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Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest
Former Navy air rescue swimmer Brian Dickinson was roughly 1,000 feet from the summit of Mount Everest—also known as “the death zone”—when his Sherpa became ill and had to turn back, leaving Brian with a difficult Should he continue to push for the summit or head back down the mountain? After carefully weighing the options, Brian decided to continue toward the summit—alone. Four hours later, Brian solo summited the highest peak in the world. But the celebration was short lived. After taking a few pictures, Brian radioed his team to let them know he had summited safely and began his descent. Suddenly, his vision became blurry, his eyes started to burn, and within seconds, he was rendered almost completely blind. All alone at 29,035 feet, low on oxygen, and stricken with snow blindness, Brian was forced to inch his way back down the mountain relying only on his Navy survival training, instincts, and faith. In Blind Descent, Brian recounts his extraordinary experience on Mount Everest, demonstrating that no matter how dire our circumstances, there is no challenge too big for God.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2014
117 people are currently reading
1356 people want to read
About the author
Brian Dickinson
3 books22 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Brian Dickinson, former US Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer (E5), is an expert in survival, adversity, and overcoming obstacles. In 2011, Brian soloed the summit of Mount Everest, but then went completely snow blind on the descent. Hand over hand he made his way down blind and alone. What should have taken three hours to reach high camp ended up taking him seven hours. Brian took a major fall down the south summit and eventually ran out of supplemental oxygen, but through determined faith and focus he survived the impossible.
Brian has been featured on TV, in magazines, and on websites and podcasts countless times to recount his amazing experience. Notably, he has spoken on major news productions such as CNN with Anderson Cooper and Chris Cuomo, ABC’s Good Morning America, and NBC’s Today Show. Brian is also a motivational speaker, and has delivered speeches to a variety of audiences. In his free time, Brian enjoys spending time with his family mountain climbing and snowboarding. He has climbed the Seven Summits—the tallest mountains on each continent—as well as many others.
He lives in Snoqualmie, WA.
Brian Dickinson, former US Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer (E5), is an expert in survival, adversity, and overcoming obstacles. In 2011, Brian soloed the summit of Mount Everest, but then went completely snow blind on the descent. Hand over hand he made his way down blind and alone. What should have taken three hours to reach high camp ended up taking him seven hours. Brian took a major fall down the south summit and eventually ran out of supplemental oxygen, but through determined faith and focus he survived the impossible.
Brian has been featured on TV, in magazines, and on websites and podcasts countless times to recount his amazing experience. Notably, he has spoken on major news productions such as CNN with Anderson Cooper and Chris Cuomo, ABC’s Good Morning America, and NBC’s Today Show. Brian is also a motivational speaker, and has delivered speeches to a variety of audiences. In his free time, Brian enjoys spending time with his family mountain climbing and snowboarding. He has climbed the Seven Summits—the tallest mountains on each continent—as well as many others.
He lives in Snoqualmie, WA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
April 2, 2025
I read Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest cover to cover while on a flight. The author, Brian Dickinson, and his family live in Snoqualmie, WA. I purchased the book in a store in Snoqualmie, WA when the owner of the store told me about Brian's experience surviving alone and snow-blind while on Mount Everest. My son and daughter-in-law live in Snoqualmie and our family enjoys adventure, hiking, skiing, and many sports, so I knew it was a book that would interest me.
Dickinson was a US Navy air rescue swimmer in addition to being an extreme sports and mountain climbing enthusiast. His preparation for hiking Mount Everest was thorough and he faced several challenges before he made it to Camp III.
One of the key messages in a book about deaths at the Grand Canyon called Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, is how frequently hiking solo results in tragedy, injury, or death. As Dickinson is finally summiting Everest, his Sherpa guide cannot go any further due to illness. It's one of those life defining decision making moments.
I won't give away any spoilers; highly recommend the book!
Dickinson was a US Navy air rescue swimmer in addition to being an extreme sports and mountain climbing enthusiast. His preparation for hiking Mount Everest was thorough and he faced several challenges before he made it to Camp III.
One of the key messages in a book about deaths at the Grand Canyon called Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon, is how frequently hiking solo results in tragedy, injury, or death. As Dickinson is finally summiting Everest, his Sherpa guide cannot go any further due to illness. It's one of those life defining decision making moments.
I won't give away any spoilers; highly recommend the book!
March 11, 2015
Turns out not every climbing of Everest needs to be a book.
October 20, 2015
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. This book was marketed as a man's blind solo descent of Everest. Instead it's a Christian inspiration book masked as a blind solo descent of Everest. There's more in this book about praying and God and other things I had no desire to read about so please, can dust jackets or back covers give any sort of clue about this? Like "man blindly descends Everest not thanks to his own resourcefulness but because JESUS HELPED!!!!!" and I'd calmly be like "cool but no thanks" instead of having to force myself to finish what I started. I have nothing against faith or religion but I'd rather not spend my time reading about it in a book that's marketed as something else. Also, I would've been more okay with it had he not made snide little comments throughout mocking some of the Buddhist or Nepalese traditions. Like at one point he talks about his sherpa doing something ritualistic and he like, runs off to the side and yells like "THERE IS ONE TRUE GOD AND I DO NOT WORSHIP FALSE IDOLS" like chill bro. He basically mocks the Nepalese guides who carry his shit all over a mountain because they have spiritual/religious traditions and then one breath later talks about how reading his bible is the only thing that can get him through this, as if that's not nonsense to people who aren't Christians. #Hypocrite #YouALLHaveNonsenseTraditionsAndRituals #ItsLikeTheOneThingCommonToAllFaiths Anyway, that aside, when he talks about the actual experience of Everest, it's not bad. Though 87% of this talk is dedicated to every single meal he ate. The 'blind descent' aspect makes up less than a chapter, lol, so don't think this is going to be as thrilling or suspenseful as other books about the same topic. I think anything about climbing Everest is fascinating but his story is nothing THAT unique or exciting when compared to other crazier Everest stories. I was actually more interested in his Navy training (he mentions the same anecdotes about his survival strategies about 7000 times) than in his Everest experience, tbh. Again, not the worst thing ever written, but PLEASE market it better.
