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Out of the Silence: After the Crash
A personal story of survival, hope, and spiritual awakening in the face of unspeakable tragedy.
It’s the unfathomable modern legend that has become a testament to the resilience of the human spirit: the 1972 Andes plane crash and the Uruguayan rugby teammates who suffered seventy-two days among the dead and dying. It was a harrowing test of endurance on a snowbound cordillera that ended in a miraculous rescue. Now comes the unflinching and emotional true story by one of the men who found his way home.
Four decades after the tragedy, a climber discovered survivor Eduardo Strauch’s wallet near the memorialized crash site and returned it to him. It was a gesture that compelled Strauch to finally “break the silence of the mountains.”
In this revelatory and rewarding memoir, Strauch withholds nothing as he reveals the truth behind the life-changing events that challenged him physically and tested him spiritually, but would never destroy him. In revisiting the horror story we thought we knew, Strauch shares the lessons gleaned from far outside the realm of rational learning: how surviving on the mountain, in the face of its fierce, unforgiving power and desolate beauty, forever altered his perception of love, friendship, death, fear, loss, and hope.
It’s the unfathomable modern legend that has become a testament to the resilience of the human spirit: the 1972 Andes plane crash and the Uruguayan rugby teammates who suffered seventy-two days among the dead and dying. It was a harrowing test of endurance on a snowbound cordillera that ended in a miraculous rescue. Now comes the unflinching and emotional true story by one of the men who found his way home.
Four decades after the tragedy, a climber discovered survivor Eduardo Strauch’s wallet near the memorialized crash site and returned it to him. It was a gesture that compelled Strauch to finally “break the silence of the mountains.”
In this revelatory and rewarding memoir, Strauch withholds nothing as he reveals the truth behind the life-changing events that challenged him physically and tested him spiritually, but would never destroy him. In revisiting the horror story we thought we knew, Strauch shares the lessons gleaned from far outside the realm of rational learning: how surviving on the mountain, in the face of its fierce, unforgiving power and desolate beauty, forever altered his perception of love, friendship, death, fear, loss, and hope.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2012
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About the author
Eduardo Strauch Urioste
1 book29 followersEduardo Strauch is an Uruguayan architect and painter.
On October 13, 1972, at the age of 25, he survived a plane crash in the Andes, along with his cousins Daniel Fernández and Adolfo Strauch. On December 22, 1972, after 72 days in the mountains, the three were part of the group of 16 survivors rescued from the mountain.
On October 13, 1972, at the age of 25, he survived a plane crash in the Andes, along with his cousins Daniel Fernández and Adolfo Strauch. On December 22, 1972, after 72 days in the mountains, the three were part of the group of 16 survivors rescued from the mountain.
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October 25, 2019
This is the 5th book I've read about the Andes crash and all I want is more. In some ways this memoir was the most intriguing yet. Strauch takes a very philosophical tack in talking about the events that took the lives of so many of his friends but somehow spared him. He added some fascinating details, including a number of coincidences that have clearly stuck with him all these years, and I learned more about some of the survivors and their relationships to each other. He seems to have been a blood relation to many more people on the plane than I learned from reading Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, which would make the pain of loss and the joy of surviving far more complicated for him than for some of the others. But the stories he told about the others were equally powerful. The story he told about Liliana Methol's death, for instance, was heartbreaking. Don't miss this one. An overwhelming read about a story that never gets old. The rest of the survivors should please get going on their own memoirs. Every one of those voices has something very important to tell us.
June 29, 2019
Any survivor of that dreadful and unforgettable crash in the Andes deserves our sympathy, respect and admiration. However, I found this memoir too fractured to fully engage me. It jumps about in time and I was on occasion unsure what the time scale actually was, thus making it feel that their ordeal didn’t actually last as long as it did. Having read Alive, Piers Paul Read’s gripping and detailed account, this new memoir in comparison just didn’t manage to convey the full horror, nor the actual chronology of events. Worth reading as a personal account, but perhaps after reading Alive to get the full story.
June 7, 2020
Eduardo Strauch was one of the team of Uruguayan rugby players flying to Chile in 1972 when the Douglas Fairchild aircraft they were travelling in crashed in the Andes; a snowy cordillera they later found was called the Valley of Tears. There were dead and injured, as well as those who weren’t injured at all. Their home in the fuselage of the aircraft which they barricaded with luggage and anything they could find to protect themselves from the freezing cold, was theirs for seventy two days before rescue arrived for the survivors.
The story of their endurance, courage and tenacity is told by one of those survivors and Eduardo talks about the loss of his friends and his certainty that he would be going back home. The power of the mountain, the desolate beauty of their surroundings and the tremendous danger they faced day and night makes for incredible reading.
Out of the Silence: After the Crash by Eduardo Strauch Urioste is a memoir of incredible bravery, friendship, fear, hope and love. Made into a movie “Alive”, the replication of events was portrayed accurately according to Eduardo. He and his wife Laura and their six children live in Montevideo and his (and sometimes their) pilgrimage to the mountain where the graves, plaques and cross stand testament of the miraculous events of 1972 brings Eduardo closer to his dearest friends. Highly recommended.
