives that Spring from the trek to base camp, through the acclimatization climbs, up to the summit and then the aftermath.

Narration was excellent too especially with the various nationalities’ accents.

Great read

Loved the book .. listened whenever I could .. narration was perfect.. I had to recommend the book very detailed lots information.

excellent narration, and written very well

superb. the author was very Interesting, gave detailed accounts, with educational notes. his emotion was great and story telling was superb.

An incredible book, beautifully performed

Into Thin Air is the dramatic retelling of the Mount Everest disaster as told by an Outside Magazine writer that was on the expedition. I am normally not fond of author's reading their own books--this seems to be a job better left to professional readers. In this case, having the author read the book adds extra weight to the tragidy of the story. I've been an Audible subscriber for two years and this has been my favorite book so far.

Touching tale of tragedy on Top of the World

Loved the reading!
Jon Krakauer, eyewitness, author, and narrator, grabs the audience in a way which transports them with the doomed 1996 Everest expedition teams. We feel the camaraderie, exultations, and eventual tragedy while safely well below the "death zone". Having skimmed the printed edition, I finally purchased and listened to this title while commuting - for the first time I wished my commute were longer or the traffic worse!
Jon reads with feeling, as he should; he was there and witnessed the events. His account is gripping and the unabridged version is well worth the additional investment of time!
I see that The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev, a guide on Fisher's team, is also available on Audible - to better understand the events of mid-May 1996 one would want to listen to both titles.
Having been an Audible listener for over 2 years, I have often relied upon reviews of other listeners when choosing new titles; this is my first contribution.

Wow!

For us couch potatoes who drive to the corner grocery store, this book shows you how far some people will take themselves "just because it's there". Excellent all around: prose, plot, narrative, reader.

I don't even like sporting & adventure stories

Incredible story told with incredible perfection! This book would be well worth four credits but you are getting it for only one! DO NOT pass this story up...it is like Krakauer was born to tell this amazing story...every single thought and every single word weaves an unforgettable account of a human story that will deeply touch everyone, I'm convinced, in many different ways.