November 17, 2016
I'm not sure how I want to critique Dickinsons' book. The story is truly compelling, the writing is ok but after reading the book I can't help but respect his discipline, training and persistence. I am certain he wanted to write this book himself and I believe he did and perhaps that is my disappointment with it. It could have been a much better book with a little more editing or re-writes. His story of climbing Mt. Everest and becoming snow blind certainly deserves a better book than this. I can't help but think his independence (his strength in climbing the mountain) became his weakness in writing this book.
I am likely being too harsh (after all I have never tried to write a book and I've never climbed Everest either). I do not wish to discourage Dickinson or anyone who chooses to read his book. I really did like the story it just needed better writing.
I am likely being too harsh (after all I have never tried to write a book and I've never climbed Everest either). I do not wish to discourage Dickinson or anyone who chooses to read his book. I really did like the story it just needed better writing.
November 22, 2016
I love most Everest books, but this one was just a story about Christian faith, which is something I don't need in any book.
Felt like no paragraph went without either the mentioning of God, the author's army training or the tears he sheds because he misses his family.
Plus I didn't need to hear about him defacating on the top of the Everest and then throwing his „business“ down.
The actual „blind descent“ took up a very small part of the book and was surprisingly boring actually.
This book annoyed the hell out of me and I am not recommending this one to anybody.
Felt like no paragraph went without either the mentioning of God, the author's army training or the tears he sheds because he misses his family.
Plus I didn't need to hear about him defacating on the top of the Everest and then throwing his „business“ down.
The actual „blind descent“ took up a very small part of the book and was surprisingly boring actually.
This book annoyed the hell out of me and I am not recommending this one to anybody.
October 26, 2014
A decent enough adventure story, but he would have benefitted from a professional writer's help. ALSO -- I understand this dude is a serious Christian, but he sounded like a serious jackass when talking about Hinduism and the beliefs of the Nepali people he encountered.
September 27, 2014
I know that I will never have the opportunity to climb the tallest mountain in the world or swim the longest river or even visit another planet, but that doesn't mean I don't think about what it must be like. When I saw this on sale (free) a few days ago, I snatched it up. The tag line is great - Alone and Blind on Everest? I'm all in.
Brian is a former Navy rescue swimmer. Having been in the Navy myself, I can tell you that not just anyone makes that kind of cut. The training is brutal, hardcore stuff that would make even the most dedicated of Olympic swimmers whimper under the bedsheets. So he's a tough bastard. He's also into extreme sports and mountaineering. He's not reckless in any way. He trains hard, treats his body well and doesn't take any unnecessary risks. He lives for his family and God. After much soul searching, prayer and the blessing of his wife, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime - scaling Mount Everest.
I liked the way Brian wrote his memoir. It wasn't too technical, didn't become boring and also wasn't preachy. Yes, he believes in God and tries to live a life of faith but it isn't in your face. He's respectful of the Sherpa's religious beliefs and doesn't try to convert anyone or downplay their traditions or superstitions. He's just a down to earth, outdoorsy guy who loves life and appreciates the world around him.
Spoilers ahead - you have been warned.
Brian and his climbing partner Bill arrive at Everest and spend several weeks climbing to the base camps. You cannot simply climb straight up - you would die. Your body has to acclimate to the altitude slowly. Sometimes they will reach a certain altitude and then climb back down several hundred feet. The acclimatization is mandatory if you wish to survive. Edema (swelling) of the limbs and brain are your main worries but others like flatulence caught me off guard. Apparently farting is a necessary tool climbers use to expel their bodies of carbon dioxide buildup. Also at certain altitudes, you have to force your body to exhale because the oxygen content is so thin, your body wants to hoard. Kind of like getting the breath knocked out of you - you can breathe in but you can't breathe back out. I found it fascinating.
Eventually Brian and his Sherpa begin the final ascent to Everest's pinnacle. The "death zone" as it's called. When Brian's Sherpa takes ill only a short distance from the top, he tells Brian he has faith he can do this alone and so Brian achieves his dream: he climbs to the top of the world at 29,029 feet above sea level. Little does Brian know though that a small climbing accident he had earlier in the week had severely damaged his climbing goggles by compromising the UV protection. At this altitude, the UV rays are 100% stronger than anything you would experience on the ground. Just as Brian began to make his descent back to his Sherpa and the trek down the mountain, he becomes snow blind. What happens from this point on is a testament to Brian's finely honed skills, determination to see his family and yes - his faith in God. I cannot imagine being completely blind in any situation, but to be blind (and alone with no expectation of rescue) at 29,000 feet would be beyond terrifying. I don't know that I wouldn't have just sat down and waited to die at this point, but Brian methodically and slowly makes his way back to his Sherpa's camp - what should have only taken him 2 hours but ended up being a 7 hour ordeal that literally took him to the brink of death.