The story of their endurance, courage and tenacity is told by one of those survivors and Eduardo talks about the loss of his friends and his certainty that he would be going back home. The power of the mountain, the desolate beauty of their surroundings and the tremendous danger they faced day and night makes for incredible reading.
Out of the Silence: After the Crash by Eduardo Strauch Urioste is a memoir of incredible bravery, friendship, fear, hope and love. Made into a movie “Alive”, the replication of events was portrayed accurately according to Eduardo. He and his wife Laura and their six children live in Montevideo and his (and sometimes their) pilgrimage to the mountain where the graves, plaques and cross stand testament of the miraculous events of 1972 brings Eduardo closer to his dearest friends. Highly recommended.
December 12, 2020
Out of the Silence is not the only book written about the 1972 plane crash in the Andes Mountains where the surviving rugby players and friends lived for over 2 months waiting for rescue. It is the only book I have read on the subject, but I can't help but remember the publicity surrounding it and have watched the movie Alive. In case you don't know, this was a situation where there wasn't enough food to go around for all 17 survivors, and the difficult decision to eat the flesh of the dead was made after much careful consideration.
This is written by one of the survivors, Eduardo Strauch, who explained that he finally agreed to the plan as there was no other choice. He said his love for his family played a large part in it, that he loved them so much he would do anything to try to get back to them some day, to fulfill the destiny that was his.
It was love for each other that made two of the survivors set off on a discovery mission after they knew that no one would help them but themselves. The group grew to respect and love each other, and became a family on their own. The word love dominates the pages.
What did I learn about love in the silence of the mountain? That it is the most important thing in life. And that if it is not present in some form, no action, however right it may seem, makes any sense at all.
In the end, the love of the mountain has stayed with the survivors all these years hence. Many still visit the crash site regularly, despite its remote location, along with the spouses, children and grandchildren acquired over the years. It is to this day a burial site for those who didn't make it and a place to connect to the shared experience that shaped their souls.
This a good translation, and I liked it very much.
This is written by one of the survivors, Eduardo Strauch, who explained that he finally agreed to the plan as there was no other choice. He said his love for his family played a large part in it, that he loved them so much he would do anything to try to get back to them some day, to fulfill the destiny that was his.
It was love for each other that made two of the survivors set off on a discovery mission after they knew that no one would help them but themselves. The group grew to respect and love each other, and became a family on their own. The word love dominates the pages.
What did I learn about love in the silence of the mountain? That it is the most important thing in life. And that if it is not present in some form, no action, however right it may seem, makes any sense at all.
In the end, the love of the mountain has stayed with the survivors all these years hence. Many still visit the crash site regularly, despite its remote location, along with the spouses, children and grandchildren acquired over the years. It is to this day a burial site for those who didn't make it and a place to connect to the shared experience that shaped their souls.
This a good translation, and I liked it very much.
November 3, 2021
At first I was a little, I don’t know, disconcerted (?) by the speed at which Strauch moved through the events of the crash in the Andes, especially since he got to their rescue just over the midway point. After that there was a little discussion of what the boys and young men went through after their rescue, but again it was pretty much glossed over. I soon realized that that while those events are important to the narrative, the book is not so much about the crash, their survival and rescue, but rather about the author’s spiritual and emotional growth while he was trying to survive on the mountain and afterwards. He ruminates a lot on what allowed them to survive (beyond the cannibalism) and the metaphysical events that led to their rescue. He also discusses the survivors’ relationships to one another during and after the tragedy and also their relationships to the mountain and nature in general. All in all, I enjoyed it. I wish I had known better what to expect, though, so hopefully this review will help anyone considering picking it up.
June 18, 2022
Skaudi, žiauri knyga. Tiksliau istorija. Nemeluosiu, apie šią tragediją girdėti iki paimant į rankas knygą, neteko visiškai, visada galvojau, kad tokios istorijos tik rašytojų ar filmų kūrėjų išmislas. Ir skaityti, bei suvokti, kad viskas vyko iš tikrųjų... žiauru. Bet visa istorija man dar kartą įrodė, kad kas lemta, tas ir bus. Aišku, tiems, kurie išgyveno, gal padėjo didžiosios dalies įsitikinimas, kad tikrai pavyks pamatyti artimuosius dar kartą. Ir Eduardo puikai įvardina, kaip tokiose situacijose yra svarbu draugystė ir bendruomeniškumas.
Po šios knygos "mirsiu, kaip šalta" - man įgavo naują prasmę, nes, kaip man amžinai sušąlėlei, neįsivaizduojama, kaip galima tiek laiko išbūti tokiame šaltyje.
Maniau, kad už "Vienintelis lėktuvas danguje" vargiai rasiu tragiškesnę knygą, bet šioji, "Iš spengiančios tylos" tikriausiai eina lygiagrečiai su ja.
