The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest by Anatoli Boukreev, G. Weston DeWalt Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.16 You Save: $8.83 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.25 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest
Book Review: A detailed retelling of a familiar tragedy
Summary: 3 Stars
In "The Climb", authors Anatoli Boukreev and G. Weston DeWalt team up to give their version of the terrible events on Mount Everest in May 1996. Readers of Jon Krakaur's "Into Thin Air" are already familiar with the outlines of this story, told from the viewpoint of another climbing team. This book is different in that it is a much more controlled, exhaustivley researched tale. In fact,the authors strain to include lots of detail, as if it was a gaduate school research paper. This detracts a little from the story, which is otherwise nicely told. Another objective of theirs was to vindicate the actions of the Russian climber Boukreev, who was criticized in Krakauer's book as being self-serving, when in fact he ended up saving several climbers' lives. There is a chapter near the end on an unrelated climb which seemed out of place, but the last chapter was very moving. Worth a read.Book Review: A good report on some excellent reportage
Summary: 4 Stars
I was informed of Boukeev and DeWalt's THE CLIMB by a friend of mine who is an avid high altitude climber. Having read Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR, I was interested in other points of view of the May, 1996 Everest climb. Krakauer does a fine job in his self identified "personal account", but I felt that both a differing view and a less "personal" examination might go a long way to explaining the problems of the climb, the philosophy of commercial climbing, and enhance my understanding of that year's terrible loss of life on Everest. THE CLIMB did not disappoint me. I came away with all that I sought. Reading both books (INTO THIN AIR & THE CLIMB) provided me with a better understanding and a more well rounded viewpoint than reading either book to the exclusion of the other. I would highly recommend that those who are interested read both titles back to back to obtain the full informational effect. Then, make up your own mind about the danger and death encountered on that May in 1996.Book Review: A readable yet biased account of 1996 Everest tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the fourth book I have read about the 1996 Everest tragedy. Both co-authors offer insightful and detailed information about how climbing expeditions are organized, funded, and executed. The book goes well beyond the Everest story itself and offers a look into the motivations and feelings of the clients, guides and organizers.The reason this is not a 5 star book is that it sometimes goes into too much detail to make a point. Usually the excess of details is to protect the co-authors' reputations or enhance their egos; and those sections could be easily dropped without losing the value of the book.
However, for the Everest aficianodo, it is required reading.
Book Review: All of Boukreev's clients lived...
Summary: 5 Stars
Like many others, I felt that Anatoli Boukreev was an arrogant man after I read Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air." But the truth is that he was the only one who saved lives during the storm that night on Everest.
The prose is choppy but honest, and explains why Anatoli didn't use oxygen in 1996, why he descended early and how his strategy in guiding the Indonesian team in 1997 was affected by his own health.
Also, it was refreshing to read about the Everest experience through the eyes of a superlative climber in the top form of his life.
A year after the tragedy, Anatoli returned to the upper reaches of Everest and buried Scott Fischer and Yasuko Namba. That doesn't seem arrogant or uncaring to me.
For further reading on Boukreev, I recommend his "Above the Clouds," and Maria Coffey's "Where the Mountain Casts its Shadow."
Book Review: Amazing Story by an Amazing Man
Summary: 5 Stars
The Climb may have been written to refute Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air; but it goes beyond. Boukreev was an elite climber with the 20 years experience, knowlege of the mountains and the bravery to do what no one else could have- bring climbers stranded high on Everest in a storm to safety. While the writing style of the book got a little tedious ( G. Weston DeWalt narrates with inserts in broken English from Boukreev); nothing can take away from its scope. The part where Boukreev describes his regret at not being able to save Scott Fischer and Yasuko Namba are extremely moving. It is clear that he was a strong, elite climber caught up in an expedition that wasn't well organized with climbers who probably weren't totally suited for Everest. It seemed many of the climbers didn't like him because he didn't hold their hands and pamper them throughout the climb. He lamented at one point that he felt he had been hired to " prepare the mountain for the climbers"- something it is impossible to do. It is the climbers who need to be ready for the mountain.If the climbers aren't prepared for the mountain and able to take some actions independently; even the most elite guides cannot ensure their safety. Yet Boukreev did what Jon Krakauer and others didn't have the strength, courage, or ability to do- save lives at great risk to his own. Having read Into Thin Air, too, I am well aware of the allegations Krakauer makes regarding Boukreev's responsibilities that day and his climbing without oxygen. But Boukreev was, by all accounts, in such amazing physical shape and had attuned to functioning well at altitude without it. (He even had strength to help Sherpas pitch tents and fix ropes.) I believe Boukreev's explanation that it is better for him to guide without O2, since that is what his body is accustomed to; than to use it and crash when it runs out. And he did carry a bottle on summit day for emergencies. In the second conversation between Boukreev and Scott Fischer on summit day; Fischer agreed that it was best for Boukreev to descend quickly to be available to bring O2 to climbers in case of an emergency. Yet Krauauer insists this second conversation NEVER HAPPENED. How does he know? Was he dogging their heels every minute of the descent? If Boukreev HAD stayed high on the mountain that day, he would've been trapped in the same situation as the stranded climbers and probably wouldn't have been in a position to help anyone! Perhaps Mr. Krakauer felt a bit ashamed that even after guiding Everest without O2, Boukreev had the necessary physical and mental energy to make several forays into the storm to rescue lost climbers and even attempt a last ditch effort to rescue Fischer and all Krakauer did was sleep as people were dying on the mountain. In fact, by Krakauer's own admission in Into Thin Air; the climbers on his expedition were even less prepared and experienced to take on Everest than Fischer's were. Could it be he feels some guilt at being unable to react to the situation because he was out of his league and he therefore must assign blame elsewhere? Certainly Krakauer realizes that even in an organized expedition, things happen that cannot be planned for or controlled. All guides can do is make the best decisions in difficult circumstances- which Boukreev did. Boukreev offered his expert advice on the lack of preparedness of the clients, the acclimatization routine, the lack of radios, etc. and was ignored. He was thrust into an expedition fated for disaster and, when the chips were down, showed his bravery and true character. Just as Krakauer showed his by doing nothing when it mattered and criticizing later. I was devastated to hear of Anatoli Boukreev's death in an avalanche on Annapurna on Christmas Day 1997. He died in the way I'm sure he would've wanted to; a daring, almost unheard of attempt of man against the mountain in winter. It is fitting that he died doing what he was best suited for- well prepared challenge of man against mountain; instead of while guiding the ill prepared up the peaks. He died doing what he loved most and he remains forever, body and soul, in the place he loved best; the only place he felt "my shoulders straightening, squaring, like the birds as they straighten their wings." I am sure he is greatly missed by his family, friends, and climbing affectionadoes. I feel cheated that I will not get to read any more about his determined, hubris-filled assaults on the 8,000m peaks. He died as he lived; a courageous, determined, magnificent athlete; and a true hero. Rest in peace, Anatoli- you and your heroism won't be forgotten.