This is fascinating story that I had a hard time putting down. If you are religious person in any sense, there are a few moments that will touch your heart and give you that "wow moment" so few people ever experience.
Brian is a former Navy rescue swimmer. Having been in the Navy myself, I can tell you that not just anyone makes that kind of cut. The training is brutal, hardcore stuff that would make even the most dedicated of Olympic swimmers whimper under the bedsheets. So he's a tough bastard. He's also into extreme sports and mountaineering. He's not reckless in any way. He trains hard, treats his body well and doesn't take any unnecessary risks. He lives for his family and God. After much soul searching, prayer and the blessing of his wife, he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime - scaling Mount Everest.
I liked the way Brian wrote his memoir. It wasn't too technical, didn't become boring and also wasn't preachy. Yes, he believes in God and tries to live a life of faith but it isn't in your face. He's respectful of the Sherpa's religious beliefs and doesn't try to convert anyone or downplay their traditions or superstitions. He's just a down to earth, outdoorsy guy who loves life and appreciates the world around him.
Spoilers ahead - you have been warned.
Brian and his climbing partner Bill arrive at Everest and spend several weeks climbing to the base camps. You cannot simply climb straight up - you would die. Your body has to acclimate to the altitude slowly. Sometimes they will reach a certain altitude and then climb back down several hundred feet. The acclimatization is mandatory if you wish to survive. Edema (swelling) of the limbs and brain are your main worries but others like flatulence caught me off guard. Apparently farting is a necessary tool climbers use to expel their bodies of carbon dioxide buildup. Also at certain altitudes, you have to force your body to exhale because the oxygen content is so thin, your body wants to hoard. Kind of like getting the breath knocked out of you - you can breathe in but you can't breathe back out. I found it fascinating.
Eventually Brian and his Sherpa begin the final ascent to Everest's pinnacle. The "death zone" as it's called. When Brian's Sherpa takes ill only a short distance from the top, he tells Brian he has faith he can do this alone and so Brian achieves his dream: he climbs to the top of the world at 29,029 feet above sea level. Little does Brian know though that a small climbing accident he had earlier in the week had severely damaged his climbing goggles by compromising the UV protection. At this altitude, the UV rays are 100% stronger than anything you would experience on the ground. Just as Brian began to make his descent back to his Sherpa and the trek down the mountain, he becomes snow blind. What happens from this point on is a testament to Brian's finely honed skills, determination to see his family and yes - his faith in God. I cannot imagine being completely blind in any situation, but to be blind (and alone with no expectation of rescue) at 29,000 feet would be beyond terrifying. I don't know that I wouldn't have just sat down and waited to die at this point, but Brian methodically and slowly makes his way back to his Sherpa's camp - what should have only taken him 2 hours but ended up being a 7 hour ordeal that literally took him to the brink of death.
This is fascinating story that I had a hard time putting down. If you are religious person in any sense, there are a few moments that will touch your heart and give you that "wow moment" so few people ever experience.
October 4, 2014
God's children are Never alone. He says I will never leave you nor forsake you th I s book is a testament to his Word.
Great story of faith and determination, and giving God the glory. Trust and believe being obedient to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer.
Our GOD IS AWESOME!
Great story of faith and determination, and giving God the glory. Trust and believe being obedient to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer.
Our GOD IS AWESOME!
May 19, 2014
A lackluster book about climbing Everest and descending with snow blindness. The momentum of the book was stalled with flashbacks and praying. I've read many better books about climbing Everest. This one barely captured my attention.
August 22, 2025
I couldn’t believe that a book about climbing Mount Everest didn’t spark any emotions in me. I expected a thrilling story about survival, struggle, and the mental hardships of such a dangerous path. Instead, I got a boring recount of events that happened along the way. Obviously, in reality, his ascent was very difficult, terrifying, and at the same time amazing, but in the book it all felt bland.
Family relations were one of the topics I thought the author would explore, but like other things in the book, they seemed very flat. Every conversation could be summed up with: “How are you?” and “We miss you.”
Another subject was his religious experience. When I learned that he was a devoted Christian, I hoped he would explore his relationship with God and his presence in the mountains. Again, it felt rushed, limited to “Thank you, God, for helping me,” or “Please God, be with me.”
By no means do I want to undermine Brian’s real-life experience, but he is a great mountaineer not a writer.
As one of the previous comments said: “Not every climb of Everest needs to be a book.”
Family relations were one of the topics I thought the author would explore, but like other things in the book, they seemed very flat. Every conversation could be summed up with: “How are you?” and “We miss you.”
Another subject was his religious experience. When I learned that he was a devoted Christian, I hoped he would explore his relationship with God and his presence in the mountains. Again, it felt rushed, limited to “Thank you, God, for helping me,” or “Please God, be with me.”
By no means do I want to undermine Brian’s real-life experience, but he is a great mountaineer not a writer.
As one of the previous comments said: “Not every climb of Everest needs to be a book.”
December 21, 2018
I just reread this book for the second time, and I enjoyed it even more than the first. ( I first read it in November 2014.)
It was my first "mountain climbing" book. In it Brian details everything that is required to summit Mountain Everest. I had no idea before everything that went into it. It was also interesting reading about his experiences in the Navy learning search and rescue. Those experiences served him well, and helped him not only in his Everest climb, but allowed him not to panic when he experienced snow blindness while alone at the summit of Everest.
