Thin Air: Encounters in the Himalayas

by Greg Child

Above an eerie realm of endless snow covered spires . . . Each step appears increasingly impossible. Disorientation and fatigue make the climber's head swim and the body threaten to collapse. For Greg Child it happened at 8,000 meters on an all-out alpine-style climb marked by tragic loss.In this spellbinding chronicle, Greg Child takes us step by nerve-shattering step through the world's most remote regions - as he cracks the "death zone" above 26,000 feet, and attacks "by fair means" the world's most perilous pinnacles.From Child's assault on Gasherbrum IV to a season of tragedy and carnage on K2, "Thin Air" is more than one man's story - it is an intimate portrait of mountains and those who climb what bonds clients together and what separates them, and what the mountains teach us all about life -- and death . . .

Genres: Mountaineering, Climbing, Nonfiction, Adventure, Sports, Nature, Outdoors

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Nathan Szwarc]

Easily one of the best alpinism books I’ve ever read

[Ken Peters]

This may be the most insightfully reflective and emotionally expressive book on mountain climbing that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read many). It’s extremely well written, is full of creative turns of phrase, and includes many engaging descriptions of fascinating people and places and situations. I got choked up at times, sometimes laughed out loud, and at other times, simply couldn’t put this book down. But I still found myself too often frustrated due to not being able to fully visualize Greg Child’s descriptions of his climbs. He used far too much insider language without explanation regarding the geographic features of mountains and regarding climbing gear and techniques. If I hadn’t previously read so many other mountain climbing books, I’d have felt even more confused. This book deserved a glossary since Greg Child clearly didn’t want to upset the pace of the book with technical explanations. And his pacing in his storytelling is quite good — except for the times when I kept wishing that I knew what he was talking about.

[Allison]

the compulsion to climb mountains is fascinating...

[Jana]

Waiting for it.

[Tina Birdsall]

I just love the way Greg Child writes.

[Terrance P. Wyllie]

Well written with an enormous amount of insight into the the majesty, beauty, and sorrow of mountaineering. Enjoyed every moment of reading this wonderful book.

[Colette]

A fun read. Like all mountaineering books, makes me glad I'm not a mountaineer.

[Kat Czar]

For experienced climbers or arm chair climbers - a must read!