High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places

by David Breashears, Jon Krakauer (Foreword)

For generations of resolute adventurers, from George Mallory to Sir Edmund Hillary to Jon Krakauer, Mount Everest and the world's other greatest peaks have provided the ultimate testing ground. But the question remains: Why climb? In High Exposure, elite mountaineer and acclaimed Everest filmmaker David Breashears answers with an intimate and captivating look at his life.
For Breashears, climbing has never been a question of risk taking: Rather, it is the pursuit of excellence and a quest for self-knowledge. Danger comes, he argues, when ambition blinds reason. The stories this world-class climber and great adventurer tells will surprise you -- from discussions of competitiveness on the heights to a frank description of the 1996 Everest tragedy.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mountaineering, Adventure, Climbing, Biography, Memoir, Travel

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

David Finlay Breashears was an American mountaineer, filmmaker, author and motivational speaker. In 1985, he reached the summit of Mount Everest a second time, becoming the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest more than once. He is perhaps best known as the director and cinematographer of Everest (1998)—which became the highest-grossing IMAX documentary—and for his assistance in the rescue efforts during the 1996 Everest disaster, which occurred during the film's production.

Reviews

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, this book is not as rip-roaring as Krakauer's Into Thin Air, and yet it's an excellent insight into what makes a mountaineer tick. I was moved by Breashear's account of the Everest '96 disaster, and found his rendering of the survival of Beck Weathers perhaps even more moving than the account in Krakauer's masterful tome. Similarly moving was his account of the recovery of the camera containing the last picture of mountaineer Bruce Herrod, staring into the lens in triumph on the summit of Everest, soon to collapse and die with the very camera in his pocket. The image strikes me as similar in spirit to that of Chris McCandless in front of the bus in Krakauer's Into the Wild.

Breashears' life story is fascinating; and one sometimes wishes that, despite the inherent hardships, that one was raised as an army brat, because they seem to grow up with a special kind of resolve.

There are fascinating accounts of Breashears' early climbs in Colorado and as a crew member on the set in the Italian Dolomites of the 1980's Stallone thriller, "Cliffhanger." And, of course, there's Everest '96, one of the great adventure stories of all time, about which several books have been written.

I don't know what it is about the books I've been choosing lately, or if it's just an indicator of my tenuous emotional state of late [note: in 2009], but this book ultimately moved me to tears, and even if it's not quite the achievement that Krakauer's book is, it is nonetheless a first-rate adventure book as well as a worthy biography. As a sidenote, it baffles me how he could have let such an alluring woman as Veronique Choa slip out of his life. Oh well, I know from experience, it happens.

This is probably a four-star book, at best, but the enjoyment factor was high for me, and mountaineering buffs won't be disappointed.

(KevinR@Ky; edited and amended in 2016)

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing pictures of rock climbing! Of all the Everest books I have read, this one gave me the best picture of how tough it is to climb a mountain.....

[Susan Liston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty darn good. I have a sneaky feeling that David Breashers might be more than a little arrogant, but these extreme mountain climber folk are definitely nuts, so it isn't too surprising if they are also a bit prickly or difficult. Or hard to be married to...."Oh by the way honey, did I mention I'm off to Pakistan to take pictures while hanging from a little rope 20,000 feet in the air? See you in four months if I don't fall." It's not just climbing that is so unfathomable to me, the traveling you do to get to where you want to go is scary enough... read his tale of taking a taxi in India in the middle of the night (and going for hours in the wrong direction) I am no adventurer myself, but it is certainly entertaining to read about someone who is. It was also interesting to hear his account of the 1996 Everest disaster, as he figured prominently in the rescue efforts.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places by David Breashears (Simon & Shuster 2000)(Biography). This is the long-awaited biography of legendary mountaineer David Breashears. He is arguably the best high-altitude climber in the world today. This is the story of what drives his success; it includes a frank dissection of the 1996 tragedy on Everest and the subsequent rescue in which he was fully engaged. My rating: 7.5/10, finished 2010. I purchased a HB copy from McKay's in good condition for $3.00 on 6/17/15. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Norman Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's well worth picking up if you like reading about cold and climbing. Breashears, who's multiple climbs of Everest were burdened by camera equipment, was director and leader of the IMAX expedition of the world's highest peak. He can put you on the edge of your seat, with words or film.

