Rating: 5 stars
Cover synopsis: Reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion, Jon Krakauer reached teh summit of Mt. Everest on May 10, 1996. This is the terrifying story of what happened that fateful day at the top of the world, during what would be the deadliest season in the history of Everest.
This was a fascinating first-hand account of what it's like climbing Mount Everest, as well as what it's like when things go wrong on top of Mount Everest. I appreciated that Krakauer approached this story as a journalist, interviewing everyone he could, because he wasn't sure he could trust his own version of things, due to the brain-altering affects of oxygen depletion and extreme exhaustion.
The book is very detailed -- but I didn't feel bogged down by the details. My only gripe is that Krakauer would switch between calling people by their first or last names, so I had difficulty keeping the wide range of characters straight.
It's an interesting experience reading a story when you know how it ends -- especially a tragedy. But Krakauer wrote the tale so deftly, that I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen anyway! And there were a few surprises along the way -- especially the tale of Beck Weathers -- that made me gasp out loud. Extremely well-written, introspective and suspensful. An incredible book.
