Everest/K2 climb/disaster books
Discussion
For Everest I would recommend Matt Dickinson's Death Zone, about the 1996 tragedy. Despite the crap title, it's a well researched book. He was on the mountain that summer, and he provides a detailed and independent view as to what went wrong.
When you have read that, read Anatoly Boukreev's "The Climb". Boukreev was the guy who went back into the storm, without using supplementary oxygen (he's old school Russian) and his book tells it from another perspective. He was vilified at one point but not by the climbing community (I'm a climber and high altitude mountaineer - though not done an 8,000er yet).
An older book, but by a very respected climber, longstanding in the UK climbing scene is the late Jim Curran's "K2 Triumph and Tragedy". It covers the 1986 K2 disaster which saw the death of the gifted UK climber Julie Tullis, amongst others.
Regions of the Heart, by Ed Douglas, another UK climbing stalwart is well recommend. It deals with the backstory and loss of Alison Hargreaves on K2. Alison was a talented climber and mum, who was well respected in the climbing community. In fact, Ed's books are well recommended.
Karakauer has his critics, and there are some who says he has a very skewed view. The Beck Weathers book is also interesting, but he's an intriguing character with another forthright view on things.
If you enjoy the "genre" - have a search through some of the Boardman Tasker winners - and of course Boardman and Tasker who both disappeared on Everest in the 80's.
On a wider level, try Conquistadors of the Usless by Lionel Terray. some of the older books have are really absorbing.
and of course, White Spider by Heinrich Harrer, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RGS in the early 2000's.
Wider still, try Feeding the Rat by Al Alverez - it's about Deep Play. Alverez was a climber and poker player and in his bigoraphy of Mo Anthoine, one of the 60's group of climbers the put up some stunning routes in the Alps, when not dossing in Snell's Field at Cham, he compares the risk v reward of both.
Deep Play is also the title of Paul Pritchard's excellent book.
When you have read that, read Anatoly Boukreev's "The Climb". Boukreev was the guy who went back into the storm, without using supplementary oxygen (he's old school Russian) and his book tells it from another perspective. He was vilified at one point but not by the climbing community (I'm a climber and high altitude mountaineer - though not done an 8,000er yet).
An older book, but by a very respected climber, longstanding in the UK climbing scene is the late Jim Curran's "K2 Triumph and Tragedy". It covers the 1986 K2 disaster which saw the death of the gifted UK climber Julie Tullis, amongst others.
Regions of the Heart, by Ed Douglas, another UK climbing stalwart is well recommend. It deals with the backstory and loss of Alison Hargreaves on K2. Alison was a talented climber and mum, who was well respected in the climbing community. In fact, Ed's books are well recommended.
Karakauer has his critics, and there are some who says he has a very skewed view. The Beck Weathers book is also interesting, but he's an intriguing character with another forthright view on things.
If you enjoy the "genre" - have a search through some of the Boardman Tasker winners - and of course Boardman and Tasker who both disappeared on Everest in the 80's.
On a wider level, try Conquistadors of the Usless by Lionel Terray. some of the older books have are really absorbing.
and of course, White Spider by Heinrich Harrer, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RGS in the early 2000's.
Wider still, try Feeding the Rat by Al Alverez - it's about Deep Play. Alverez was a climber and poker player and in his bigoraphy of Mo Anthoine, one of the 60's group of climbers the put up some stunning routes in the Alps, when not dossing in Snell's Field at Cham, he compares the risk v reward of both.
Deep Play is also the title of Paul Pritchard's excellent book.
Edited by Labradorofperception on Wednesday 2nd January 13:39
Labradorofperception said:
For Everest I would recommend Matt Dickinson's Death Zone, about the 1996 tragedy. Despite the crap title, it's a well researched book. He was on the mountain that summer, and he provides a detailed and independent view as to what went wrong.
When you have read that, read Anatoly Boukreev's "The Climb". Boukreev was the guy who went back into the storm, without using supplementary oxygen (he's old school Russian) and his book tells it from another perspective. He was vilified at one point but not by the climbing community (I'm a climber and high altitude mountaineer - though not done an 8,000er yet).
An older book, but by a very respected climber, longstanding in the UK climbing scene is the late Jim Curran's "K2 Triumph and Tragedy". It covers the 1986 K2 disaster which saw the death of the gifted UK climber Julie Tullis, amongst others.