[Amerynth · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Breashears has made a name for himself as a methodical climber -- he isn't into dynamic leaps and jumps, but carefully plans each and every move as he scales mountain and rock. In a way, his autobiography "High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places" is the same. It's almost plodding and Breashears thoroughly examines his troubled childhood and the reasons that he is driven again and again to the challenges presented by Everest. I've read a lot of climbing memoirs and this one didn't particularly thrill me-- it was a little too bogged down in detail and became a really slow read. The final chapters about the 1996 tragedy on Mt. Everest were better, but came too late for me to truly enjoy the book. I came away admiring Breashers for what he has overcome but with a sense that he is a very unlikeable person. Is it possible for an autobiography to be too honest? That may be the problem in this case.

[Charlotte Maddrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting if you're interested in climbing, but there are other far more well-written accounts of mountain life than this. Breashears comes off as arrogant and occasionally sexist.

What is the human cost of mountaineering? And I don't mean a death toll. What happens when one's passion takes them to the heights of the world, risking injury and death, gone for months at a time? What effect does that have on relationships? There's a line from the chapter on the 1996 tragedy where Breashears writes that he would have called his wife, but Veronique wasn't his wife anymore. He would've called his mother, but he didn't want her to worry. So he didn't call anyone. No one to tell, no one to share this devastating tragedy with on a personal and not professional level. That strikes me as tragic in itself.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. Being a mini mountaineer, I was familiar with Breashears' climbing and photographic prowess. It was fun to learn about the man as he sees himself. I have heard of or know several of the people he climbed with, so I felt a connection to him and his story. I am from Denver so could relate to his climbs in Boulder. Occasionally I felt bogged down in all his camera and filming details but not enough to stop reading. David Breashears is in my opinion one of the finest mountaineers of today. His filming skills are exceptional. His support and assistance during the 1996 Everest disaster is laudable, to say the least. His passion for the mountains, for Everest particularly, raises him to the pinnacle of mountaineering excellence.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" several years back, I was probably overdue on this one. It's an amazing account of mountain climbing in general, Himalayan expeditions in particular, and Mount Everest intimately, especially the '96 tragedy. One can only hope to catch a furtive glimpse of the raw exposure such nearly insane adventurers endure. Not my cup of tea, but fascinating all the same. I think I need to re-read the Krakauer account again.

[Fionnuala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. Breashears is a natural storyteller with a good knack for detail, knowing where to linger and where to be succinct. His pacing is incredible and he knows the precise things to focus on, meaning that the reader is never left wanting. I think it's the perfect marriage between writing talent and a cinematographer's mind: it all plays out in a way that's so easy to imagine and follow.

He is also very honest, and strikes the right balance between humility and also trusting his experience enough to assure the reader that he is an authority on the subject. Some people can be too blasé and arrogant; others so humble that I end up wondering just why I should trust what they're saying. Breashears gets this just right, accepting his talents but unafraid to critique himself, give credit to those he believes to be his betters, and hold himself accountable for his mistakes and the things he should have done better. He treats everybody he mentions with respect, regardless of any history or personal differences between them; he is also very fair to his then-wife, Veronique, which was such a relief.

I have complained several times that in books by men with consuming passions, their wives are often cast villainously. This is not intentional, so far as I can tell -- the wives are usually portrayed as being exasperated, and I feel their husbands are trying to be appreciative and it's supposed to be played as light-hearted and fond exasperation, but everyone tends to fail spectacularly. Their wives come across as unsupportive, annoying, and getting in the way of their fun. Even when it's acknowledged that these women are left abandoned at home for months at a time, often with children, worried sick about their husbands who are off taking life-threatening risks, the husbands often lack any real empathy for that position and excuse it because it's their passion.

