Into Thin Air: Book Review

What is the difference between a writer/ journalist writing about a mountaineering expedition and a mountaineer writing about such an exercise? The essential difference is practical experiencing. Writing that emerges out of practical experience is creditable and it is likely to be more authentic. It has an intrinsic charm about it. As I go through the pages of this book, vivid pictures reel out in my mind's curtain relating to the arduous efforts made by Jon Krakauer through the cliffs of Mount Everest. He is a mountaineer first and as for his creditability as a journalist, he is first among the equals-for, what he has experienced, no one else has experienced. From this standpoint, Mount Everest as conquered by him belongs to him exclusively, and each step of the conquest is his special property. I give full marks to him as for his creditability as a reporter, writer and a journalist. He is all these three molded into one. For producing such a book he has done lots of research, which is the hallmark of a good reporter and journalist and he writes well and evokes intense curiosity with the reader about his adventurous journey.

Those who know about Mount Everest expeditions also know that descent is more difficult than the ascent. On May 10, 1996 Krakauer was on the top of the world having reached the summit at 29,028 ft. He was the conqueror. He could not celebrate his pride and satisfaction for long; he was not at the cricket ground at Lords or in the Disneyland. He was on the edgy summit, where each moment's delay in the ascent invited perils. The well-studied Krakauer was fully aware of the situation. Reaching the top is a great emotional experience. For Krakauer, it was the realization of a childhood dream. Each step or each breath at such a height is life or death situation, which has zero tolerance for mistakes. If you are the leader and the decision-making authority of the expedition you owe responsibility to the lives of the members involved in the adventure, besides your own precious life. As Krakauer began the descent a severe storm was forming and he had not slept for the last fifty-two hours. He felt so weak; he rested after each step, to recoup the energy. He had missed the turnaround time for the descent as the ambition to conquer the summit was too strong with him and with other members of the expedition.

This is a good adventure book and a true story. The details of the expeditions, the trials and tribulations have been given in detail and are helpful for a research student as well for an aspiring mountaineer. The detailed background information is immensely useful as it introduces the characters of the expedition, like the importance of the experienced guides to the inexperienced but ambitious climbers. Mountaineering expeditions have strange combinations. Certainly Krakauer's expedition was one of them. Summit of Mount Everest is a terrible attraction. So far so good, if all goes well. But when tragedies strike expeditions and valuable lives are lost, the decision makers are questioned. Serious doubts arise in the minds of the family members why the dying man was not saved. The leader of the team is grilled and asked inconvenient questions. In all fairness, no leader would want that any member of his team should be buried in the snow.

As stated above, when more than one individual write their experiences and books are published, there are bound to be differences of opinions and controversies. Anatoli Boukreev's version of the expedition, especially relating to saving members of the expedition, varies with that of Krakauer. Krakauaer may be less daring and might not have exhibited the same courage in taking the risk to save the life of fellow-mountaineers. But no one can pass summary judgment that Krakauer did not live up to the situation. Remember, each step at that perilous weather at such a height, is a step between life and death. He has his own limitations as a mountaineer and has to take into account his own health conditions before attempting to rescue others. Lack of oxygen can also lead to impaired judgment.

It is not possible for a writer-climber to meet all the members of the expedition personally and take their opinions before writing the book. Krakauer's observations are a fair assessment of the expedition and he has every right to make additions in the subsequent editions in the light of new information that will be made available to him. Krakauer has not prevented any one from providing account of the tragedy that stuck the expedition resulting in deaths.

As for the postscript, its relevance has been necessitated by the unjust criticism launched against Krakauer by a section of the media and other writings about his role in handling the tragic situation that resulted in five deaths of the members/guides of the expedition. The reading of the postscript and the perusal of about 250 black-and-white photographs should provide some useful information to the critics of Krakauer that what he did was not entirely wrong. No leader will nurture ill-will against his fellow-climbers in a life or death situation. In the post-script, his tone is conciliatory and he has deep regrets about the tragedy that stuck the expedition. But when a controversy is raised, when credentials are questioned, such post-scripts will see the light of the day, though they are not directly relevant to the book.

Work Cited:Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster (The Illustrated

Edition). Villard; 1998