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Into Thin Air
- A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
- Narrated by: Philip Franklin
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Sports & Outdoors, Outdoors & Nature
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In K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Viesturs explores the remarkable history of the mountain and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time he probes K2's most memorable sagas in an attempt to illustrate the lessons learned by confronting the fundamental questions raised by mountaineering - questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory.
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Into Thin Air
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- Narrated by: Jon Krakauer
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of the best seller Into the Wild. Jon Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people - including himself - to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense. Krakauer's eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement.
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Great Narration
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The Third Pole
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A hundred-year mystery lured veteran climber Mark Synnott into an unlikely expedition up Mount Everest during the spring 2019 season that came to be known as “the Year Everest Broke”. What he found was a gripping human story of impassioned characters from around the globe and a mountain that will consume your soul - and your life - if you let it.
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great
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Dated reading
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Joe Simpson, with just his partner, Simon Yates, tackled the unclimbed West Face of the remote 21,000-foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in June of 1995. But before they reached the summit, disaster struck. A few days later, Simon staggered into Base Camp, exhausted and frostbitten, to tell their non-climbing companion that Joe was dead. For three days he wrestled with guilt as they prepared to return home. Then a cry in the night took them out with torches, where they found Joe, badly injured.
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K2
- Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain
- Written by: Ed Viesturs, David Roberts
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Viesturs explores the remarkable history of the mountain and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time he probes K2's most memorable sagas in an attempt to illustrate the lessons learned by confronting the fundamental questions raised by mountaineering - questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory.
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Ed Viesturs is a climbing godfather
- By g-dogs on 2021-04-20
Written by: Ed Viesturs, and others
-
Into Thin Air
- A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
- Written by: Jon Krakauer
- Narrated by: Jon Krakauer
- Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of the best seller Into the Wild. Jon Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people - including himself - to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense. Krakauer's eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement.
-
-
Great Narration
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-15
Written by: Jon Krakauer
-
The Third Pole
- Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest
- Written by: Mark Synnott
- Narrated by: Steve Campbell
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A hundred-year mystery lured veteran climber Mark Synnott into an unlikely expedition up Mount Everest during the spring 2019 season that came to be known as “the Year Everest Broke”. What he found was a gripping human story of impassioned characters from around the globe and a mountain that will consume your soul - and your life - if you let it.
-
-
great
- By Scott vanderveer on 2021-08-09
Written by: Mark Synnott
-
Into the Wild
- Written by: Jon Krakauer
- Narrated by: Philip Franklin
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself.
-
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Dated reading
- By Marc on 2019-01-28
Written by: Jon Krakauer
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Under the Banner of Heaven
- A Story of Violent Faith
- Written by: Jon Krakauer
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
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Story
This extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes listeners inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities, where some 40,000 people still practice polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God.
-
-
Informative and disturbing.
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-09-02
Written by: Jon Krakauer
-
Touching the Void
- Written by: Joe Simpson
- Narrated by: Andrew Wincott, Daniel Weyman
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe Simpson, with just his partner, Simon Yates, tackled the unclimbed West Face of the remote 21,000-foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in June of 1995. But before they reached the summit, disaster struck. A few days later, Simon staggered into Base Camp, exhausted and frostbitten, to tell their non-climbing companion that Joe was dead. For three days he wrestled with guilt as they prepared to return home. Then a cry in the night took them out with torches, where they found Joe, badly injured.
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Amazing, wish I knew more.
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-07-24
Written by: Joe Simpson
Publisher's Summary
When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in 57 hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. As he turned to begin his long, dangerous descent from 29,028 feet, 20 other climbers were still pushing doggedly toward the top. No one had noticed that the sky had begun to fill with clouds.
Six hours later and 3,000 feet lower, in 70-knot winds and blinding snow, Krakauer collapsed in his tent, freezing, hallucinating from exhaustion and hypoxia, but safe. The following morning, he learned that six of his fellow climbers hadn't made it back to their camp and were desperately struggling for their lives. When the storm finally passed, five of them would be dead, and the sixth so horribly frostbitten that his right hand would have to be amputated.
Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of the best seller Into the Wild. On assignment for Outside Magazine to report on the growing commercialization of the mountain, Krakauer, an accomplished climber, went to the Himalayas as a client of Rob Hall, the most respected high-altitude guide in the world.
A rangy, 35-year-old New Zealander, Hall had summited Everest four times between 1990 and 1995 and had led 39 climbers to the top. Ascending the mountain in close proximity to Hall's team was a guided expedition led by Scott Fischer, a 40-year-old American with legendary strength and drive who had climbed the peak without supplemental oxygen in 1994. But neither Hall nor Fischer survived the rogue storm that struck in May 1996.
