Stuck at home, wondering if you’ll get back to anything approaching high adventure and travelling further than 5km ever again (this week has been a debbie-downer for no particular reason hasn’t it)? Keen on some non-fiction reading? Always thought you might like to climb Mount Everest (ie. conquer the world)?
Today this post is just for you!
And, not just one book today, but two books to read together, because they are best read as a pair.
As a Good Reads reviewer wrote about them,
Apparently prosciutto without fat is like a kiss without a cuddle. I reckon reading ‘Into Thin Air’ without ‘The Climb’ would be like watching a David Attenborough documentary without the volume turned up … you won’t get the full gist of what went down on Mount Everest in 1996 unless you read both books.
So these books are about the story and circumstances that led to 8 climbers (a mix of guides and clients) dying whilst attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest in May 1996. Not to spoil the story too much, here’s a teaser (from another Good Reads review),
In 1996, it seemed like almost anyone could climb Everest, as the guides had the whole thing down to a science. It was becoming little more than just another adventure tour. Then Mother Nature took a hand.
There was too much ambition and hubris. They forgot that Everest is a very dangerous place. They paid the price.
So, each book tells the story from the perspective of a different party. Jon Krakauer tells the story as a client of the Adventure Consultants climbing party. Anatoli Boukreev tells the same story as a guide with the Mountain Madness climbing party.
I recommend starting with Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. He’s a great story teller and has you drawn in to the adventure (even if mountaineering isn’t your thing). THEN read Anatoli Boukreev’s reply, The Climb. Which although not as well written, gives you a different perspective that is super interesting, and makes you question a lot of what you read in the first book.
Escape the boring hum-drum of everyday Alphington and Fairfield (and grey skies and rain). Borrow them or buy them and embrace an adventurous life vicariously until you can get back to real life adventure first hand!
P.S. If you then get hooked on the climbing genre you can also read Joe Simpson’s classic story, Touching the Void - or check out the movie if you haven’t seen it already. It’s a cracker and you can watch it on YouTube here.
