Product Description

Originally published in 1990 by the American publishers, Lyons and Burford, a collection of writings on mountaineering and the culture of climbing. It includes first-hand accounts of expeditions made by the author, who also wrote INTO THE WILD and INTO THIN AIR.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29405 in Books
• Published on: 1998-03-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 197 pages

Customer Reviews

Great short stories
A wonderful collection of short stories. Crazy ,likeable characters in, to say the least ,unusual & challenging situations.All written with great humour, Mr. Krakauer knows how to tell a good story. The account of the Mt.McKinley climb is probably one of the best & funniest short stories I ever read. Maybe even more enjoyable for non-climbers ( I am not), just to find out about the mad men of the mountains.Well recommended.

A fascinating insight into many aspects of mountaineering.
This collection of essays by climber and journalist Jon Krakauer is a real eye-opener. It shows just how diverse the world of mountaineering has become. The subjects range from accounts of some of Krakauer's own exploits, including an aborted attempt on the north face of the Eiger, to humorous portraits of the pilots who fly mountaineers onto glaciers.

What makes the book such an entertaining read is Krakauer's disarming honesty and his knack for getting under the skin of his subject and understanding what makes people tick.

Recommended reading for all armchair mountaineers.

Climbing Culture
The author of this mountaineering miscellany, Jon Krakauer, is an American mountaineer and writer probably best known for his public condemnation of commercialism linked to Mount Everest and his book `Into Thin Air' presenting an investigative account of the 1996 tragedies on the mountain. Though criticised by other mountaineers, Jon Krakauer has mixed easily with many of the world's top climbers and mountaineers, he writes first hand accounts with frankness, he understands the culture of the climbing world and he has direct experience of what motivates mountaineers. As a journalistic writer Krakauer uses knowledge of his own and the achievements and epics of contemporary mountaineers and others to produce narrative in readable and humorous style, though perhaps he makes light of some events and in places for a `Brit' the humour may be too intentionally injected. Furthermore when he relies on quotes it can be irritating to have explanations of how non-American mountaineers have `gotten' into or `gotten' out of various situations. Apart from its final chapter `Eiger Dreams' is a collection of articles previously published between 1982 and 1989 in magazines and journals. Krakauer associates tales with well known mountains of Eiger, K2 and Mount McKinley; together with commentaries on well known individuals like boulderer John Gill, ice climbers of Valdez, maverick mountaineers Alan and Adrian Burgess, and historical perspectives on `A Mountain Higher Than Everest'. Also he delves into the psyche of mountaineers with chapters `On Being Tentbound' and `Chamonix', plus insights to related sports as `Canyoneering'. The final chapter `The Devils Thumb' is a revealing story of Jon Krakauer's early epic solo of a new route in Alaska to somehow seek a "glorious transformation". `Eiger Dreams' allows awareness and apprehension of what compels climbers and mountaineers to accept risks to achieve dreams.