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: The Question: Why?
Summary: 4 Stars
I have never climbed a mountain, and I never will, but when I have hard times I like to read about people who have a tougher time of it than I do. The Climb fits the bill. What suffering!
The question: Why? Why would anyone pay a $65K fee to join an expedition like the ones that tackled Everest in 1996? The $65K is just to join. Personal expenses like air fare, the cost of equipment, and the time commitment come on top of the fee. For all this you become part of a group of people you do not know and may not like to risk life and limb to climb and climb and climb into ever harsher and more difficult conditions and ultimately to put your life at direct risk. For what?
This is a fine book; Into Thin Air is a fine book. What is amazing and very entertaining about both of these books is to behold and consider the folly of this adventure in all its glory.
I reserve five-star reviews for the best of the best. Do not take the four-star rating as a criticism. This is a very well written story.
Book Review: A good report on some excellent reportage
Summary: 4 Stars
I was informed of Boukeev and DeWalt's THE CLIMB by a friend of mine who is an avid high altitude climber. Having read Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR, I was interested in other points of view of the May, 1996 Everest climb. Krakauer does a fine job in his self identified "personal account", but I felt that both a differing view and a less "personal" examination might go a long way to explaining the problems of the climb, the philosophy of commercial climbing, and enhance my understanding of that year's terrible loss of life on Everest. THE CLIMB did not disappoint me. I came away with all that I sought. Reading both books (INTO THIN AIR & THE CLIMB) provided me with a better understanding and a more well rounded viewpoint than reading either book to the exclusion of the other. I would highly recommend that those who are interested read both titles back to back to obtain the full informational effect. Then, make up your own mind about the danger and death encountered on that May in 1996.Book Review: A readable yet biased account of 1996 Everest tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the fourth book I have read about the 1996 Everest tragedy. Both co-authors offer insightful and detailed information about how climbing expeditions are organized, funded, and executed. The book goes well beyond the Everest story itself and offers a look into the motivations and feelings of the clients, guides and organizers.The reason this is not a 5 star book is that it sometimes goes into too much detail to make a point. Usually the excess of details is to protect the co-authors' reputations or enhance their egos; and those sections could be easily dropped without losing the value of the book.
However, for the Everest aficianodo, it is required reading.
Book Review: A Must if you have read Into Thin Air by Krakauer
Summary: 4 Stars
After reading Into Thin Air, I was hooked and began trying to read as much as I could about this fateful season. I was particularly interested in Boukreev's The Climb because Krakauer is so critical of Boukreev. The book did not disappoint. While it of course is written to justify his role in the disaster, it did shed more light on the events and appeared to be an honest and heart-felt account. I thought it too was a page turner and well worth reading.
For other books that I found gripping and well worth reading, see my other reviews or my listmania list. I am an avid reader of true adventure and/or survival stories.
Book Review: It's always good to hear another side of the story
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm glad to have finally read this, I knew it wouldn't be as exciting, having already read Into Thin Air, but I'm certainly glad I picked it up. The Good: that we get an account of what happened from Boukreev, an explanation of his rationale and additional accounts of Fischer's expediton. We can only imagine/speculate how worse if would have gone had Boukreev not been there. The Bad: the writing. It felt disorganized, poorly constructed, disjointed ... Boukreev could have used a better co-author.