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Eiger Dreams (Abridged): Ventures Among Men and Mountains Audiobook
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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)
Eiger Dreams Listener Reviews
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" 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, 11/17/2013 -
" A collection of outdoor experiences. Climbing Eiger is just one of the many stories in the collection. "
— Jeb, 11/9/2013 -
" Entertaining as a personal narrative that attempts to explain (like many of his books) why people do the things they do. "
— Joel, 9/25/2013 -
" Lots of information about two places that I have been even though I am not a mountain climber: Yosemite and Mont Blanc. Also, anecdotes about our hometown hero Yvonne Chouinard "
— Lou, 6/14/2013 -
" I am such a sucker for Krakaur's writing. This is a good read but not his best. But I will still recommend it, as it is enjoyable. "
— Sarah, 1/11/2013 -
" beautifully written book to show an insider's conception of mountain climbing. The hardships and dangers are graphic and the joys can be hard to come by-I was riveted. "
— Bill, 12/28/2012 -
" Some *real* stories. So much death. Krakauer always finds these. "
— Jessica, 9/13/2012 -
" What can I say? I went on an adventure story kick in the winter of 2000. I can't say why really but I didn't think I'd like these kind of books but I really did. I liked Into Thin Air better though. "
— Lori, 7/1/2012 -
" Fantastic, slightly lesser-known publication from Jon Krakauer. Worth it just for the chapter on his ascent of the Thumb. "
— Petra, 3/27/2012 -
" A fun collection of climbing or mountain related short stories. Chapter 2 is about the one and only John Gill! "
— Schuyler, 2/5/2012 -
" A collection of short works, mostly from Outside Magazine, by this accomplished and familiar author. Some sing more vividly than others; some are tales or characters so good they defy forced storytelling. Nonetheless, this book will captivate anyone who dreams of mountain adventures. "
— Michelle, 12/19/2011 -
" Krakauer never disappoints and this book (which deserves much more recognition) has echoes of Bill Bryson (A Walk in the Woods) to lighten things up. "
— Sue, 9/21/2011 -
" One of the essays here inspired me to travel to Chamonix, France last October. "
— Tanveer, 6/28/2011 -
" I really enjoyed this collection of mostly climbing-related tales. It's quite different from most Krakauer...less venom, more jollity. Admittedly I enjoy his venomous style, but this volume gave me many laugh-out-loud moments. It was a good break from his usual super serious style. "
— Chance, 5/17/2011 -
" This is Krakauer's first book- a collection of his previously published articles on mountaineering. I am an avid reader of Krakauer and although this book is quite as gripping as his other books I still found it fascinating and well written. "
— Renee, 3/27/2011 -
" Good book, Krakauer is dependable. Took me awhile to get through it as I was distracted by some other things.<br/> "
— Andy, 2/25/2011 -
" Not my favorite of his books. A collection of stories about climbing. They were good, but didn't hold my interest as well as some of the others. "
— Valerie, 2/6/2011 -
" Excellent book. It's a collection of Krakauer's early articles written for periodicals like "Outside" etc. Here's a guy that has really lived what he talks about. "
— Kirk, 12/19/2010 -
" Some amazing stories in here.. Krakauer's descriptions are great - you can almost feel the cold the climbers have to brave on the mountains. "
— Rohan, 12/1/2010 -
" Great collection of short stories. A must read for any adventure enthusiast. "
— Zachary, 11/14/2010 -
" Best quote, on mountaineering: "It's kind of like having fun, only different." "
— Mairead, 11/9/2010
About Jon Krakauer
Jon 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.