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)

Excellent story of endurance and obsessive risk

Unbelievable story of masochistic risk high altitude climbers and climbing novices endure to summit Mt. Everest. I appreciate the authors honesty and personal reflection in his account of the perilous events he lived through while several of his climbing contemporaries died on the mountain or as a result of this particular climbing expedition.
I will read it again..

A great book

What made the experience of listening to Into Thin Air the most enjoyable?

The author narrates which makes me feel like I'm getting every inflection and subtlely he wants to portray to the reader/listener. This was a great book. The physical demands are mind-boggling. I liked hearing about the various groups on the mountain and the coinciding politics that come up. I would have never guessed any of that would happen up there. I hate to say it was entertaining since the story is so intense and sad but it captivated me from beginning to the very end. I'd highly recommend it.

Riveting read!

This book comes right out firing and doesn’t let up. Wow. Riveting story that you can’t turn off.

excellent story

I completely love this story I've read it several times the only thing I disagree with is a few comments made about Anatoli Boukreev.

A “page turner”! On audible.

I have read and reread this book. I have listened to it on CD and now on audible. Four times for one book? Yes and I have loved it every time. It is not an easy story to listen to. But it was certainly not an easy adventure for the people involved climbing Mount Everest in May, 1996. Telling the story had to be very hard for the author. He admits his own weakness during and after the summit. And even his own culpability in providing misinformation that affected many lives. Take a trip to Kathmandu and beyond. You won’t be sorry.

a must listen

this book is so beautifully intense. my heart aches for John and all who were there. it's well read

The Cold Hard Facts

It certainly takes the glamor from mountain climbing. What they endured was amazing. well written.

Stunning story. I listen to it over and over.

Stunning story. I listen to it over and over. Great journalism, combined with sometimes heart stopping human drama, combines to make this excellent book one that will live inside you for a long time.

Amazing

Do it. Chilling and romantic and moving and I need seven more words thanks Amazon.

A great life lesson, mountaineer or not.

There were so many lessons to be learned from this book and the I'll fated Everest expeditions of May 10th 1996. Most important to me is set deadlines and go no-go points before setting out and stick to them. Keep the decision tree as binary and simple as possible.