Krakauer examines what it is about Everest that has compelled so many people - including himself - to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense.
Written with emotional clarity and supported by his unimpeachable reporting, Krakauer's eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement. Into the Wild is available on audio, read by actor Campbell Scott.
What the critics say
"Into Thin Air ranks among the great adventure books of all time...a book of rare eloquence and power that could remain relevant for centuries." (Galen Rowell, The Wall Street Journal)
"No added dramatics are needed for the listener to imagine the high-altitude cold, fear, bravado and sense of total isolation felt by all who were trapped beyond help, as well as by those who survived. Franklin’s emulations of the multinational voices of guides, clients and Sherpas bring one still closer to the action." (AudioFile)
More from the same
What listeners say about Into Thin Air
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- rob i.
- 2021-02-01
Sad but insightful
Loved it and if you are an outdoor enthusiast you will as well. No one is above the mountain.
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- Elena
- 2020-06-01
Gripping and frightening. I loved it.
I have never read anything about mountain climbing before and now I know I never want to try it. This book takes you up Everest and into the minds of some of the most driven adventure seekers on the planet. It’s riveting and sad, exciting and horrifying. I couldn’t put it down.
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- Emily
- 2020-01-03
Stunning
I have listened to this audio book 3 times now, and each time I am stunned by the harrowing details of this tragedy. Jon Krakauer‘s chronological and thoroughly researched account of his experience is heartbreaking. He is so earnest and forthcoming with outlining his own mistakes, as well as detailing the many minor slip ups that built up to caused the break down. It makes you ponder what you would do under such immense pressure and hypoxic conditions. Extremely well written, very accessible and totally devastating.
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- G-Mac
- 2019-02-06
Deeply portrays the conditions of climbing Everest
I am an aspiring mountaineer and the detailed description of this Expedition paints the magnitude and gravity of climbing an 8,000 m peak.
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- Anonymous User
- 2019-01-28
good
good I liked it, I never realized how hard climbing mount Everest is, I think I want to try
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- Kai Jacobson
- 2018-09-14
Excellent novel!
This was an excellent novel for not only climbing enthusiasts but the general public. Highly recommended for all audiences!! #Audible1
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- Roberta W
- 2017-11-20
Compelling and frightening
I am grateful that Jon Krakauer took the time to write this account of the tragedy on Everest. With his own recollections, and those of others, he has pieced together what happened. Oxygen deprived and fogged by the confusion that killed others, he made mistakes that he hasn't forgiven himself for. Yet he takes responsibility. I hope he can make peace with it someday. As a result, the book has a rather gloomy conclusion... but, then again, how could it be otherwise? The tells the story as Jon experienced it, only revealing what transpired afterwards, as he put the pieces together. It made it compelling. I might want to read it again, with a list of climbers and teams, and a map f the mountain.
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- Jeffrey E.
- 2016-02-06
Audio version RUINED with new narrator!
This is easily one of my favorite books of all time - especially the audio version. Originally, Mr. Krakauer narrated the book which made it even better because he was emotionally attached to the story since he lived it. His narration was masterful, to say the least. I had purchased this book a couple of years ago and had listened to it twice, but after seeing the movie Everest recently, I decided to listen to it again. Since I had recently purchased a new phone, I had to re-download the book and to my horror - there is a new narrator! While he does a fine job, it is no where near the caliber of Mr Krakauer's work. I was told this was the decision of the publisher. Thanks a lot guys, you have completely ruined the audio version of this book!!!
124 people found this helpful
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- karen
- 2016-06-06
Incredible. Horrifying. Amazing.
I'm definitely a flat-lander, never had even the slightest interest in climbing anything higher than my bed, so this book was an odd choice for me. I bought it because I'd just finished listening to -- and loving -- Junger's "A Perfect Storm", when some cookie-wizard said if I like "disaster books", maybe I'd like this one. Well, sure, why not? (For the record, John McDonald's "Condominium" is the best book I've ever read on what it's like to be in a hurricane. Loved that one, too, so I guess I do like "disaster books.")
I'm not sure what I expected with this one -- I wasn't aware of this particular disastrous climb before, although I certainly do remember various magazine spreads showing people doing silly things like climbing to 29,000 feet -- not when passenger airplanes normally cruises at about 30,000 feet. You mean as you're flying along, someone could be outside your window, there, looking in? Well, maybe not. Not without some conditioning, but still.... Why would someone do something like that?