Regions of the Heart, by Ed Douglas, another UK climbing stalwart is well recommend. It deals with the backstory and loss of Alison Hargreaves on K2. Alison was a talented climber and mum, who was well respected in the climbing community. In fact, Ed's books are well recommended.
Karakauer has his critics, and there are some who says he has a very skewed view. The Beck Weathers book is also interesting, but he's an intriguing character with another forthright view on things.
If you enjoy the "genre" - have a search through some of the Boardman Tasker winners - and of course Boardman and Tasker who both disappeared on Everest in the 80's.
On a wider level, try Conquistadors of the Usless by Lionel Teray. some of the older books have are really absorbing.
and of course, White Spider by Heinrich Harrer, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RGS in the early 2000's.
Wider still, try Deeding the Rat by Al Alverez - it's about Deep Play. Alverez was a climber and poker player and in his bigoraphy of Mo Anthoine, one of the 60's group of climbers the put up some stunning routes in the Alps, when not dossing in Snell's Field at Cham, he compares the risk v reward of both.
Deep Play is also the title of Paul Pritchard's excellent book.
Thanks for the great reply. I have heard of course of the difference in opinion between DeWalt/Boukreev and Krakauer, there is a decent section at the end of Into thin air devoted to explaining the latters take on things.When you have read that, read Anatoly Boukreev's "The Climb". Boukreev was the guy who went back into the storm, without using supplementary oxygen (he's old school Russian) and his book tells it from another perspective. He was vilified at one point but not by the climbing community (I'm a climber and high altitude mountaineer - though not done an 8,000er yet).
An older book, but by a very respected climber, longstanding in the UK climbing scene is the late Jim Curran's "K2 Triumph and Tragedy". It covers the 1986 K2 disaster which saw the death of the gifted UK climber Julie Tullis, amongst others.
Regions of the Heart, by Ed Douglas, another UK climbing stalwart is well recommend. It deals with the backstory and loss of Alison Hargreaves on K2. Alison was a talented climber and mum, who was well respected in the climbing community. In fact, Ed's books are well recommended.
Karakauer has his critics, and there are some who says he has a very skewed view. The Beck Weathers book is also interesting, but he's an intriguing character with another forthright view on things.
If you enjoy the "genre" - have a search through some of the Boardman Tasker winners - and of course Boardman and Tasker who both disappeared on Everest in the 80's.
On a wider level, try Conquistadors of the Usless by Lionel Teray. some of the older books have are really absorbing.
and of course, White Spider by Heinrich Harrer, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RGS in the early 2000's.
Wider still, try Deeding the Rat by Al Alverez - it's about Deep Play. Alverez was a climber and poker player and in his bigoraphy of Mo Anthoine, one of the 60's group of climbers the put up some stunning routes in the Alps, when not dossing in Snell's Field at Cham, he compares the risk v reward of both.
Deep Play is also the title of Paul Pritchard's excellent book.
I am no mountaineer although living in Switzerland I should probably get into it somewhat!
I've read loads and can recommend these 4 if you're looking for something on K2
K2 The Story of the Savage Mountain by Jim Curran
K2 Life and Death on the World's most dangerous mountain by Ed Viesturs
The Time has come Ger McDonnell his life and death on K2 by Damien O'Brien
and not K2 but a great read - Thin White Line by Andy Cave (also wrote Learning to Breathe)
K2 The Story of the Savage Mountain by Jim Curran
K2 Life and Death on the World's most dangerous mountain by Ed Viesturs
The Time has come Ger McDonnell his life and death on K2 by Damien O'Brien
and not K2 but a great read - Thin White Line by Andy Cave (also wrote Learning to Breathe)
I'd echo the recommendations for The White Spider, Feeding the Rat, and Learning to Breathe. The authors of the latter two spoke at the Kendal Mountain Lit Festival about 10 years ago. Alvarez and Cave; very entertaining, very interesting blokes, couldn't be more different. I don't really do heros, but Cave would be an exception. Left school at 16 to work in the mines, started rock climbing, became a world class mountaineer, decided to get an education and got a PhD in Linguistics (a real one, not honorary, though he holds one of those too).
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