Brian's faith also adds another dimension to the book. It was his companion before and at every juncture of the journey. The fact that he survived was a miracle that increased his faith.
I've read three other climbing books since then (two of them true stories), and I've enjoyed and taken something away from each of them. But this remains my favorite.
It was my first "mountain climbing" book. In it Brian details everything that is required to summit Mountain Everest. I had no idea before everything that went into it. It was also interesting reading about his experiences in the Navy learning search and rescue. Those experiences served him well, and helped him not only in his Everest climb, but allowed him not to panic when he experienced snow blindness while alone at the summit of Everest.
Brian's faith also adds another dimension to the book. It was his companion before and at every juncture of the journey. The fact that he survived was a miracle that increased his faith.
I've read three other climbing books since then (two of them true stories), and I've enjoyed and taken something away from each of them. But this remains my favorite.
March 22, 2016
This book tells the story of Brian Dickinson's climb to the top of mount Everest. He's also a strong Christian, and he's trusting in the Lord to get him there safely. Also he's got a very strong family, a wife and 2 small children that are very supportive of him, and very supportive friends and church family, too. He credits his time in the Navy as preparing him for this mountain climb and all he'd go through during it.
This was my first read about people that climb mount Everest. I found it very interesting. Brian's faith really touched me, and helped me to ponder my own faith in our Lord! I also was very touched by his love for his wife and children!
It was a great book! I'd totally recommend it! Great reading, and I learned a lot from this book as well!
This was my first read about people that climb mount Everest. I found it very interesting. Brian's faith really touched me, and helped me to ponder my own faith in our Lord! I also was very touched by his love for his wife and children!
It was a great book! I'd totally recommend it! Great reading, and I learned a lot from this book as well!
May 14, 2014
a true testament of faith and courage to survive Mt Everest. A excellent and well written book...
February 12, 2025
OkI finished this book in a day because I basically read only about 1/3rd of the book. When I saw that this was listed as "Christian Non-fiction" I knew what I was getting into. I picked up this book because I find survival stories fascinating and am in awe of human resilience. The premise sounded interesting, but anything that had to do with God or the author praying, I just skipped. I didn't even bother reading the Bible passages at the beginning of each chapter or read the lyrics to the music he was listening to. I'm currently reading his other book Calm in the Chaos, which details all his aviation rescue swimmers training (again apparently because I'm pretty sure his military training blurbs are the exact same ones in Calm in the Chaos). Anyway I skipped all the military training stuff too. And this is how I basically only had read 1/3rd of the content of this book.
There are things that I side eyed the author over - like him explaining his "let's not eat weird foreign food because I don't want to get food poisoning" or "they use dried yak dung for fuel and I don't know if they washed their hands" business. Like I don't know, it was giving "Claire Danes reacting to the Philippines" to me. For someone who I'm sure researched Nepal and what to expect his attitude toward the local people seemed a little condescending.
Also bro, you really need to look up food borne pathogens in soups and sauces.
Things that just confused me:
It seemed like he never once considered that he might die on this expedition - until he almost did. Two people died while he was up there. Dying on Sagarmatha isn't that uncommon it seems.
At one point his wife remarks that his children are having nightmares and Brian doesn't seem to react to this at all.
His bud Bill was puking the whole time and we really don't get much detail on that.
His sherpa Pasang fell ill and had to turn back and we don't know why he was ill. Also I'm very surprised that Brian didn't see him down. Which ok hmm "So Others May Live???" I know this dude has saved lives so I'm kinda surprised he was ok with just letting Pasang go.
Brian said he didn't have a "summit or die" attitude and yet he did the summit solo with compromised eye protection. That sounds pretty close to the "or die" part to me. So many indicators to not do what he was doing and he seemed to ignore them.
And finally, why he did do this in the first place? As much as his family was portrayed as 100% supportive there is NO way they didn't suffer mental anguish. Christian or not, his wife is human and there is NO way she was not pissed off at him (at least once) for leaving her alone with the kids for 2 months to go do something that he might die doing. And thanking God for having your wife there to take care of the kids while you go off to potentially die? That's not as great as you think.
So yeah all these things were not the reason why I gave this book only two stars. It was mostly because the storytelling wasn't that exciting or interesting. I am not the target audience tho, I'm sure other people might find this more fulfilling. Personally, I'm enjoying Calm in the Chaos a lot more.
I will say that the reason why Brian survived was because despite being blind and in a life threatening situation, he still made a conscious decision to not litter on Sagarmatha and take the empty oxygen bottle with him. He respected the mountain in the end and it didn't kill him. That was literally my fav part of the book. 5 stars for that.
*EDIT* I just listened to the trailer for Brian Dickinson's new podcast and got some more insight to change my rating. He mentioned about why he got into mountaineering and I realized that in this book he was giving us the facts, straight forward. No fluffing things up or trying to tell an exciting story - just his story. I think that's why I like Calm in the Chaos a lot because it's factual without any added bravado.
There are things that I side eyed the author over - like him explaining his "let's not eat weird foreign food because I don't want to get food poisoning" or "they use dried yak dung for fuel and I don't know if they washed their hands" business. Like I don't know, it was giving "Claire Danes reacting to the Philippines" to me. For someone who I'm sure researched Nepal and what to expect his attitude toward the local people seemed a little condescending.
