Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Everest Disaster is written by Jon Krakauer. This book is presented as a true account of events on Mount Everest.

Key details

• Author: Jon Krakauer
• Described as a personal account of the Everest disaster
• Centres on a 24-hour period during a storm on Everest
• Set during an expedition in March 1996
• Written within months of the events it describes

Synopsis

The book recounts a 24-hour period on Everest when members of three separate expeditions were caught in a storm and confronted hurricane-force winds, exposure and the effects of altitude, resulting in the worst single-season death toll in the mountain’s history.

In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and experienced climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and other leaders, eight people were dead by the end of summit day. Krakauer combines an account of the ill-fated climb with an examination of the factors that led to its tragic outcome, while also recalling triumphs and dangers from other Everest expeditions throughout history.