Po šios knygos "mirsiu, kaip šalta" - man įgavo naują prasmę, nes, kaip man amžinai sušąlėlei, neįsivaizduojama, kaip galima tiek laiko išbūti tokiame šaltyje.
Maniau, kad už "Vienintelis lėktuvas danguje" vargiai rasiu tragiškesnę knygą, bet šioji, "Iš spengiančios tylos" tikriausiai eina lygiagrečiai su ja.
March 18, 2021
If you missed this event when it happened or you're too young to have known, this is a story of survival. In October 1972, a plane chartered by a Uruguyan rugby team crashed in the Andes. Miraculously, many were neither killed instantly nor severely injured. The young men had little with them to face such cold and severe conditions, including almost no food. They did have a radio and learned, after 10 days, that the search had been abandoned. But this is told by one of the survivors of a 72-day long ordeal.
I hardly know where to begin telling of my response to this book. Strauch tells of what happened on the mountain, but mostly he tells us how being on the mountain changed him. I highlighted in several places. I was no longer the same person who had boarded the plane to travel to Chile.
I was surprised to have had an emotional response in a couple of places. The first was when he told us that two of the people on board were first year medical students. Neither of these young men were injured and they immediately went about assessing the extent of injuries. But they had only their bare hands - they no tools, no x-ray equipment, no antibiotics. It was if they had to practice medicine from hundreds of years ago.
There was snow, so they had water. But they had no food and nothing lived at this altitude. They talked among themselves for several days, recognizing they would all die unless they could bring themselves to do the unthinkable - to nourish themselves with the dead. The decision didn't come easily and they held off until all of those alive agreed. They had only the broken fuselage of the plane for shelter from the sub-zero temperatures. After two months, two of the men set out to scale the mountains to tell someone - anyone - that they still lived.
Of course I knew there was a rescue. But Strauch telling of the rescue itself brought tears to my eyes - in fact does now when I think about it. On day 72, they learned the men had made it and they would be rescued. And then the helicopters could be heard. And then they were seen.
I hardly know where to begin telling of my response to this book. Strauch tells of what happened on the mountain, but mostly he tells us how being on the mountain changed him. I highlighted in several places. I was no longer the same person who had boarded the plane to travel to Chile.
I was surprised to have had an emotional response in a couple of places. The first was when he told us that two of the people on board were first year medical students. Neither of these young men were injured and they immediately went about assessing the extent of injuries. But they had only their bare hands - they no tools, no x-ray equipment, no antibiotics. It was if they had to practice medicine from hundreds of years ago.
There was snow, so they had water. But they had no food and nothing lived at this altitude. They talked among themselves for several days, recognizing they would all die unless they could bring themselves to do the unthinkable - to nourish themselves with the dead. The decision didn't come easily and they held off until all of those alive agreed. They had only the broken fuselage of the plane for shelter from the sub-zero temperatures. After two months, two of the men set out to scale the mountains to tell someone - anyone - that they still lived.
Of course I knew there was a rescue. But Strauch telling of the rescue itself brought tears to my eyes - in fact does now when I think about it. On day 72, they learned the men had made it and they would be rescued. And then the helicopters could be heard. And then they were seen.
We had achieved the impossible and life was our reward. But it wasn’t the life we had had before; it had become something new. Often, in moments of difficulty, the vision of those helicopters is something I conjure as a way of regaining hope. The image represents salvation—a result of effort, sacrifice, and silence. That moment has become for me the visual representation of everything I learned on the mountain.We have a helicopter company here that often leads and/or participates in search and rescue. I worked for them for a short time. I think I will never again hear the slap of the rotors without knowing the miracle of this rescue. Can you tell this book changed me in some ways also?
April 29, 2020
This story was a very interesting account of the plane crash in the Andes with the Rugby team. It was pretty horrific at times the things they went through. It was interesting reading though. I hope I never end up in a situation like that!!
September 15, 2019
Amazing
A really fascinating book and just overall amazing thing to survive. This book is very interesting and im looking forward to seeing the movie and reading more on this.
A really fascinating book and just overall amazing thing to survive. This book is very interesting and im looking forward to seeing the movie and reading more on this.
July 14, 2022
❝ Buvau tik trumpalaikė, nereikšminga esybė, stovinti priešais milijonus metų stūksantį kalną- toks mažas prieš jo didybę. Buvau nusilpęs nuo troškulio, bado ir nuovargio, kankinamas nežinomybės ir baimės, tačiau netgi tokiomis aplinkybėmis jaučiau keistą harmoniją su aplinka, tarsi ši milžiniska akmens masė būtų mano tęsinys, tarsi paties kalno sąmonė galėtų pasireikšti per manąją.
❝ Gamta gali būti žiauri ir nepalanki, tačiau visada išlieka racionali. <…> Išties gamta nėra nei gera, nei bloga, ji tiesiog yra. Todėl galbūt vienintelė nenuneigiama gamtos savybė yra jos didybė.