Look, I get having dangerous and selfish passions. Mine is war journalism. I can't judge. But I don't pretend like this choice doesn't affect my loved ones, and I wouldn't be offended if someone said it was too much. Breashears is refreshingly fair to Veronique, understanding her plight and his role in it, and portraying her with empathy and taking the blame for where he allowed their relationship to fail. He treated her very unfairly, even cruelly at times, but as this is a memoir about every aspect of his passion, the consequencess it had upon his marriage are part of that story. He establishes himself as trustworthy just from this admission and portrayal alone.

As for his passion itself, it's a joy to read about. Breashears makes the mountains come alive; he really manages to pin down just why people feel compelled to risk their lives and put themselves through hell over and over. His respect for nature, and for the people who make his work possible; his humility and love for what he does, and his incredible talent both as a climber and as a director and cameraman, is abundantly evident and fascinating to read about. He comes across as a real solid guy, worthy of the praise I've read of him in books by other mountaineers. He's not perfect, but he's intelligent and empathetic and willing to learn, and his book is a brilliant insight into an interesting and impressive community.

[Melisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a journey inside the life and mind of an adventurer. I enjoyed the life story, the personal insight, and the retelling of his many experiences. I definitely reccomend this as must read.

[Antje · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sicher muss man sich generell für Bergsteigen, Höhenkletterei und das Drehen von Filmen dort interessieren, um von der Autobiographie David Breashears gefesselt zu werden. Natürlich ließ er sich wie andere seiner Kollegen beim Schreiben unter die Arme greifen, aber das Überprüfen nach Richtigkeit betrieb er sicherlich mit der gleichen Sorgfalt wie die Leitung seiner Expeditionen. Was mir besonders an seinem Buch gefällt, ist die Art und Weise, wie dem Laien Fachbegriffe und anderes Bergsteiger-Latein erklärt werden, ohne jemals überheblich oder langweilig zu wirken. Zudem scheint Breashears ein sehr diskreter Mensch zu sein, der ungern seine Schmutzwäsche in der Öffentlichkeit wäscht. So sind geäußerte Kritiken gegenüber gewisse Personen, gerade im Bezug der 1996er Mount-Everest-Besteigung, zurückhaltend und respektvoll. Stattdessen scheut er sich nicht, eigene Handlungsweisen selbstreflektiert zu betrachten. Einziger Beschwerdepunkt meinerseits betrifft die sehr detailierte Funktionsweise diverser Kameras, was nicht unbedingt mein Interessengebiet streift, aber durch seinen Beruf logisch ist. Ich hätte mir außerdem noch viel mehr Fotos zu sehen gewünscht.

[Bryan Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for mountaineering books. I would never climb Everest. I like a valley a lot more than I like mountains. I'm always bored above the treeline. But I'm so glad others want to get to the top.

[Greynomad · Rating 3 out of 5]

His passion destroyed a remarkable marriage...............other then that he has lived his dream

[Peter McGinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked a lot of the parts of this book, but some of it - not so much. I do not read biographies, so I could have done without the childhood descriptions. The early rock climbing and even his working in the oil fields is more interesting and pertains to the themes suggested by the book title.

I agree with some other reviews that the writing and the point of views feels somewhat distanced to me a lot of the time. If you read Peter Boardman, or even Jon Krakauer you can see the difference. A lot of the time the author says the right things and I did come away believing that the climbing ethics he details are really his, but some of his dealing with people, especially women, seems lacking. I was not impressed with his hot pursuit of the beautiful Veronique, where he invited her to work with him on projects to throw them together, only to discover after he married her that suddenly he didn't have any work for her anymore, so the marriage foundered. And though he admits he was harsh (nasty is the word I'd use) when the wife of his great friend Ed Vistiers and respected colleague had the nerve to express an opinion, there is no sign that he ever apologized or even acknowledged the unfairness - except in an offhanded way in this book, that is.