Also bro, you really need to look up food borne pathogens in soups and sauces.
Things that just confused me:
It seemed like he never once considered that he might die on this expedition - until he almost did. Two people died while he was up there. Dying on Sagarmatha isn't that uncommon it seems.
At one point his wife remarks that his children are having nightmares and Brian doesn't seem to react to this at all.
His bud Bill was puking the whole time and we really don't get much detail on that.
His sherpa Pasang fell ill and had to turn back and we don't know why he was ill. Also I'm very surprised that Brian didn't see him down. Which ok hmm "So Others May Live???" I know this dude has saved lives so I'm kinda surprised he was ok with just letting Pasang go.
Brian said he didn't have a "summit or die" attitude and yet he did the summit solo with compromised eye protection. That sounds pretty close to the "or die" part to me. So many indicators to not do what he was doing and he seemed to ignore them.
And finally, why he did do this in the first place? As much as his family was portrayed as 100% supportive there is NO way they didn't suffer mental anguish. Christian or not, his wife is human and there is NO way she was not pissed off at him (at least once) for leaving her alone with the kids for 2 months to go do something that he might die doing. And thanking God for having your wife there to take care of the kids while you go off to potentially die? That's not as great as you think.
So yeah all these things were not the reason why I gave this book only two stars. It was mostly because the storytelling wasn't that exciting or interesting. I am not the target audience tho, I'm sure other people might find this more fulfilling. Personally, I'm enjoying Calm in the Chaos a lot more.
I will say that the reason why Brian survived was because despite being blind and in a life threatening situation, he still made a conscious decision to not litter on Sagarmatha and take the empty oxygen bottle with him. He respected the mountain in the end and it didn't kill him. That was literally my fav part of the book. 5 stars for that.
*EDIT* I just listened to the trailer for Brian Dickinson's new podcast and got some more insight to change my rating. He mentioned about why he got into mountaineering and I realized that in this book he was giving us the facts, straight forward. No fluffing things up or trying to tell an exciting story - just his story. I think that's why I like Calm in the Chaos a lot because it's factual without any added bravado.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2021
Overall, I enjoyed reading this account of a man's ascending Everest and subsequent descent after becoming snow blind. It held my interest throughout the entire book; it was a relatively fast read (I read it over my breaks at work). There were a couple of moments that were a little "hard" to read. He brings up his training and time in the military throughout the book to explain how he was able to handle some of the situations he faced on the mountainside (especially after he became "blind").
I know others complained about how often he kept bringing up examples from his military training and background, but those examples did not bother me that much. I enjoyed reading them. At the same time, though, the book would have been significantly shorter if he had not included as many examples as he did, so it makes me wonder if he could have shared more about his time on the mountain, interacting with the other teams, and/or with the Sherpas. The examples did feel like "fillers," at times, which was a shame because they were interesting examples all the same. Perhaps if the book had been divided into two parts? The first part dealing with his military experiences and the second part with this climb? I don't know; considering how long it took him to ascend from the base to the top and back down again (two months) and that he was on Everest for over 28 hours, I cannot help but wonder if there was more he could have shared? Perhaps not; though; it sounds like he did spend a lot of time resting, reading, listening to music, and whatnot while trying to acclimate to the different altitude levels, so there might not have been that much to tell.
I think the part about his descent was crazy. I cannot imagine what that had to be like, descending the tallest mountain in the world after having lost one's vision. It was probably "the best part" of the book, but it was also funny because I did not get a sense of "danger" or "impending doom" from him. I realize he survived and there is probably that aspect interfering with any sense of danger, but I have read other books where I know the person survived and yet there were still suspenseful moments in the book. I don't know how to describe it; it is just that the tone did not completely match the dangers the author actually faced.
However, it was pretty awesome when I read it.
I did enjoy reading about the author’s interactions with different people along the way. There is not a huge amount, but he still interacted with other climbers as well as various Sherpa guides. He interacted quite a bit with his friend, Bill, too, but I think I enjoyed his interactions with other people so much more. He shared various counterpoints when he would talk about some of the Sherpa traditions and rituals contrasted with his beliefs as a Christian; I know other reviewers made it sound like he was negative and arrogant, but he always came across as respectful of the traditions and beliefs that were quite different than his own to me. He knew he was a guest and dependent upon his guides for survival, and he did not behave in an obnoxious or offensive manner. Granted, neither did he always listen and ended up paying the price early on in his ascent (those moments made me chuckle, that he failed to heed the advice of the experts – I could see myself doing the same thing, trying something out for myself). I think some of those interactions with others were among the better/best parts of the book, to be honest. I think I would have enjoyed reading more interactions with other people on the mountain, but since those moments were not included, maybe his contact was as limited as it came across.
It was a good book; it was a fun book. I don't know how "deep" it was, spiritually, but it was still an enjoyable read about a man who strove to live his life to the fullest while honoring God and his responsibility to his family. I could see myself reading it again, at some point in the future.
I know others complained about how often he kept bringing up examples from his military training and background, but those examples did not bother me that much. I enjoyed reading them. At the same time, though, the book would have been significantly shorter if he had not included as many examples as he did, so it makes me wonder if he could have shared more about his time on the mountain, interacting with the other teams, and/or with the Sherpas. The examples did feel like "fillers," at times, which was a shame because they were interesting examples all the same. Perhaps if the book had been divided into two parts? The first part dealing with his military experiences and the second part with this climb? I don't know; considering how long it took him to ascend from the base to the top and back down again (two months) and that he was on Everest for over 28 hours, I cannot help but wonder if there was more he could have shared? Perhaps not; though; it sounds like he did spend a lot of time resting, reading, listening to music, and whatnot while trying to acclimate to the different altitude levels, so there might not have been that much to tell.