October 13, 2022
Justo hoy hace 50 años de ese terrible accidente. Y aunque este libro lo leí en agosto, he esperado a hoy para publicar esto.
"Eduardo Strauch es uno de los dieciséis supervivientes del accidente aéreo ocurrido en el año 1972, cuando un avión con cuarenta y cinco personas cayó en plena cordillera de los Andes."
Eduardo narra el día a día y su supervivencia en los Andes, sin comida, en medio de un glaciar; soportando hambre, frío, soledad, desconectados de la realidad... Creando la suya propia. Nos relata el ir y venir de las esperanzas, cuando de repente se dan cuenta de que han abandonado la búsqueda y tal vez les dan por muertos.
Y todo ello lo explica de una forma muy estructurada, en un libro dividido en 16 capítulos donde cada cual trata sobre un tema distinto, el amor, la amistad, el tiempo, la montaña, etc. Temas sencillos para nosotros, contados desde la supervivencia de 72 días.
Habla de compañerismo, de muerte, de tener que alimentarse de los cadáveres de sus compañeros para poder sobrevivir. Y habla de todo ello sin tapujos. Nos lo narra desde dentro y, en ocasiones, estremece, hace cuestionarse muchísimas cosas.
En algun momento ha conseguido emocionarme, creo quien más y quien menos ha oído hablar de esta historia, y debería leer este libro.
"Eduardo Strauch es uno de los dieciséis supervivientes del accidente aéreo ocurrido en el año 1972, cuando un avión con cuarenta y cinco personas cayó en plena cordillera de los Andes."
Eduardo narra el día a día y su supervivencia en los Andes, sin comida, en medio de un glaciar; soportando hambre, frío, soledad, desconectados de la realidad... Creando la suya propia. Nos relata el ir y venir de las esperanzas, cuando de repente se dan cuenta de que han abandonado la búsqueda y tal vez les dan por muertos.
Y todo ello lo explica de una forma muy estructurada, en un libro dividido en 16 capítulos donde cada cual trata sobre un tema distinto, el amor, la amistad, el tiempo, la montaña, etc. Temas sencillos para nosotros, contados desde la supervivencia de 72 días.
Habla de compañerismo, de muerte, de tener que alimentarse de los cadáveres de sus compañeros para poder sobrevivir. Y habla de todo ello sin tapujos. Nos lo narra desde dentro y, en ocasiones, estremece, hace cuestionarse muchísimas cosas.
En algun momento ha conseguido emocionarme, creo quien más y quien menos ha oído hablar de esta historia, y debería leer este libro.
December 15, 2020
If you were alive in 1972 you knew about the plane crash in the Andes where the survivors were not rescued for more than 70 days and had to eat the flesh of the non-survivors to stay alive. It was a big controversy back then and people basically acted like they were canibals. Who is to say what we would do if it was a matter of survival. This is the story of what happened by one of the survivors but the story of the crash and surviving the crash is only half of the story. The other half is about what happened after the rescue. I was surprised that the part about eating the human meat was barely mentioned. I would have thought that would have a lasting effect. This is a short read, which I was glad. I got a little bored with it after the rescue.
September 15, 2019
This is a moving memoir of one of the survivors of the rugby team air crash in 1972. He discusses the event, of course, the 2 months they survived in the mountains, their unlikely rescue, and the aftermath of the tragedy. Beautifully written! I do like spiritual writing!
February 23, 2023
Spengiantis šalčiu prisiminimas apie istoriją, kuri stingdo kraują. Pasirinkimų ir sutapimų veiksmai lydimi baimės ir mirties alsavimo į nugarą.
Kai mirtis laukia kiekviena minutę naujo palydovo, viltis išgyventi atrodo neįmanoma. Tačiau išgyvenusiųjų pasakojimai įrodo, kad viltis yra variklis gyventi, nesvarbu kokia aplinka šalia.
Tragiškas pasakojimas vertas dėmesio. Skaitant, ne kartą pagalvojau, kad į šios istorijos batus tikrai nenorėčiau įšokti. Bet ją išgirstį buvo smalsu.
Kai mirtis laukia kiekviena minutę naujo palydovo, viltis išgyventi atrodo neįmanoma. Tačiau išgyvenusiųjų pasakojimai įrodo, kad viltis yra variklis gyventi, nesvarbu kokia aplinka šalia.
Tragiškas pasakojimas vertas dėmesio. Skaitant, ne kartą pagalvojau, kad į šios istorijos batus tikrai nenorėčiau įšokti. Bet ją išgirstį buvo smalsu.
December 17, 2024
This is the fourth account I’ve read of the Andes crash. I’ve read Alive, Nando Parrado, and Roberto Canessa’s book. This is Eduardo Strauch’s book. It is more spiritual, philosophical, and esoteric than the other accounts. It’s always interesting having a different perspective.
