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Review of Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air
“Men play at tragedy because they do not believe in the reality of the tragedy which is actually being staged in the civilized world.” – José Ortega y Gasset So reads the opening quote of this riveting adventure thriller. This is a book that will fascinate, captivate and leave you wanting more. The book is a personal account by the author of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster – the worst climbing season in the history of the mountain. Nine people lost their lives on a single day due to a deadly storm high up on the mountain. Before the end of the month, three more people were to face the same fate. In the spring of 1996, Jon Krakauer was a part of a commercial expedition to climb Everest. It was a long-cherished dream come true for him. In addition to being a writer, Krakauer was also a seasoned mountaineer who climbed extensively in the days of his bachelorhood. Marriage brought about stability in his career that had little to do with climbing. Destiny however, had other plans for him and in March 1996, Krakauer found himself with seven other clients on a high-priced expedition to the top of the world. On May 10, thirty three climbers from three expeditions started out for the summit from the South Col. Little did they know that in the next few hours, they would battle for their lives against the mountain. On the afternoon they made summit, there was little to suggest that anything would go wrong. Before the day was finished however, it would be a living nightmare. Four of the five expedition members from Krakauer’s team who reached the summit never made it back down. Those who did lost not only their limbs but a part of their being as well and would never be the same persons again. Rob Hall, a reputed climber who was a guide on the expedition, had fixed a strict turnaround time of 1 pm. For many reasons that time was not adhered to and people trickled onto the summit as late as 3 pm. The decision proved to be costly one. The summit of Everest is roughly at the same altitude at which a jet liner flies, which is around 29,000 feet. At this altitude, the air is incredibly thin. This is the so-called “Death Zone”. Breathing without supplemental oxygen is almost impossible and brain cells die by the millions every second due to oxygen deprivation. The dangers of high altitude are very real. Krakauer masterfully weaves together the events of that fateful season. From the sights and sounds of Kathmandu to the trek from Lukla to Base Camp, Krakauer captures the imagination. The magnificent Himalayan countryside comes alive with rushing streams, ice-cold rivers, forests of Rhododendron, Birch and Juniper and the spectacularly imposing Himalayan range itself. With this book, you feel like a part of the expedition. The meeting with the Rimpoche at Tengboche (who by the way, has travelled to America and counted, among his most favourite possessions, photos of him taken alongside Richard Gere and Steven Seagal), the first sight of the glacial moraines of the Khumbu, the atramentous depths of the Khumbu Glacier itself, you get the feeling you are there and you are part of it. You walk the lanes of Lobuje village at 16,200 feet above sea level and sleep on a filthy mattress in a small smoky room. You walk in awe through the Phantom Valley, a spectacular display of giant ice pinnacles and suffer from all the effects of altitude sickness. Krakauer takes us through it all. Into Thin Air is a raw and powerful narrative that tells of the two sides of human nature – excellence and imperfection. There are no winners and losers in this story. There is only the question of human behaviour in crisis, in the face of the full fury of nature at 29,000 feet, deprived of sleep and devoid of air, strength and will. It is a heart-wrenching account of human frailties and endurances, of untold courage and miracles, of how in a split moment of time unspeakable joy can turn into unspeakable grief, of death and decisions had to be made that would haunt the maker for the rest of his or her life with the “what ifs”. Krakauer bares his soul in this book. It is not an analysis of what happened on Everest that fateful day. If anything, it is an excruciatingly painful and agonizing attempt by the author to make some sense of it all. Many questions remained unanswered long after the ordeal. On his arrival back at the United States, Krakauer received a lot of backlash with respect to his behaviour on Everest. Friends and families of the victims and the public in general questioned his actions during the disaster. By being honest about the series of events through this book, Krakauer hopes to put the tragedy and pain behind him for the last time. This book grips your senses and does not let go. It will continue to haunt you long after you have finished reading it. If you love the outdoors and have always had a secret dream of climbing the high slopes or are a person who enjoys a well-written book, this one is definitely for you. Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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