I think the part about his descent was crazy. I cannot imagine what that had to be like, descending the tallest mountain in the world after having lost one's vision. It was probably "the best part" of the book, but it was also funny because I did not get a sense of "danger" or "impending doom" from him. I realize he survived and there is probably that aspect interfering with any sense of danger, but I have read other books where I know the person survived and yet there were still suspenseful moments in the book. I don't know how to describe it; it is just that the tone did not completely match the dangers the author actually faced.
However, it was pretty awesome when I read it.
I did enjoy reading about the author’s interactions with different people along the way. There is not a huge amount, but he still interacted with other climbers as well as various Sherpa guides. He interacted quite a bit with his friend, Bill, too, but I think I enjoyed his interactions with other people so much more. He shared various counterpoints when he would talk about some of the Sherpa traditions and rituals contrasted with his beliefs as a Christian; I know other reviewers made it sound like he was negative and arrogant, but he always came across as respectful of the traditions and beliefs that were quite different than his own to me. He knew he was a guest and dependent upon his guides for survival, and he did not behave in an obnoxious or offensive manner. Granted, neither did he always listen and ended up paying the price early on in his ascent (those moments made me chuckle, that he failed to heed the advice of the experts – I could see myself doing the same thing, trying something out for myself). I think some of those interactions with others were among the better/best parts of the book, to be honest. I think I would have enjoyed reading more interactions with other people on the mountain, but since those moments were not included, maybe his contact was as limited as it came across.
It was a good book; it was a fun book. I don't know how "deep" it was, spiritually, but it was still an enjoyable read about a man who strove to live his life to the fullest while honoring God and his responsibility to his family. I could see myself reading it again, at some point in the future.
October 3, 2021
The story itself is incredible. After a successful summit attempt, Brian Dickinson goes snow blind. He has to get back down completely blind.
My problem with the book is that it no longer becomes about a journey down it is all about his intense devotion to his Baptist faith and how he gives himself to Jesus and God. If you're a devoted christian/Baptist this book may speak to you. But if you're more spiritual or atheist this may not be the book for you.
I found it especially distasteful when he skips out on the Puja ceremony and then proceeds to pray to God after thanking him for being the only God. A world religion class may enlighten him to respect the faith of others who practice other religions.
My problem with the book is that it no longer becomes about a journey down it is all about his intense devotion to his Baptist faith and how he gives himself to Jesus and God. If you're a devoted christian/Baptist this book may speak to you. But if you're more spiritual or atheist this may not be the book for you.
I found it especially distasteful when he skips out on the Puja ceremony and then proceeds to pray to God after thanking him for being the only God. A world religion class may enlighten him to respect the faith of others who practice other religions.
February 1, 2023
Exciting!
Dickinson weaves his faith in God into the story of his nearly fatal summit of Mt. Everest… it’s almost too gripping to put down.
Two points really struck me…
The first was his focus on the journey and how it changed him. Life is about learning from the experiences, as opposed to just focusing on the goals or accomplishments.
Second, he talked about the letdown he felt as he traveled home. Despite the excitement and accomplishment of standing on top of the world, and surviving the descent, there was disappointment. It reminds me that no earthly thing or experience will ever satisfy our souls completely. This is why we long for heaven.
Dickinson weaves his faith in God into the story of his nearly fatal summit of Mt. Everest… it’s almost too gripping to put down.
Two points really struck me…
The first was his focus on the journey and how it changed him. Life is about learning from the experiences, as opposed to just focusing on the goals or accomplishments.
Second, he talked about the letdown he felt as he traveled home. Despite the excitement and accomplishment of standing on top of the world, and surviving the descent, there was disappointment. It reminds me that no earthly thing or experience will ever satisfy our souls completely. This is why we long for heaven.
April 3, 2018
A moving account of surviving a solo ascent of Mt Everest. Great faith and relying on Christ during his ordeal.
January 16, 2025
The story itself was great, but the storyline kept switching from past to present and getting off the main topic. I enjoyed it, but at times I would find myself just focusing on the main story.
January 9, 2018
Last thing we may need is another Everest Summit attempt story..but Dickinson's story is compelling and very easy to read. He is a dedicated father, Christian, and former Navy Rescue man..who wants to climb all 7 of the highest summits of each Continent. His story is relatable as he lives near Seattle and often trains on Mt. Si (a mountain I have climbed) and Mt. Baker (a mountain I have skied on).
Dickinson finds himself about 1000 meters from the summit, alone, near the Hillary Step and South Col with photokeratosis (burned retina)- due to a cracked goggle lense and no UV protection. Nearly blind he fumbles his way back to camp 4 to survive (nearly losing a cramp-on on the way).
This book (though not as good as the classic Krakauer- Into Thin Air)- rehashes some of the classic climbing issues--why do climbers do what they do, why take the risks? Is it worth it? What about my family? Dickinson would argue that he is wired that way (or God made him that way)-- and he can't live life any differently. I can identify with the joy in summiting a peak (the beauty and effort it takes)- but I am comfortable doing this on 10-14 thousand foot peaks in NM, CO and the NW with much less risk and still considerable effort.