Now, as Maria Coffey describes in a book on the loved ones of serious climbers, with them the mountain comes first and family second, so perhaps this author is just more open about it than the rest. But I would advise any climber/writers who show us their jerkier moments to throw in a few positive personal exchanges as well. Weeping for dead friends up in the thin air is all well and good, but most of us readers also judge people by their relationships down here on flat land.

I don't mean to be hypercritical of this book; if I am it is only because it could easily have been so much better, more accessible for non-climbers and with more sharing of his emotions and feelings, guaranteed to keep the reader on his side and on the edge of their seats rooting for him. Yes, I would trust him with my life on the mountain, but would I want to share a tent with him?

[Jenni DaVinCat · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason I am fascinated by mountain climbing. In particular, I am fascinated by Mount Everest and the '96 disaster, in which David Breashears was present for and very instrumental in the rescue of Beck Weathers. I have no actual desire to climb a mountain myself. It seems terrifying on a scale that I can't even describe, but I do have the highest respect for people like David Breashears who have spent a lifetime honing their abilities and putting their life on the line to conquer these massive feats.

His memoir is written well. We get an insight into his life and what motivated him to become the mountaineer and filmmaker that he's known as today. He's had the kind of life some people can only imagine and even had the privilege of meeting Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay. Literal heroes who accomplished one of the greatest mountaineering feats before anyone else, presumably. Honestly, I'm in awe of them all.

Of course, he also details his experience with the '96 disaster. I believe his group was the first to come across Rob Hall's body. It was a tragedy that I just can't look away from. I've read so many memoirs of survivors from that day and David's memoir provides an insightful and alternative perspective, as he had decided not to summit at that time and was lower on the mountain. He was there for the fallout and did as much as he could do.

My only complaint, if you can call it a complaint, is that Breashears sort of toes the line between Team Krakauer and Team Boukreev but ultimately is Team Krakauer because they're friends. I am Team Boukreev so I disagree with the sentiment that Anatoli was in the wrong. This was a tragic disaster and mistakes were made, but it's no use pointing fingers. Had Boukreev not made the choices that he made that day, the loss of life would have been much higher.

My small complaint aside, this was an excellent memoir of a man who has led an extremely interesting and adventurous life. Something I can only imagine living. He's brutally honest about his skills and flaws and it was a pleasure to read this.

[Craig MacKinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Breashears has had an interesting life, and we can share in it in this autobiography. From his life as an army brat moved about the U.S. and Europe (notably Greece), to climbing and filming Mt. Everest (several times!), he culls interesting stories of himself and others. It is brutally frank at times, especially when talking about his abusive father and failed marriage. At other times, we are swept away into the mountains with him and share in his joy of climbing. One of the minor surprises of this book is that Breashears wrote it himself, and wrote it well. The narrative is smooth and well-written. There are a number of photos and schematic drawings that give us an idea of the shape, size, and routes of the mountains he's climbing. Only a very small amount of climbing knowledge is required (if you don't know what a crampon is, you'll probably not be interested in this book anyways!), so climbing neophytes like myself are never bogged down in technical terms.

