The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest by Anatoli Boukreev, G. Weston DeWalt
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Book Reviews of The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
Book Review: Thrilling
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sorry to say what everyone else has said, but do not read this book without having read Into Thin Air. if you've read that, then definitely read this. The Climb is, in many respects, Anatoli Boukreev's defense against Jon Krakauer's accusations. Krakauer portrays Boukreev as a self-concerned guide who didn't protect his clients. While I loved Into Thin Air, Krakauer shouldn't make such assumptions. The Climb rightfully restores Boukreev's integrity, and it is a wonderful read. The language may not be as elegant as Krakauer's, but this book has more credibility to it. Also, Krakauer glosses over Boukreev's forays into the storm to rescue several climbers, and Boukreev describes those fascinating events in great detail. Anatoli Boukreev was a true hero and anyone will enjoy The ClimbBook Review: Behind the scene of a commercial expedition
Summary: 5 Stars
This is another story about the infamous climb of Everest that Jon Krackauer made so famous with his book "Into Thin Air". Anatoli Boukreev was one of the strongest climbers of all time, and he wrote this book because he was not happy about what Jon wrote about him. Although he is obviously not as good of a writer as Jon, I enjoyed his book more. His version goes behind the main scene and shows the business end and the intense logistics of a commercial expedition on a big mountain. Anatoli was the one who was up half of the night rescuing climbers while the rest of the survivors were passed out in their tents. It seems like almost everyone who was on this expedition wrote a book, but this is my favorite version. Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered PlanetBook Review: Fills in vital facts that Krakauer (Into Thin Air) leave out
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent book! This book fills in vital facts that for some reason, Krakauer chose to ignore. Boukreev says he freely gave this factual information to Krakauer after the expedition, but Krakauer ignored it and went on to paint a poor picture of Boukreev. This book shows how the best laid plans can go awry. It seems, in my opinion, that Boukreev made the correct life and death decisions that saved many lives. His choice to climb without O2 is reasonably explained: he doesn't want to feel the dramatic slowdown and exhaustion that immediately comes when the O2 is gone. In this fashion, he was able to function effectively and make decisions and save lives. The closing chapters, using Boukreev's own words, are riveting.Book Review: Thoughts From London
Summary: 5 Stars
Alex Garland (author of THE BEACH & THE TESSERACT) recently wrote that THE CLIMB was the best book he'd read in 1999, that it was a story that would "both grip and haunt you." I couldn't agree more. This challenge to the self-serving, univision of Jon Krakauer is a welcome and valuable contribution to mountaineering literature. After reading THE CLIMB I felt that I had a clearer sense of the actions and decisions that contributed to the 1996 Everest disaster, and I am left in wonder that the impact of Krakauer's presence on the decision making of Rob Hall has not been more closely examined. Read it for insight and a critical look at Krakauer's constructions of "reality."Book Review: The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the third book I have read about the May 1996 Mount Everest tragedy, and it was well worth the read. Fast-paced, compelling, hard to put down.
In "Into Thin Air," Jon Krakauer makes it very clear that he lays partial blame on Anatoli Boukreev for the tragic events. The film based on "Into Thin Air" does the same. So when I started this book, I expected a defensive self-serving account of reasons why people should not buy into Krakauer's theory.
I was pleasantly surprised, although more confused after reading the book. Readers will have to decide what is or isn't credible. But we weren't there. He was. And his book about this tragedy is certainly worth the read.