Thin Air: Encounters in the Himalayas

by Greg Child

* This classic established Child as one of the great mountaineering writers of our time
* Describes Child's apprenticeship to such climbing legends as Doug Scott, Don Whillans, and Alan Rouse
* Written with a keen eye for detail, a firm sense of drama and, of course, wit

Climbing a Himalayan peak was the stuff of Greg Child's wildest dreams. Then in the late 1970s came a surprise berth on an expedition that was to define his career as a high-altitude mountaineer and transform him personally. A chronicle of his apprenticeship, Thin Air established Child as one of the great mountaineering writers of our time.

Thin Air is about the intensity of climbing on the edge day after day. It is about friendships and tragedies and the memories that linger for decades. Filled with humor, irony, and pathos, Thin Air touches us with the beauty of the Baltoro Glacier's landscape and encounters with the local people. It also paints portraits of legendary mountaineers Doug Scott, Don Whillans, Alan Rouse, and others.

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

220 pages, Paperback

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!