Especially fascinating for me are the chapters on Everest, which is the main reason I bought the book. Having seen his IMAX-format film on Everest (highly recommended), I was very interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects. He also discusses his other movies, e.g., Cliffhanger (his role in this was minor) and Everest, the Death Zone (unseen by me), and it's interesting to compare the three different filming modes (documentary/standard, documentary/IMAX, and studio blockbuster).
Finally, his take on the Everest disaster in 1996 is written from the point of view of someone who was on the mountain, but not in imminent danger, as opposed to the Boukreev and Krakauer accounts. Of course, it's not as detailed, but still very interesting, and a good compliment to the information that made it to the screen in his IMAX film.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting account of a life lived mainly on mountains by David Brashears. You get the feeling that this is a pretty tightly wound guy who had a rough childhood that certainly hampered him though life. He is not a highly introspective guy on paper but his marriage was sort of cringeworthy as he basically abandoned her while traveling everywhere. But he became an expert climber at a young age and later a film maker and that is what the book is mainly about. His obsession with Mt. Everest is a primary theme of the book which I found very interesting as I share that to a far lesser degree (doubt I will ever even see it from afar much less climb any portion of it!). One of the best books I read in recent years was the Wade Davis account of the early Everest expeditions in the 1920s, 'Into the Slience'. That book was simply superb as it followed the legendary George Mallory before he disappeared on the mountain in 1924. Brashears book discusses some of that and one of his early trips to Tibet was to follow the route of Mallory, that was fascinating. He also has an excellent first-hand account of Tibet in the early 1990s under increasing Chinese authority and repression, which is sort of terrifying. But this book culminates in the horrific events on Everest in May 1996 made famous by John Krakauer in his book 'Into Thin Air'. I had no idea when I picked this up (though it is likely mentioned in Krakauer's book) that Brashears and his team were there at the same time making an IMAX film on Everest (which apparently became the most successful IMAX documentary ever). So this provides another perspective from a real professional of that calamity. He actually helped Beck Weathers (who was left to die twice!) down part of the mountain and his description that man's incredible fortitude is a real highlight. Overall an excellent book.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Something about a book can get under your skin and you just really enjoy it. I liked how each section was another chunk of Breashears' life and his experiences. You really saw the natural evolution of him going from rock climber to cinematographer to director. Reinforces that no one is stuck in one thing - keep your eyes and ears open and see what happens. I even liked hearing about living in Gillette, WY to work on an oil rig just to get some cash. He's met so many different kinds of people through his adventures and he has a pretty acute eye when it comes to sizing up people.

Thought he did a great job of translating how you can't let your ego drive your ambition when mountain climbing. If the mountain is saying no that day, you better listen or you could very well die. I had followed the disaster on Everest in May 1996 so reading his perception of the events as they unfolded was really interesting.

Thought the whole thing was simply a wonderful book.

[Travis Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Bio about a renowned film maker and climber. It has a very good balance of life history and his adventures in climbing and film making. I enjoyed him revealing his rocky child hood and early climbing days in Colorado and Yosemite. Breashears is most famous for his Everest Imax film and you get an awesome account of his backbreaking effort lugging that camera up the mountain.

Sadly 1996 when he filmed the IMAX film was also the tragic year everyone remembers for all the climbers that died. I have read a few books now that detail that terrible summit year and reading Breashears account fills in more gaps to the story. Something I did not expect was his respect for Sandy Pittman who lots of climbers painted in a negative light but not David, I found that interesting.

It is a well balance book that I would recommend to almost anyone

[Bella E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the breath-taking, heart-stopping action of Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air", Breashears takes his readers into his own psyche--that of a man driven by a sense of challenge, but with knowledge and discipline. One can only marvel at Breashear's accomplishments in the fields of climbing and film-making. His many colleagues who shared his lifetime of adventure also merit a sense of awe. There was one piece of Breashears life story that left me a bit uncomfortable, though. Was the beautiful Veronique truly that unimportant to his life to deserve just a passing mention? Other than that, I found the story of Breashear's progression from cliff-scaler to cameraman to mountain climber a fascinating story.

[Gustavo Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible read. Really honest, direct, good to see one more testimony of a life dedicated to a higher goal paying good dividends in terms of truth, reality acceptance and humility. The descriptions of his climbs, as well as his working experiences, of his photography and also filming present one person that is interested in learning and accepting that he was not born knowing everything. Climbing has this lesson for us. Respect the nature and know your place... you are minor. Absolutely honest as well in terms of description of feelings and some aspects of life that became secondary due to other focus areas. Mountain calls are quite demanding. Definitely recommend, especially with movies afterwards.