The lead up to Everest-- 1.5 months of soggy base camps, with bland food, lots of coughing and sick people is well documented in this book and seems completely unenjoyable. I sampled just a taste of this climbing Kilimanjaro several years back..with 4 days of advancing to different camps-- with cold/drafty cabins and clothes that would never dry...and lots of time away from family.
4 stars. Its a hard book to put down.
Dickinson finds himself about 1000 meters from the summit, alone, near the Hillary Step and South Col with photokeratosis (burned retina)- due to a cracked goggle lense and no UV protection. Nearly blind he fumbles his way back to camp 4 to survive (nearly losing a cramp-on on the way).
This book (though not as good as the classic Krakauer- Into Thin Air)- rehashes some of the classic climbing issues--why do climbers do what they do, why take the risks? Is it worth it? What about my family? Dickinson would argue that he is wired that way (or God made him that way)-- and he can't live life any differently. I can identify with the joy in summiting a peak (the beauty and effort it takes)- but I am comfortable doing this on 10-14 thousand foot peaks in NM, CO and the NW with much less risk and still considerable effort.
The lead up to Everest-- 1.5 months of soggy base camps, with bland food, lots of coughing and sick people is well documented in this book and seems completely unenjoyable. I sampled just a taste of this climbing Kilimanjaro several years back..with 4 days of advancing to different camps-- with cold/drafty cabins and clothes that would never dry...and lots of time away from family.
4 stars. Its a hard book to put down.
September 8, 2014
"Blind Descent" tells of Brian Dickinson's ascent of Mt. Everest and then his descent while dealing with impaired vision. This story, while interesting in many parts, lacks the details of the climb & does not bring the reader to the mountain. The sherpas and other persons attempting the climb are left very one dimensional.
I would have liked more attention to the preparations & struggles of many more situations during this adventure. I am thrilled that he has so much faith and love for his family, however the book ends up being more of a tribute to his faith and love for his family rather than his accomplishments and the climb itself.
By stating that his accomplishment was a miracle, Dickinson seems to be congratulating himself for the faith that saved him. In a world where people of great faith or no faith whatsoever do not get rescued to tell their "miraculous" stories to the world, I wonder how he can reconcile it. He himself in his book says he can't but always knows that God saved him.
The parts that shined for me were his examples of how his Navy training helped him at certain times. Those are the types of details that make the reader care and want to read more.
I'd probably give this book 2.5 stars.
I would have liked more attention to the preparations & struggles of many more situations during this adventure. I am thrilled that he has so much faith and love for his family, however the book ends up being more of a tribute to his faith and love for his family rather than his accomplishments and the climb itself.
By stating that his accomplishment was a miracle, Dickinson seems to be congratulating himself for the faith that saved him. In a world where people of great faith or no faith whatsoever do not get rescued to tell their "miraculous" stories to the world, I wonder how he can reconcile it. He himself in his book says he can't but always knows that God saved him.
The parts that shined for me were his examples of how his Navy training helped him at certain times. Those are the types of details that make the reader care and want to read more.
I'd probably give this book 2.5 stars.
August 30, 2017
Surviving alone and blind…on Mt. Everest!
On May 15, 2011 former Navy Rescue Swimmer Brian Dickinson was descending alone from the summit of Mount Everest when he became snow blind. On a perfect day Everest can be difficult to traverse. That is why most people climb with a group. But Dickinson’s Sherpa, Pasang, had become ill 1,000 feet from the summit and had to turn back.
Dickinson felt strong enough to continue, and actually managed to reach the summit safely. After the usual picture taking his eyes began to swell shut. Now he has to get himself down from the peak without being able to see anything. He will have to make his way by feel alone down through the death zone above 8000 meters.
This is a story of survival. Dickinson manages to take the reader to the top of Everest and down again under the most impossible of circumstances. I found the adventure very interesting! Dickinson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and holding it to the end!
I give the book five stars!
Quoth the Raven…
On May 15, 2011 former Navy Rescue Swimmer Brian Dickinson was descending alone from the summit of Mount Everest when he became snow blind. On a perfect day Everest can be difficult to traverse. That is why most people climb with a group. But Dickinson’s Sherpa, Pasang, had become ill 1,000 feet from the summit and had to turn back.
Dickinson felt strong enough to continue, and actually managed to reach the summit safely. After the usual picture taking his eyes began to swell shut. Now he has to get himself down from the peak without being able to see anything. He will have to make his way by feel alone down through the death zone above 8000 meters.
This is a story of survival. Dickinson manages to take the reader to the top of Everest and down again under the most impossible of circumstances. I found the adventure very interesting! Dickinson does an excellent job of grabbing the reader’s attention and holding it to the end!
I give the book five stars!
Quoth the Raven…
December 20, 2024
A worthless reading! I didn’t like it at all. What a selfish pursuit leaving behind a loving family with two young children! Worst was to present his own desire as something that was “the best and wise decision for their family “ Did he try to reason it out with his wife? I don’t think she would have agreed easily but she had no choice. The whole thing was sugar-coated in Christianity as if to legitimize and normalize his selfish decision. Also mentioning family frequently in his story didn’t disguise the fact that if he really loved them he would not have left them wondering worried and distressed.
I didn’t like the writing style either which was uninteresting and plain.
