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Book Review, © Copyright 1998, Jim Loy
This is the story of the tragic 1996 season on Mt. Everest, in which 12 people died. Above a certain altitude is what is called the "death zone," and staying that high results in brain damage from lack of oxygen. A mistake in the death zone can mean death, and mistakes are very likely to happen in clusters in the death zone. A minor storm in the death zone can mean death. Bad luck, a falling rock can mean death. All of these things happen, in this book. And this book is one of the great adventure stories of all time. It is inspiring, and it is disgusting.
Some of the mistakes are small, some are large. These people are in a situation, in which it is difficult (maybe impossible) to think rationally. I guess it is difficult to blame these people, when you think about it.
But, the whole situation is ugly. Several of the people, in the story, had the following decision to make:
I am climbing up (or down). I encounter a person who is still alive, but is dying. I can try to save this person, or go on. I judge that I am not strong enough to save this person. If I try to save this person, we will both probably die. So, I go on, and live. That person dies (or even lives).
Something is wrong with the above scenario. Arguably, I made the right decision, there. But, I put myself in that situation, voluntarily. There is something wrong with the whole idea that I can put myself in the position that I can sacrifice my own life, and the lives of others, to achieve a personal goal.
Jon Krakauer also wrote the excellent books, Into the Wild, and Eiger Dreams.
Also, see my article, Everest and K2, and my book review of K2: The 1939 Tragedy - by Andrew Kauffman & William Putnam.
To order this book, click Amazon.com (goes directly to this book).