[Monical · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book from David Breashears, best known (at least to me) as the IMAX Everest cinematographer. The book chronicles his life, especially focused on his development first as a climber and then as a cinematographer. The climax of the book is events on the disastrous 1996 Everest season, when the author was filming at Everest as the disaster unfolded. The book ends rather abruptly at that point, which I found disturbing and unfulfilling. The book has very little personal reflection (the author discusses the failure of his marriage in such dry clinical terms that it was hard to empathize when it finally ends).

[Sunny Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is slightly different from the other mountaineering books I've read lately. It's more of a biography than a straight climbing/adventure book. I enjoyed reading about Breashears' childhood years, the start of his passion for climbing and his time spent in the oil rigs. From the book, it seems that Breashears is obsessed with Everest in particular. He returns to this mountain over and over again; yet he doesn't seem to feel the desire to the climb any of the other 8000ers. I specially enjoyed reading Jon Krakauer's foreword. I read it after finishing the book and it was interesting to hear from Krakauer's perspective what kind of person Breashears is.

[Patricio O'Shee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elocuente y vívido recorrido por la vida de Breashears y los distintos proyectos en los que ha estado involucrado. No solo ha tenido una vida singularmente extraordinaria, sino que sabe (junto a sus editores y asesores, cuya intervención al parecer fue notable) dar cuenta de sus experiencias de manera eficiente, pulcra, pero atrayente. Generoso y ecuánime en el reconocimiento dado a sus colegas, crítico con sus propios yerros e iluminador respecto a las lecciones aprendidas con sus sucesivas empresas (de hecho, divierte que por momentos parezca incapaz de relacionar sus experiencias tempranas con sus éxitos venideros, por tenue que aparente ser la conexión).

[Becky Brinkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being married to a photographer, my take on "High Exposure: An Enduring Passion or Everest and Unforgiving Places" is a little different than most. Yes, the mountaineering stuff is interesting, but to do it with tons of film equipment, setting up shots and re-shooting scenes was more fascinating to me. In fact, I found it crazy. Crazy as in too stupidly dangerous and should not be attempted by mere mortals. But like a train wreck in progress, I couldn't turn away and had to finish every last page.
Review by Becky Brinkley, author of Whatever Happened to Lil' Bobby Burton

[Chris Zeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent Everest book! I own a paperback copy, but I just finished the Audiobook version. The book focuses on Breashears career in climbing and film making and culminates in a behind the scenes look at the making of the 1998 IMAX Film about Everest (which was filmed during the disastrous 1996 season). A must read alongside Anatoli Boukreev's "The Climb", Ed Viesturs' "No Shortcut's to the Top" and Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air".

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a biography in which the author recounts how he got into climbing, notable climbs throughout his life and how he transitioned from climbing to filming in the mountains. Very interesting read, hard to put the book out of my hands. Well written too. The longest chapter of the book is devoted to the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster where the author was present with a film crew when the tragedy unfolded. Highly interesting read about mountaineering even if you are not into filming.

[Jean Dupenloup · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable memoir by one of the foremost high-altitude filmmakers.

David Brashears occupies a unique place in the mountaineering realm, that of someone who can actually direct and film AND climb like a champ at the same time.

In High Exposure, he takes us through various vignettes of his life, from his role in the 1996 Everest tragedy to helping make the movie Cliffhanger.

Nothing too mind-altering, but it’s a decent read.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything about mountain climbing is for whatever reason fascinating to me --not that I would ever have considered it, but so admire anyone who does. Once knew a doctor who took time off from his internship to join an Everest group. He did not summit, but came close. I also read the book about the women's group who climbed K 2. Anyway, I enjoyed it and if he writes more -- I'll read it.