June 24, 2020
In 1972, a flight carrying a rugby team crashed into the mountains in the Andes. Sixteen people survived 72 days atop the mountain before they were rescued. After 40 years, Eduardo Strauch Urioste recounts his experience of those days, the aftermath, and the ongoing effect it has had on his life.
I read Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors in the late 70's, and bits and pieces of that book have stayed in my memory. That book was written by a novelist & non-fiction writer after interviewing the survivors and their families. This book was written by one of the survivors. A mountain climber found his wallet, papers, and sunglasses while on a trek in the area. When the items were returned to Eduardo, he took that as a sign to write his story.
The first half of the book focused on the crash and the 72 days of surviving against impossible odds. The second half was more philosophical about the life lessons he took away from that experience and how they shaped his life from then on.
I read Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors in the late 70's, and bits and pieces of that book have stayed in my memory. That book was written by a novelist & non-fiction writer after interviewing the survivors and their families. This book was written by one of the survivors. A mountain climber found his wallet, papers, and sunglasses while on a trek in the area. When the items were returned to Eduardo, he took that as a sign to write his story.
The first half of the book focused on the crash and the 72 days of surviving against impossible odds. The second half was more philosophical about the life lessons he took away from that experience and how they shaped his life from then on.
July 13, 2020
The only background for this story was that when I was younger, I had seen the movie Alive, which is based off the Andes plane crash Eduardo Strauch survived. I was surprised at how intimate this memoir felt since it was translated into English from Strauch's native language. Each chapter is aptly named and it feels like a story comprised of essays about Eduardo's experiences and the spirituality he developed in his life. I really enjoyed it, but as others have said you may need some context on the actual event to understand the story as this book appeals more to how the event shaped Eduardo as a person.
November 23, 2020
I have long been fascinated with the tragedy/miracle in the Andes that has inspired many books and films. This memoir by a crash survivor that kept mostly silent for almost 50 years since it happened is not a chronological retelling but rather the philosophical reflections of someone who has spent their whole life with a piece of themselves on that mountain. Fascinating and heartbreaking and life affirming.
August 13, 2023
This is a dramatic well-written memoir by the survivor of a terrible 1972 airplane crash in the Andes Mountains. 45 people were aboard a chartered flight for Uruguayan rugby players heading toward Chile.
The airplane crashed high on a mountainside just short of the Chile border. Many were killed on impact or died from injuries soon after but about half the passengers survived. Unfortunately a search for the plane was abandoned after 8 days. The survivors heard this on a radio and knew nobody was coming. They were surrounded by snow and without enough food.
Though this was a terrible and traumatic situation these people survived, living in the broken fuselage. They were there 72 days - from October 13 until their rescue on December 22 & 23.
The memoir was very well-written from start to finish. The first half of the book was about what happened to them and the second half was about what happened since the rescue. There was a lot of philosophy in the second half. I enjoyed it very much - reading the thoughts of a man who endured something so terrible nobody would ever want to go through it.
After reading the book I looked for the site of the crash on Google Maps. It was hard for me to find so I'm giving you the link: https://goo.gl/maps/RCUT8e8RgsHhZFYd8 ... there's a memorial grave for the victims of the crash who were buried there. Many people hike up there to visit the site of the tragedy.
There have been other memoirs and books written about this event but I haven't read them. Right now I'm about to go watch the movie that was released in 1993. It is on Amazon Prime Video... it is called "Alive." https://www.amazon.com/Alive-Ethan-Ha...
Here's a Wikipedia page about the crash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay...
If you're a clean reads person who follows my reviews - I will warn there's one F-word in chapter one. It is the only swearing in the book - and quite understandable when you consider they were experiencing a plane crash. The rest of the book contains beautiful language and I do recommend this heart-felt deep-thought memoir.
The airplane crashed high on a mountainside just short of the Chile border. Many were killed on impact or died from injuries soon after but about half the passengers survived. Unfortunately a search for the plane was abandoned after 8 days. The survivors heard this on a radio and knew nobody was coming. They were surrounded by snow and without enough food.
Though this was a terrible and traumatic situation these people survived, living in the broken fuselage. They were there 72 days - from October 13 until their rescue on December 22 & 23.
The memoir was very well-written from start to finish. The first half of the book was about what happened to them and the second half was about what happened since the rescue. There was a lot of philosophy in the second half. I enjoyed it very much - reading the thoughts of a man who endured something so terrible nobody would ever want to go through it.
After reading the book I looked for the site of the crash on Google Maps. It was hard for me to find so I'm giving you the link: https://goo.gl/maps/RCUT8e8RgsHhZFYd8 ... there's a memorial grave for the victims of the crash who were buried there. Many people hike up there to visit the site of the tragedy.
There have been other memoirs and books written about this event but I haven't read them. Right now I'm about to go watch the movie that was released in 1993. It is on Amazon Prime Video... it is called "Alive." https://www.amazon.com/Alive-Ethan-Ha...
