No one writes about mountaineering and its attendant victories and hardships more brilliantly than Jon Krakauer. In this collection of his finest essays and reporting, Krakauer writes of mountains from the memorable perspective of one who has himself struggled with solo madness to scale Alaska's notorious Devils Thumb. In Pakistan, the fearsome K2 kills thirteen of the world's most experienced mountain climbers in one horrific summer. In Valdez, Alaska, two men scale a frozen waterfall over a four-hundred-foot drop. In France, a hip international crowd of rock climbers, bungee jumpers, and paragliders figure out new ways to risk their lives on the towering peaks of Mont Blanc. Why do they do it? How do they do it? In this extraordinary book, Krakauer presents an unusual fraternity of daredevils, athletes, and misfits stretching the limits of the possible. From the paranoid confines of a snowbound tent, to the thunderous, suffocating terror of a white-out on Mount McKinley, Eiger Dreams spins tales of driven lives, sudden deaths, and incredible victories. This is a stirring, vivid book about one of the most compelling and dangerous of all human pursuits.
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"I've always meant to read Krakauer, and now I'm on a roll. I began with this one because it was older and essays -- and was more than pleasantly surprised. Krakauer writes clearly beautifully, and with just enough personal reflection to both involve me on mountains WAY beyond my capability, and also to apprise me of the risks that people like him take. Yikes. It was beautiful thoughtful."
— Amanda (4 out of 5 stars)
" Great stories, love the settings, perfect small book to tuck in your purse for a plane ride. "
— Sarahr, 2/4/2014" Short essays. I liked this format - it was more fun than 'Into Thin Air' but still had the expertise and passion. I was especially fond of the story of the guy that started bouldering. "
— Melanie, 2/4/2014" I learned a lot about the history of climbing from this book. I didn't realize how big a role Yosemite has played in the evolution of climbing. "
— Reid, 1/29/2014" Great collection of short stories. A must read for any adventure enthusiast. "
— Zachary, 1/15/2014" A good collection of stories about men and mountains "
— Jason, 1/15/2014" Yet another excellent offering from Mr. Krakauer! This collection of essays on mountain climbing is a wonderful mix of personal, technical & historical stories. Great summer time reading! "
— Kevin, 1/14/2014" Good collection of articles that are reprints from Outside and Smithsonian. However, the last article, The Devils Thumb, is great! Autobiographical story about a journey Krakauer took in his early twenties. Very reminiscent of Into the Wild. "
— Josh, 12/26/2013" Collection of previously published stories of adventure by Krakauer. Another great outing... "
— Lolly, 12/22/2013" A series of short essays and stories about extreme mountain climbing. "
— Jolene, 12/15/2013" Very readable, short articles about climbing. Krakauer's style is quite entertaining. It is a little dated in parts (he mentions in one piece a new extreme sport called "bungee jumping"), but still good. "
— Kate, 11/23/2013" Nice collection of short writings on mountain climbing. Not Krakauer's best book but it's solid and worth reading if you like this topic. "
— Kendalyn, 11/17/2013Jon Krakauer is the preeminent writer of narrative nonfiction. His numerous bestsellers include Under the Banner of Heaven, Into the Wild, and Into Thin Air. He is editor of the Modern Library Exploration series.