Sherpas, The True Unsung Heroes

This is a very interesting book about the deadliest assault on K2 which occurred in 2008 and left 11 dead. For some reason, I have a real affinity for mountain climbing stories, having read many of them. This one is a bit different from the others, as it focuses on the Sherpa, the real unsung heroes of the Nepalese climbing experience. There is included a good deal of Sherpa history--actually, everything you might wonder about them.

While I love to read these true stories, I in no way understand the need to climb these dangerous and inhospitable peaks. Why anyone would risk their life (and it IS a very real risk) is beyond me. In listening to this audiobook, I felt myself getting angry at times at the loss of life for NO good reason. I would mutter under my breath, "Idiots!" At least one can understand why the Sherpa do it--it is for monetary gains and perhaps one of the only ways they can support their families adequately. In addition, over time they have become biologically more able to withstand the rigors of high altitude climbing.

If you can put this unfathomable quality aside, it is a fascinating story, albeit sad. As far as the narrator goes, I feel he is quite good. He is a natural at doing accents and doesn't detract anything from the story. At first he sounded too business-like, but this quickly passed and I felt he was an asset to the book. It was a fast and easy listen and well worth the time.

13 people found this helpful

Great perspective & a total page turner

I listened to this book over the course of two days, that's really fast for me and a testament to what a fast read 'Buried in the Sky' is. I love books about mountaineering and extreme sports and I now consider 'Buried in the Sky' among my favorites. The 2008 season on K2 was a tragedy and listening to the telling of it is extremely addictive, but the perspective of the Sherpa climbers, Pemba and Chhiring, was what made this book stand out. How and why the people native to the Himalaya region make the difficult choices (and sometimes they have little choice) to become porters/guides/climbing team members is such a silent voice in the world of mountaineering novels. Exploring the spiritual beliefs of the region was an eye-opening glimpse into the local relationship with the landscape and the prevailing views on mountaineering. I definitely recommend this book - really interesting read.

11 people found this helpful

A different perspective...

I was surprised to see the other reviews for this book.

This is an outstanding story of tragedy and survival for a group of elite climbers who rarely get the spotlight: the Sherpas.
The book also shines the spotlight on a mountain peak that might be overlooked because it is not as high as Everest, but it turns out that K2 is actually considered the most dangerous mountain in the world. The tragedy that occurred on its peak in 2008 is shocking!
The book explains the culture and history of the native mountain climbers, often referred to as Sherpas. We get to know a little about the climbers who were trying for the K2 summit. The politics and cultural issues that surrounded the 2008 climb all play a part in the life and death struggle of these climbers. It makes for a very compelling book. I couldn't stop listening!
The narrator is excellent.

The only problem I had was my own fault- it was difficult to remember the unfamiliar names of each climber. I was a little confused during the critical moments of the story, trying to figure out exactly what went wrong. I had to go back a little at that point to clarify the sequence of events.

The author is very neutral and does not place blame on any one or any group. It is obvious that those involved did place blame, and there was significant friction and drama when the event was over.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book!

10 people found this helpful

Great Storytelling/ Story

What does David Doersch bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

As a narrator, David Doersch makes great effort to bring this book to life. Especially noteworthy in this performance are his attempts to articulate accents, and onomatopoeia.

Any additional comments?

"Buried in the Sky" examines the business of high altitude climbing from a vastly different perspective than many accounts penned by other authors on the topic. From the Rowaling Valley in Nepal (altitude 12,000 feet above sea level) up the soaring slopes of the world's tallest peaks, the authors follow key points in the life of Chhiring Dorje Sherpa and his own personal journey out of poverty and up the mountains, first as a porter, and then as a mountaineer. The story finds it's apex on K2 in 2008 when 11 climbers perished on the slopes. The book is well written and trimmed with rich cultural detail, bridging a crevasse sometimes left untraversed by other authors on the subject. Noteworthy about the book is the authors' attention to rich folklore, adding a new dimension to those 8,000 meter giants.

9 people found this helpful

Amazing Story

This was my first audio book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The background and detail were magnificently done. The narrator was excellent, using (but not over using) dialects. I had previously read (in book form) "Into Thin Air", but I thought this book even better. The authors truly made me feel like I knew each of the main characters, with my heart stopping many times, and breaking into smiles at other times. The descriptive writing was "spot-on"! I was disappointed when the book ended!

7 people found this helpful

Tragic story on K2

Didn't know much about mountain climbing, but found myself pulled in by this tragic story. Details and personal history of those involved and the events that led to the disaster made for a compelling telling of K2s deadliest day. Learning something about the Sherpas and mountain climbing in general, I still cant say I completely understand why they do what they do, but in listening to this story, I am amazed anyone survived and I have an increased respect for what they do.

7 people found this helpful

Sherpa's are the true mountainieers

Where does Buried in the Sky rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

top 10

Who was your favorite character and why?

all Sherpa's

Have you listened to any of David Doersch’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes
More respect for the Sherpa's
and less respect for the so called mountaineers
Sherpa's did all the hard tasks with very little appreciation
and pay. No such thing as insurance for the Sherpa's that
did not make it. The Sherpa's undertook the climbing as a honor.
They worshiped each mountain.

Any additional comments?

Read most climbing books thinking the mountaineers did so much more.
They did very little in setting routes, camps, & equipment. There's no way they could even reach the base camps without the Sherpa's help. Many Sherpa's per climber.

5 people found this helpful

Awesome account

K2 has always held more mystery and beauty than Everest for me. This account of a tragic day on this mountain told from the perspective of the sherpas is powerful and heartbreaking. A story needed to be told.

5 people found this helpful

Well written and narrator better than you think.

What made the experience of listening to Buried in the Sky the most enjoyable?

In spite of the first couple of minutes sounding like a computerized reader, the narrator does a very good job.

What did you like best about this story?

It seems to be well researched with a great deal of background on the attempts to climb K2.

Which scene was your favorite?

No favorite. There were several good descriptions of climbing difficulties.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No strong reaction, except that it was a very involving and easy to listen to book.

Any additional comments?

More than one reviewer has remarked about the narration sounding mechanical. Fortunately, that only lasts for the first minute or two of the recording. After the first couple of minutes, the narrator does a fine job, including pronunciations of difficult names and believable accents and voices.

4 people found this helpful

Narration sounds like it's automated

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I was looking forward to the story, but the narration is horrible and sounds like it's automated.

What could Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Found a different narrator.

Would you be willing to try another one of David Doersch’s performances?

Not a chance.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

3 people found this helpful