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Into Thin Air (Abridged): A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster Audiobook
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(3.00) - 181,053 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-seven 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, twenty 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 bestseller 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, thirty-five-year-old New Zealander, Hall had summited Everest four times between 1990 and 1995 and had led thirty-nine climbers to the top. Ascending the mountain in close proximity to Hall's team was a guided expedition led by Scott Fischer, a forty-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.
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"I don't read a whole lot of non-fiction, but my husband got me interested in this book when he read it and told me about some of the happenings of Mount Everest. I very much enjoyed the book, although I can't help but wonder the accuracy of the story. Obviously, it will never be known exactly what happened, and the final work that Krakauer wrote tells about the controversy surrounding his account on Everest. I have been left curious and with a desire to do more research into Everest, and I think I will soon be searching Netflix for some documentaries that I can watch."
— Abby (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A harrowing tale of the perils of high-altitude climbing, a story of bad luck and worse judgment and of heartbreaking heroism.”
— People -
“Krakauer describes an experience of such bone-chilling horror as to persuade even the most fanatical alpinists to seek sanctuary at sea level.”
— Sports Illustrated -
“With Krakauer’s firsthand account of the ill-fated expeditions solidly on the bestseller lists, the audiobook version has particular appeal. Hearing the author recount the daily events in journal-like entries allows listeners a unique connection to the unfolding catastrophe…The audiobook is unstoppable listening simply because of the drama of the events…Hearing Krakauer discuss the decisions and dynamics of the expeditions gives listeners an unusual connection to the disturbing questions he asks.”
— AudioFile
Awards
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A #1 New York Times bestseller
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A 1997 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
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Finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
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A New York Public Library Staff Pick of Favorite Books of the Last 125 Years
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Winner of the Alex Award
Into Thin Air Listener Reviews
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" No room for error when things go wrong "
— Jack, 2/20/2014 -
" Intriguing, frightening and exciting. "
— Murray, 2/20/2014 -
" Fascinating and horrifying all at the same time. I love Krakauer's books since I feel like I'm right there with him. "
— Jenni, 1/23/2014 -
" Couldn't put it down. Completely blown away by - I typically read fiction and the fact that the stuff really happened kept me on the edge of my seat. Quite an education about a mt Everest expedition. "
— Robin, 1/23/2014 -
" Everyone I know who has read Into Thin Air immediately upon finishing, begins a year-long trek into climbing (literature). I've never heard of anyone reading this and setting their sights on Everest or even the local climbing gym, but Into Thin Air leaves you breathless and craving more mountain adventure (albeit from the safety of your armchair). "
— Kaitlyn, 1/20/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was great and exciting. I found the author seemed to be very unbiased, respectful, and knowledgeable. He was a great and honest storyteller. "
— Amanda, 1/13/2014 -
" An amazing tale. Well worth the read!!!! There is something captivating about Everest, that draws everyone in. "
— Kelly, 1/13/2014 -
" I thought that this book was really interesting, because I learned about things I never knew before. "
— Gustav, 1/5/2014 -
" I remember finding this book enjoyable, as it was almost like an epic journey, but a true story. "
— AGC, 1/1/2014 -
" Great book but it kind of hurt my soul a bit. "
— Maggie, 12/14/2013 -
" One of the deadliest seasons in Everest History. I found it amazing the lengths people go to to summit. Great read. "
— Barbara, 11/26/2013 -
" Really enjoyed this account of the disaster that happened on Everest on May 1996. "
— John, 11/12/2013 -
" I read this on the plane and got really light headed but it's awesome! "
— Maggie, 6/27/2013 -
" Literally couldn't put this book down and stayed up till about 4am to finish it. Need I say more? "
— Antony, 5/16/2013 -
" The was the first of this author's books for me. He is an excellent writer and I thank him for taking me to a world that I could not have imagined, "
— Sue, 5/5/2013 -
" Read for grad school. Interesting perspective on leadership. Made me never want to climb Mount Everest! "
— Amy, 11/2/2012 -
" Clear look at the sport of climbing, the true costs and the exploration of the human truths, not always easy to take, but the author doesnot flinch. "
— Pj, 9/28/2012 -
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ren lauren, 9/11/2012
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" I enjoyed Into The Wild so I decided I'd give another Krakauer book a shot. Although I'm not an avid climber I really enjoyed reading Into Thin Air. It gave a really cool perspective on Everest, it's difficulties, and the dangers involved. I would recommend this book to almost anyone. "
— Al, 8/27/2012 -
" I definitely liked this book, and would recommend it for reading...the story is absolutely insane. His writing style irritated me at times. "
— Jamie, 6/6/2012 -
" Excellent read, vivid, engrossing, like taking the emotional journey without the frost bite resulting in lost body parts. Can't get much better than that! "
— Caleb, 5/13/2012 -
" I liked it. It shows an unexpected disaster unfold through the eyes of an ambitious climber. "
— Andrew, 2/27/2012 -
" One of the most inspiring and riveting stories I have ever read. "
— Michelle, 10/21/2011 -
" Well, that was cheerful. "
— Ed, 9/3/2011 -
" I love adventure stories and I can reread this over and over. I credit it with dashing my dreams to climb Everest, for which I'm grateful! "
— Shannon, 8/25/2011 -
" Story about the foolish and tragic bravery of those who climb Everest. A quick read. "
— Kaworu, 5/21/2011 -
" Couldn't put it down. Gripping. "
— Steve, 5/20/2011 -
" A must for any adventure / suspense fans out there. "
— Giwi, 5/20/2011 -
" A fascinating account of perserverence and "gut-wrenching" drama! A detailed account of the discipline and dedication it takes to engage in such physically challenging activities. "
— Brian, 5/20/2011 -
" I got a couple free books from audible.com. This one had great reviews from listeners. I had planned to just listen to it on my way to work every day, but was so captivated I slipped the little headphones on at all times of the day. Krakauer reads the audio book himself. I was spellbound. "
— Sara, 5/18/2011 -
" I didn't really like this book because it was more of a flashback than his experience. "
— Devin, 5/17/2011 -
" This book is terrifying. I never knew that the death tole on Everst was so high and what people subject themselves through just to climb it. I loved the book. I felt like I learned a lot. And realized it is something I never want to go through myself "
— Laurie, 5/16/2011 -
" John Krakauer has a very easy to read style, I'd like to read the russian guides view of this event now "
— Sally, 5/16/2011 -
" I will read virtually anything that Jon Krakauer writes. His subjects are factual, but the writing flows in an economy of style that doesn't interfere with the story. "
— Brenda, 5/13/2011 -
" Didn't like it as much as I've liked some of his other stuff, but still a good read. Sometimes it was a little hard to keep track of who everyone was...lots of people whose characters/stories weren't completely fleshed out, so they all sort of ran together. "
— Bethany, 5/13/2011 -
" I followed this via TV at the time. The book is very descriptive of the whole event. Determination and ambition is a strong theme. "
— Wendy, 5/12/2011
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.