I still don't know. It sounds not just highly likely to be lethal, but it's also not all that pretty -- the way the base camps are described -- dirty, cluttered, thin air, poor food, people sick, barfing, gasping, wounded, struggling to survive -- don't come across as pleasant at all. But what I do know now, with more intensity than I ever expected, the vast array of really dreadful things that can happen to you when you do.
I surely didn't realize all the things that went into such a climb -- the high-altitude conditioning, the high cost (although I guess I could have figured that out) or the surprisingly large number of regular ordinary people, more or less, who decide that a climb to the top of Mt. Everest belongs on their bucket list -- sometimes the last entry, apparently.
All I can say is this: This is a heck of a book. I will most definitely listen to this one again -- maybe many times over. I was so hooked on listening that the rug I was crocheting at the time had to be completely ripped up and started over. Sometimes I'd just stop dead, and sit and listen. Few books in any genre beat this one for its "so what happened then?" quality. Listening, the only thing you know for sure is that the author survived, so that he could write the book.
Anyway, this is a really really good book. Don't miss it.
53 people found this helpful
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- Paul N
- 2004-02-10
Touching tale of tragedy on Top of the World
Loved the reading!
Jon Krakauer, eyewitness, author, and narrator, grabs the audience in a way which transports them with the doomed 1996 Everest expedition teams. We feel the camaraderie, exultations, and eventual tragedy while safely well below the "death zone". Having skimmed the printed edition, I finally purchased and listened to this title while commuting - for the first time I wished my commute were longer or the traffic worse!
Jon reads with feeling, as he should; he was there and witnessed the events. His account is gripping and the unabridged version is well worth the additional investment of time!
I see that The Climb by Anatoli Boukreev, a guide on Fisher's team, is also available on Audible - to better understand the events of mid-May 1996 one would want to listen to both titles.
Having been an Audible listener for over 2 years, I have often relied upon reviews of other listeners when choosing new titles; this is my first contribution.
47 people found this helpful
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- Dan
- 2003-02-17
An incredible book, beautifully performed
Into Thin Air is the dramatic retelling of the Mount Everest disaster as told by an Outside Magazine writer that was on the expedition. I am normally not fond of author's reading their own books--this seems to be a job better left to professional readers. In this case, having the author read the book adds extra weight to the tragidy of the story. I've been an Audible subscriber for two years and this has been my favorite book so far.
50 people found this helpful
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- Mary Kruithof
- 2015-11-05
Originally great, now sup-par.
I love everything about this audiobook; or at least I did. It used to be perfect when it was narrated by the author, but for some reason it was "updated" with a new narrator. It's nowhere near as good as it previously was. I'm pretty disappointed in the change.
7 people found this helpful
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- David Stone
- 2003-03-09
Being There
This was a great, thrilling story and well read by the author. The sense of "being there" with John on Everest was palpable. As a reader, I am normally overly eager to reach the end of a story, to see how it turns out, and get on to the next read. This was a book I never wanted to end. It kept my attention rivieted every second. My most enjoyable book for the last year!
30 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 2009-07-20
A must read
Where do I start? This book has changed people's lives for years and it changed mine. The detailed account of how people strive so hard to achieve an almost unreachable goal despite the fact that they might die is almost unbelievable. I do not understand why climbers would put themselves through the suffering one must endure to stand atop Everest, nor do I have the desire to climb Everest, but I found this book completely enthralling. It is a testament to the human spirit and what man can and will do once he/she has set their mind to it.
I ended the book, listened to the interview, and immediately started the book over again. It was that good. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good non-fiction read.
19 people found this helpful
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- James
- 2017-05-28
Why did the reader change?
I had this originally read by the author on my phone, but it has somehow automatically replaced with this "new" version. The pronunciations are off and it's completely grating. What gives?
5 people found this helpful
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- Kelley
- 2007-10-15
One of the best
This book actually made me greive as though I were somehow part of the story. Amazing when an author can actually make our theoretical connection to others become very real. It's quite a masterpiece and one of the best author readings I've heard.
11 people found this helpful
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- Amazons-Survivor
- 2018-03-08
This will awe you as it did me
This is an amazing story filled with horror, amazement, and utter sadness. It was a little hard to follow though, with many many difficult names to remember of people but story was incredible! The ending almost had me in tears as many parts did. And to think while my family were alive and well, way off on Everest this tragedy was occuring.....
4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-07-08
About Krakauer
I love stories obout climbing mountains. The narrator is excelent. But I think Anatoly Bucreev is a hero, and his book about story of Everest 1996 (Climb) is more believable. And I think his actions were right. He saved 3 lives despite all the critics. Krakauer is very subjective, and I sow while I was listening that he didn't like Bucreev, Fisher and all their stuff.
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-01-12
Great story
A lot of names to remember, but great story. It lives up to the praises I heard.