The book is raw, powerful and filled with emotion. It reads with the immediacy of a magazine article and the emotion of a first-person narration. It is well worth the price of admission. It is not, however, an uplifting story. There are too many climbers' errors, inhumane reactions and abdications of humane assistance to others. The story of a great failure can easily be more readable as well as more useful that one of a great success. The ramifications of failure may be more invasive than those of success.
Finally, Krakauer has taken us on an expedition not only to the roof of the world but to the depths of the modern soul. What happened to the great explorers and how did they become wealthy tourists of the extreme? How has the nature of society changed enough to produce the South African expedition that refuses to help people in danger of imminent death? How can human beings walk by others who are dying without stopping to help? Is reaching a summit previously reached so important? Where have the Shackletons gone? Where, Jon Krakauer, are we going as we try for new summits as well as revisiting ones that have long been conquered?
Article comments