Here's a Wikipedia page about the crash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguay...
If you're a clean reads person who follows my reviews - I will warn there's one F-word in chapter one. It is the only swearing in the book - and quite understandable when you consider they were experiencing a plane crash. The rest of the book contains beautiful language and I do recommend this heart-felt deep-thought memoir.
July 27, 2021
This is a moving memoir by one of the rugby team survivors of the fateful airplane crash in the Andes in 1972. Forty years later, Eduardo Strauch Urioste recounts his harrowing experience of those days, the years that followed, and the lasting effect it has had on his life.
Eduardo Strauch and his fellow Uruguayan rugby team were flying to Chile in 1972. They were traveling in a Douglas Fairchild aircraft when it crashed in the Andes mountains. They later discovered that this snowy cordillera was ironically called the “Valley of Tears”. Among the living were the dead and injured sadly including some fatally injured. The survivors barricaded themselves in the fuselage with anything they could find as protection from the freezing cold not knowing that this would be their home for the next seventy-two days before their rescue.
Out of the Silence: After the Crash is a beautifully written memoir of heroic bravery, friendship, fear, hope and love. It is not a chronological retelling but rather the philosophical reflections of someone who has spent his whole life with a piece of himself still on that mountain.
The first half of the book focused on the crash and the 72 days of surviving against impossible odds. Eduardo experienced the devastating loss of his friends and yet he remained certain that he would return home. It’s a testament to their endurance, courage and tenacity to survive against the most gruesome of conditions.
The second half of this fascinating and heart rendering book was a more personal and philosophical perspective that the author could only recount after many years of processing and reflection. In this part, he shares his intimate thoughts, and feelings along with the life changing lessons he took away from that experience.
The power of the mountain, the desolate beauty of their surroundings, and the tremendous danger they faced day and night makes for incredible reading.
Even after reading, it is next to impossible to even come close to grasping the depth of despair, tragedy and ultimate hope he had experienced.
Eduardo, his wife, Laura, and six children live in Montevideo and many times, over the years, he has pilgrimage alone or with others of his family or friends to this mountain. Eduardo feels a peaceful closeness to his dearest friends where their graves, plaques and cross stand as reminders of the miraculous events of 1972.
Eduardo Strauch and his fellow Uruguayan rugby team were flying to Chile in 1972. They were traveling in a Douglas Fairchild aircraft when it crashed in the Andes mountains. They later discovered that this snowy cordillera was ironically called the “Valley of Tears”. Among the living were the dead and injured sadly including some fatally injured. The survivors barricaded themselves in the fuselage with anything they could find as protection from the freezing cold not knowing that this would be their home for the next seventy-two days before their rescue.
Out of the Silence: After the Crash is a beautifully written memoir of heroic bravery, friendship, fear, hope and love. It is not a chronological retelling but rather the philosophical reflections of someone who has spent his whole life with a piece of himself still on that mountain.
The first half of the book focused on the crash and the 72 days of surviving against impossible odds. Eduardo experienced the devastating loss of his friends and yet he remained certain that he would return home. It’s a testament to their endurance, courage and tenacity to survive against the most gruesome of conditions.
The second half of this fascinating and heart rendering book was a more personal and philosophical perspective that the author could only recount after many years of processing and reflection. In this part, he shares his intimate thoughts, and feelings along with the life changing lessons he took away from that experience.
The power of the mountain, the desolate beauty of their surroundings, and the tremendous danger they faced day and night makes for incredible reading.
Even after reading, it is next to impossible to even come close to grasping the depth of despair, tragedy and ultimate hope he had experienced.
Eduardo, his wife, Laura, and six children live in Montevideo and many times, over the years, he has pilgrimage alone or with others of his family or friends to this mountain. Eduardo feels a peaceful closeness to his dearest friends where their graves, plaques and cross stand as reminders of the miraculous events of 1972.
October 17, 2022
Istorija tikrai one of a kind, geri pamąstymai apie viltį, žmogiškumą ir išlikimo kainą tragedijos akivaizdoje, bet memuarams pritrūko struktūros ir nuoseklumo - jei nebūčiau šiuo įvykiu domėjusis prieš skaitant knygą, būtų buvę sunkoka susigaudyt kas kada ir kaip buvo.
April 22, 2024
It's very difficult to rate an autobiography, but it was very interesting reading the perspective of one of the survivors.
February 19, 2021
very interesting in that it wasn't focused on chronology or stating the facts of the event, but rather reflected on themes like love, mystery, transcendence, family, etc. with each chapter. I don't think I've ever read a recounting of a disaster that carried so much personal and philosophical reflection. It was obviously a perspective that could only be shared after years and years of processing and hindsight.. the author allowed us to enter a space so intimate and deep, yet as a reader I fully understand that I have not and probably will never come close to grasping the magnitude of the despair, tragedy, and hope he's lived through.
