http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2006 by the authors Fri, 1 Dec 2006 00:35:44 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-490022 Under the Banner of Heaven and Into Thin Air were spellbinding. Jon Krakauer is a superb writer who captures the reader from beginning to end. I've read Into Thin Air three times and at each reading I have learned a little more about the tragedy surrounding the May 10, 1996 attempts to summit Everest. From my perspective the author told a straightforward, unbiased, and fair account of what happened. Krakauer has been criticised by some participants for presenting the facts as he saw them. Yes, some of them come across as less than heroic, and he includes himself in that category. But in most cases Krakauer's criticism is tempered by favorable appraisals of their best qualities, ie: i.e. Boukreev's bravery, Pittman's sunny disposition, Hall's compassion, Beck Weather's perseverance, Fischer's determination. To blame an exhausted, ill, and disoriented Krakauer for being unable to join in rescue operations or to faulting him for mistaking another climber for Harris is totally unfair. No one who has not experienced the physical and mental stress of high altitude mountain climbing is in the position of judging the reactions of the climbers. The exceptions are the out-and-out disregard for others, ie the South African leader, Iam Woodall, and those who passed by injured climbers without any attempt to offer aid. I believe that Krakauer suffers still from his experience in that fateful climb and he has all my sympathy. As the niece of a professional mountain guide who lost his life leading a group in the Swiss Alps I can only empathasize with the victims of any mountaineering accident. And one does not have to die to be a victim; many times the survivors are victims too. 490022@blogcritics.org Fri, 1 Dec 2006 00:35:44 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-487873 I would like to talk with Krakauer about doing a book together that compares the theology of Mormonism with that of Shiite Muslims. I am a specialist on the latter--and noted astonishing similarities. They may well be coincidental--but maybe not. 487873@blogcritics.org Mon, 27 Nov 2006 11:40:55 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-412929 I would love to contact Jon Krakauer, simply to hear what his experiences are beyond what is expressed in his writing. I was first introduced to him in college, when I was taking a seminar course on existentialist writing. Alongside Kafka and Dostoevsky, we read Into the Wild, which has quickly become a haunting favorite of mine. I know that his experiences transcend well beyond what he can put to page, and his writing continues to hold me hauntingly spellbound. As I have traversed through his retellings of religious fanatacism in Under the Banner of Heaven, and of the intense demeanor of the formidable entity that Everest truly is, I continue to find myself compelled to really find out more about Krakauer's thoughts. I continue to look for literture of his, as I feel that my own insight into humanity and our most priomordial drives are best brought to light through Krakauer's intense yet approachable writing style. If I ever get the chance to interview him for my own personal endeavors, I know I will be standing in the shadow of true greatness. 412929@blogcritics.org Sun, 23 Jul 2006 12:12:56 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-379417 Would love to contact Jon Krakauer. I think he should write a similar book about the SDA church. 379417@blogcritics.org Wed, 31 May 2006 16:22:06 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-105516 Jon Krakauer is the guy to get to the bottom of the 2004 election fiasco and the lead up to it. He does his homework and tries to give a balanced view. He would do a great job of finding out what really happened to the U.S. voter in 2004! Hank 105516@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Dec 2004 20:19:00 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/01/06/010928.php#comment-104306 I've read Jon Krakauer previous book "Into Thin Air" and I personally think it was of the best books ever written about the Everest disaster and I am sure his new book will be no less great so if you want a good book i recommend "Into Thin Air" or "Under the Banner of Heaven". 104306@blogcritics.org Sat, 18 Dec 2004 17:35:11 EST