Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest DisasterInto Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster
Score Modern
What it's about
In May 1996, journalist Jon Krakauer joined a guided expedition to the summit of Mount Everest on assignment for Outside magazine. On the day he reached the top, a storm swept in, and by the next morning eight climbers from several teams were dead, including expedition leaders. Krakauer reconstructs what went wrong, and wrestles with his own role in a disaster he survived.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the greatest adventure books ever written, gripping, terrifying and morally serious, and it changed how the world sees high-altitude climbing. It was a Pulitzer finalist.
You'll love it if you liked
The Right Stuff
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter WorldGood to know
It's about 300 pages and reads fast. Some of Krakauer's judgments of other climbers have been disputed, notably by a guide who wrote his own account.
By the numbers
- Readers88 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics48 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #35 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #92 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #165 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Adventurous
More by Jon Krakauer
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Quick answers
Is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the greatest adventure books ever written, gripping, terrifying and morally serious, and it changed how the world sees high-altitude climbing. It ranks #165 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster about?
In May 1996, journalist Jon Krakauer joined a guided expedition to the summit of Mount Everest on assignment for Outside magazine. On the day he reached the top, a storm swept in, and by the next morning eight climbers from several teams were dead, including expedition leaders. Krakauer reconstructs what went wrong, and wrestles with his own role in a disaster he survived.
How long does it take to read Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster?
If you liked it, try The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham or Fire Weather: A True Story From a Hotter World by John Vaillant.