Did not like the fact that he unashamedly explained how he desecrated the Sagarmatha, which is revered spiritually and considered godly by Nepalese, with his excrement and “raised it by few inches”
Really finished only because I started. Luckily I borrowed it from library and didn’t make him richer by buying it. Please have a grip on reality. You say you love your family but do exactly opposite to what you do!
I didn’t like the writing style either which was uninteresting and plain.
Did not like the fact that he unashamedly explained how he desecrated the Sagarmatha, which is revered spiritually and considered godly by Nepalese, with his excrement and “raised it by few inches”
Really finished only because I started. Luckily I borrowed it from library and didn’t make him richer by buying it. Please have a grip on reality. You say you love your family but do exactly opposite to what you do!
June 4, 2022
Blah blah blah dude. Not every ego maniac that climbs Everest needs to write a book. Most of them up there are doing it to promote their own agenda not for the purity of the mountain. Blathering on and on about it’s Gods plan. Is that the authors agenda? I feel like I can have an opinion about it. I was up there amongst the ego and narcissism. Everest doesn’t feel sacred. It feels like a tourist destination for the rich and all mighty.. not the Authors almighty, but the all might Jack wads that spew their own superiority.
The author doesn’t even get into the “blind descent” until the last chapters. Whatever. It was your own stupid decision to go on alone. You don’t impress me.
I’m going to write a book about the trek in that tells the true story of the jerks out there.
Pass on this book.
Read Ed Viesturs instead, he’s the real deal.
PS: thanks for your service. Maybe write a book about that instead.
The author doesn’t even get into the “blind descent” until the last chapters. Whatever. It was your own stupid decision to go on alone. You don’t impress me.
I’m going to write a book about the trek in that tells the true story of the jerks out there.
Pass on this book.
Read Ed Viesturs instead, he’s the real deal.
PS: thanks for your service. Maybe write a book about that instead.
October 12, 2014
By the title and description of the book I was looking forward to a detailed account of an Everest summit and blind descent. It was naturally written and had a relatively quick pace. One detail that I found distracting (almost to the point of annoying) was the author's peppering his faith in God and religious belief throughout the book. It became more about his faith than the recounting of an incredible adventure. I have done my share of (non-technical) climbs; Mt. Whitney, Mt. Fuji and some lesser, so I could relate to and appreciate a good deal of the details. Seeing that it was published by a christian company, I understood (later) why his belief in God was so important to include. I believe that it would have been much more interesting if the focus was pointed on his blind descent, which I felt was brushed over, rather than his religious beliefs.
April 21, 2020
Mr. Dickinson’s tale is a harrowing one indeed, and I do admire him for summiting Mount Everest and surviving the ordeal described, but I consider the book a total failure.
You need something pretty darn special to stand out in the grossly bloated arena of Everest literature. It seems that every Tom, Dick, and Harry who’s ever seen the mountain on a postcard takes it upon themselves to pen some tearful memoir. And then above the amateurism tower classics like John Krakauer’s Into Thin Air or Anatoli Boukreev’ The Climb.
And then below, way way below, is Mr. Dickinson’s oeuvre (and many like it,) a poorly written book at best, with a shallow, faith-driven perspective that uses god to bat away any avenue of reflection that might yield an interesting piece of insight. Not worth your time.
Next.
You need something pretty darn special to stand out in the grossly bloated arena of Everest literature. It seems that every Tom, Dick, and Harry who’s ever seen the mountain on a postcard takes it upon themselves to pen some tearful memoir. And then above the amateurism tower classics like John Krakauer’s Into Thin Air or Anatoli Boukreev’ The Climb.
And then below, way way below, is Mr. Dickinson’s oeuvre (and many like it,) a poorly written book at best, with a shallow, faith-driven perspective that uses god to bat away any avenue of reflection that might yield an interesting piece of insight. Not worth your time.
Next.
November 20, 2022
Easy read, good enough story to follow. The guy went through a crazy ordeal.
The thing I didn't like was all the talk about god. He thinks his survival was all god's doing, but if he'd died I bet his wife would have said that was god's choice too. His survival is combination of things like his fitness, training, skill, mindset, decision making and risk assessment. He can believe what he wishes but I don't like reading so much about God through the story. It really put me off.
The thing I didn't like was all the talk about god. He thinks his survival was all god's doing, but if he'd died I bet his wife would have said that was god's choice too. His survival is combination of things like his fitness, training, skill, mindset, decision making and risk assessment. He can believe what he wishes but I don't like reading so much about God through the story. It really put me off.
unfinished
October 29, 2014Not often I don't finish a book and I don't recall not finishing a climbing book in the past. However for me this is simply not a real climbing book. A guy decides to do the 7 highest peaks. He has a strong religious background. When I got to the diet - pizza and rices because he doesn't trust foreign food - I decided enough was enough.
January 9, 2017
This was disappointing. Like other reviwers say; too much bragging about Navy training and God, not enough of the story. Oh no, he went snow blind and took a couple of extra hours to descend to the South Col. SHOCKER!!!! Also it irrationally annoyed me that his wife is called JoAnna and he wrote that on every single page and that big A infuriates me.
October 21, 2017
Very interesting book! Once I started reading , I could hardly put it down! How amazing what God can do! I would highly recommend this book!
Great book! Highly recommended! Amazing how God protected Brian and kept him safe in spite of snow blindness, what a Mighty God we serve!
Great book! Highly recommended! Amazing how God protected Brian and kept him safe in spite of snow blindness, what a Mighty God we serve!
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