April 13, 2022
The crash that this concerns is the famous crash of the plane carrying the Uruguayan rugby team in a remote area of the Andes in 1972. Most of the passengers and crew survived the initial crash, but later succumbed to their injuries and the harsh conditions on the mountain. The plane was nearly impossible to see against the snow and despite flying over the crash site, the search & rescue was unsuccessful and called off after 10 days. The survivors faced many hardships - avalanches, exposure to the elements, starvation. Eventually they sent out two men to try to locate help and with almost no provisions, they hiked for 10 days until they met another person. Of the 35 initial survivors, 16 would last the 72 days and be rescued.
As astounding as this story is, it is almost minimized by the author, one of the survivors of the crash. Eduardo Urioste was inspired to write this when his coat and wallet were found by a hiker in 2005. He felt that it was time to examine the crash and its aftermath. He does not dwell on the more gruesome aspects of survival but does mention how some of the decisions were made. I'm sure that other books have given a more detailed and chronological account of the crash and survival. This is more concerned with some of the spiritual and philosophical aspects. It was a deeply moving and inspiring account.
Quotes to remember:
God was there, in my own self, in that limitless mind that contained everything...I carried with me that profound peace and the joy of grand revelations.
...it united me with the universe and with other living beings in a profound way.
That capacity of the mind to embrace infinity, that path toward an authentic spirituality, is one of the most beautiful sessions that my life on the mountain left me with.
...risk is an integral part of life itself.
...love was beginning to appear as the most real and valuable possession that we could claim...Love like a flame inside us that made us truly human. In the end, I believe it was love that saved us in a very real sense.
We had to become alchemists, transforming the tragedy into a miracle, turning depression into hope.
...the beauty and transcendence of the very inhospitable environment that threatened us also allowed us to connect with a spiritual dimension that we never knew existed. Mayne that is the miracle.
The landscape becomes complete with what arises in the human soul that contemplates it. We are no longer insignificant beings facing the void as long as our emotions make us participants in that immensity.
There is a freedom in knowing that your character has been tested to its limit, and you have emerged victorious...although nothing is certain, anything is possible. Something beyond us protects us, and it is found in solitude...in observation...and in silence.
As astounding as this story is, it is almost minimized by the author, one of the survivors of the crash. Eduardo Urioste was inspired to write this when his coat and wallet were found by a hiker in 2005. He felt that it was time to examine the crash and its aftermath. He does not dwell on the more gruesome aspects of survival but does mention how some of the decisions were made. I'm sure that other books have given a more detailed and chronological account of the crash and survival. This is more concerned with some of the spiritual and philosophical aspects. It was a deeply moving and inspiring account.
Quotes to remember:
God was there, in my own self, in that limitless mind that contained everything...I carried with me that profound peace and the joy of grand revelations.
...it united me with the universe and with other living beings in a profound way.
That capacity of the mind to embrace infinity, that path toward an authentic spirituality, is one of the most beautiful sessions that my life on the mountain left me with.
...risk is an integral part of life itself.
...love was beginning to appear as the most real and valuable possession that we could claim...Love like a flame inside us that made us truly human. In the end, I believe it was love that saved us in a very real sense.
We had to become alchemists, transforming the tragedy into a miracle, turning depression into hope.
...the beauty and transcendence of the very inhospitable environment that threatened us also allowed us to connect with a spiritual dimension that we never knew existed. Mayne that is the miracle.
The landscape becomes complete with what arises in the human soul that contemplates it. We are no longer insignificant beings facing the void as long as our emotions make us participants in that immensity.
There is a freedom in knowing that your character has been tested to its limit, and you have emerged victorious...although nothing is certain, anything is possible. Something beyond us protects us, and it is found in solitude...in observation...and in silence.
September 8, 2022
Negaliu patikėti, kad tai - tikra istorija! Atrodo tarsi žiaurus, nenuspėjamas eksperimentas, kurį atlieka pats Dievas. Kai jau manai, kad nieko blogiau nebegali nutikti, ima ir nutinka.
O viskas baigiasi tikru stebuklu!
Ši istorija - tai vienintelis žmonijai žinomas toks atvejis, kai lėktuvo keleiviams pavyko išgyventi kaulus stingdančioje kalnų aplinkoje ir išsigelbėti iš siaubingos katastrofos. Tai tarsi šiuolaikinė legenda. 1972 m. įvykus lėktuvo katastrofai Anduose, Urugvajaus regbio komanda 72 dienas (taip, taip, dienas, ne valandas!) turėjo praleisti tarp žuvusiųjų, lediniame šaltyje, be maisto ir užuovėjos. Tai ką jie valgė? Sunku įsivaizduoti, bet savo žuvusius draugus.
Knygoje katastrofos liudininkas Eduardas Strauchas po keturis dešimtmečius trukusios tylos ryžtasi papasakoti apie sukrečiantį ištvermės išbandymą ir stebuklingą išsigelbėjimą iš snieguotų Kordiljerų. Šiuose atviruose atsiminimuose atskleidžiama tiesa apie gyvenimą pakeitusius įvykius, kurie pareikalavo fizinės ištvermės ir tapo dvasiniu išbandymu.
