by Jon Krakauer
First published 1997
It was supposed to be the summit of Jon Krakauer's climbing career. But as he neared the top of Mount Everest, Krakauer found himself in a living nightmare. With oxygen levels depleted and a deadly storm rolling in, Krakauer and his fellow climbers faced a brutal fight for survival on the world's highest peak. In this definitive account, Krakauer takes readers step-by-step through the fateful expedition, laying bare the dangers, tragedies, and human dramas that unfolded on the mountain. Beyond the thrilling narrative, Krakauer also grapples with the powerful allure of Everest, exploring the primal pull that compels climbers to risk everything in pursuit of the summit.
Genres: adventure, non-fiction, biography-memoir, mountaineering
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-journey, survival
Setting: Everest, Mount (China and Nepal), Asia
Period: 1996
320 pages · Hardcover · MacMillan