Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

This is the gold standard of non-fiction adventure. You can picture the mountain, the terrain, and what a toll it takes on the climbers. As you listen, you can't help asking why people are compelled to pay tens of thousands of dollars to put themselves in a postion to suffer and die in the most inhospitable place on earth....logic simply does not enter the equation. I highly recommend this monumental epic.

Excellent narration and book describing an eye witness account of a complex true tragedy

Do not climb the Everest, it can kill you. Anywhere with high altitude and insufficient oxygen is a life risking place. Think a million times when you pay a company that you are planning to trust with your life in stake. You have just one life, and they are probably going to screw up and cut some corners. Lack of responsibility, stupidity, ego, selfishness, cutting corners, and arrogance, can get people into big trouble. Mix it with enough bad luck and a peak of the highest mountain in the world, and you'll get a disaster. See full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1590876206?book_show_action=false

This book was great! I couldn't wait to get back into my car to listen to it. All of Jon Kranauer's books are interesting and this is no excpetion.

Fantastic book. Krakauer has such a way with words. If you have any interest in a tale of adventure you simply must read this book.

After seeing a documentary on what goes into attempting to climb Mt. Everest, I have become fascinated. This book does a great job higlighting the dangers people face. It is a true life account of what a volitile place Mt. Everst can be. When man attempts to conqeur the mountain, you are at her mercy. Although I thought the book started off a little slowly, I realized that was only due to my anticipation of what was about to happen to the people involved. I though it was a fabulous book, and well written. I would recommend doing some follow up research on what has happened to the people in this story since this tragic event. It is interesting to say the least.

This book left me in jaw dropping awe, a truely amazing and unimagineable tale. It had me on the internet looking for additional information on the true life story for days after I finished it. I wish I could have rented the unabridged version, but I can't imagine how it could be better. The author/reader's telling of his real life adventure was great. If I ever had an inclination to go mountain climbing, I'm having second thoughts now. Don't miss it!

This book had me late for every appointment the entire time it was in my car. In audio book land when you listen in your car, this is the equivalent to “I just couldn’t put it down.” It’s riveting! It’s really all encompassing and at times quite emotionally draining. Well read, well written this book takes you to Mt. Everest and pulls you into the devastating events of May 10, 1996. You’ll feel as if you know every person like you were there. Be ware, this book is not for people looking to experience the joy of climbing mountains and slapping backs and being triumphant. I finished the last disc sobbing in my driveway for the horrible loss of life, and subsequently spent hours on the internet trying to find answers to questions that I guess we’ll never know.

I had heard great things about this book, and I was not disappointed. Seemed honest and balanced account of the expedition that was so widely publicized after it turned disastrous.

A gripping, exciting, amazing tale of pushing human physical and emotional limits. I was enthralled by this book and would recommend it to anyone. This book is a paradox of terror and inspiration.

I really enjoyed this book. I usually just listen when I’m commuting from work but I even spent time at home listening because I couldn’t get enough. The narrater was top notch. Id chosen the abridged version by mistake and I wish I’d chosen the unabridged version.

Great book, i just wish i would have listened to the unabridged version.

His vocabulary is Styron inspired. This account is authentic and honest, his voice resonates with thoughtfulness and a reserve that comes with newfound maturity.

This was such a good book. Very detailed. First hand account. highly recommend.

A harrowing story. Narrated well by the author.

This book was excellent. It started a bit slow but only probably because I was excited to get to the good parts. It's a great read on the challenges of Everest as well as the commercialism that has taken over the mountain. After reading the book I wanted to learn as much as I could since it was such an inspiring read. I looked at pictures and watched the IMAX film (which was only OK). If you like adventure you must read.

This is an interesting story. Makes the winters here seem like a piece of cake!!! The reader was better than I expected. Another review mentioned that he was not great, but I thought his monotone voice suits the story, since it seems like he and the others will forever deal with this tragedy. I found it helpful to look on-line for details of the climb during the reading of this book. There you come across a whole bunch of info and different opinions which made the story that much more real.

I didn't like the guy who read this book, he was too flat sounding for me. But the story is amazing, especially once it gets going. I will be looking more into this topic thanks to this book.