Into Thin Air

  Title - Into Thin Air, Author - John Krakauer, Pages - 333, Review - 4 stars

      Reading Into Thin Air was an adventure. The novel by John Krakauer is a personal account of the 1996 Everest disaster. The tragedy that took place is well known throughout the world and changed how people view Everest and mountaineering. Krakauer's novel is widely popular and viewed as one of the best adventure books of all time. Throughout the book, Krakauer recalls his experience with the daunting Everest, and illustrates the personal relationships that took place. There are a multitude of different characters introduced throughout the book. They each have different motivations and backgrounds, however they all have one common goal: to reach the summit and descend back down safely. However, the blinding ambition of reaching the summit, paired with the disorienting effects at 29,000 feet, blur people's priorities, and most of the climbers aren't able to make it down to Base Camp safely.

Krakauer's novel immediately reveals to us that the group does reach the summit, and therefore shows that the climax will be on the descent back down. This sets the stage for the impending action. Much of Into Thin Air is about a personal struggle and the character's deep internal desire for triumph. Krakauer explains that climbing Everest does not solely depend on climbing skill, however more so it is "about enduring pain and in subjecting ourselves week after week of toil, tedium, and suffering" (Krakauer 140). Into Thin Air, therefore, is less about the technicality of mountaineering, and more the personal drive to reach the summit. Krakauer delves into the tedious relationships between climbing groups, Sherpas and clients. There is a balance between personal drive and the importance on teamwork, and often this connection is a primary aspect of the novel. Krakauer's perspective is interesting. He is an experienced climber, and far less motivated by internal desire than those around him. This allows him to recount the motivations of others through observation.

The character's internal drive is challenged by the external danger of Everest. The expedition is arduous and unrelenting up until the summit. However once they reach the Summit the real danger begins. John begins his descent while others are still climbing up. An ominous storm looms in the clouds and it is clear that the descent will not be uneventful. The subsequent tragedy results in 12 deaths and lots of grief. Into Thin Air causes us to question whether our internal motivations can be dangerous to the reality of our situations. 

The novel is enthralling throughout and Krakauer does a good job of depicting the relationships and enormity of Everest. I recommend this book to someone who is willing to delve into the book wholeheartedly. It is certainly not a light read, and the action is intense. I enjoyed reading the novel.