Skaityti buvo be galo įdomu. Puikiai aprašyti katastrofos liudininkai, jų išgyvenimai, kasdieniai poreikiai. Jiems kiekviena diena tarsi naujas išbandymas su netikėtais posūkiais. Puikiai atskleistos išgyvenusiųjų emocijos, neviltis, skausmas dėl artimojo netekties, viltis išgyventi.
Nors man šiek tiek prailgo skyriai apie dvasinį nušvitimą ar kalno reikšmę išgyvenusiesiems. Bet tai puikiai suprantama. Kai esi beviltiškoje padėtyje iš kurios nėra būdų kaip ištrūkti, pradedi melstis ne tik dievams, bet ir gamtos sutvėrimams. Kažkokiu būdu privalai nurimti, susimti ir ieškoti išeities. Svarbu nepalūžti, net ir tamsiausią valandą. Tokia patirtis garantuotai visiems laikams pakeičia požiūrį į meilę, draugystę, mirtį ar baimes.
Vertinu 4/5. Rekomenduoju tikrų istorijų gerbėjams. Bei tiems, kurie ieško vadovo, kaip išgyventi katastrofiškoje padėtyje.
O viskas baigiasi tikru stebuklu!
Ši istorija - tai vienintelis žmonijai žinomas toks atvejis, kai lėktuvo keleiviams pavyko išgyventi kaulus stingdančioje kalnų aplinkoje ir išsigelbėti iš siaubingos katastrofos. Tai tarsi šiuolaikinė legenda. 1972 m. įvykus lėktuvo katastrofai Anduose, Urugvajaus regbio komanda 72 dienas (taip, taip, dienas, ne valandas!) turėjo praleisti tarp žuvusiųjų, lediniame šaltyje, be maisto ir užuovėjos. Tai ką jie valgė? Sunku įsivaizduoti, bet savo žuvusius draugus.
Knygoje katastrofos liudininkas Eduardas Strauchas po keturis dešimtmečius trukusios tylos ryžtasi papasakoti apie sukrečiantį ištvermės išbandymą ir stebuklingą išsigelbėjimą iš snieguotų Kordiljerų. Šiuose atviruose atsiminimuose atskleidžiama tiesa apie gyvenimą pakeitusius įvykius, kurie pareikalavo fizinės ištvermės ir tapo dvasiniu išbandymu.
Skaityti buvo be galo įdomu. Puikiai aprašyti katastrofos liudininkai, jų išgyvenimai, kasdieniai poreikiai. Jiems kiekviena diena tarsi naujas išbandymas su netikėtais posūkiais. Puikiai atskleistos išgyvenusiųjų emocijos, neviltis, skausmas dėl artimojo netekties, viltis išgyventi.
Nors man šiek tiek prailgo skyriai apie dvasinį nušvitimą ar kalno reikšmę išgyvenusiesiems. Bet tai puikiai suprantama. Kai esi beviltiškoje padėtyje iš kurios nėra būdų kaip ištrūkti, pradedi melstis ne tik dievams, bet ir gamtos sutvėrimams. Kažkokiu būdu privalai nurimti, susimti ir ieškoti išeities. Svarbu nepalūžti, net ir tamsiausią valandą. Tokia patirtis garantuotai visiems laikams pakeičia požiūrį į meilę, draugystę, mirtį ar baimes.
Vertinu 4/5. Rekomenduoju tikrų istorijų gerbėjams. Bei tiems, kurie ieško vadovo, kaip išgyventi katastrofiškoje padėtyje.
December 6, 2022
Kodėl skaityti?
- tikra istorija
- nelaimės po vieną nevaikšto
- moraliniai klausimai
- tikėjimas bei viltis net ir baisiausiose situacijose
- kalnų didybė
- gamtos nenugalimumas
- gyvenimas po katastrofos
Norėčiau turėti bent kelis procentus autoriaus tikėjimo bei stiprybės. Po lėktuvo katastrofos nebuvo laiko gedėti žuvusių, reikėjo veikti, išgyventi. Ir kokia neviltis bei pyktis turėjo užplūsti sužinojus, jog niekas gyvųjų nebeieško. Tad arba liksi amžiams palaidotas kalnuose, arba bandysi rasti kelią namo.
Labiausiai palietė autoriaus pasidalijimai apie iškilusius moralinius klausimus, ar galima valgyti mirusius, juk jie broliai, pusbroliai, draugai. Ir platus žvilgsnis į daugialypę nuomonę. O kokia bus artimųjų bei jų giminių reakcija?
Ši knyga apie gyvenimo didžiausią kada siųstą iššūkį, susitapatinimą su gamta, bet tuo pačiu ir bandymą ištrūkti iš jos glėbio.
O dabar einu žiūrėti pagal išgyvenusiųjų pasakojimus pastatyto filmo.
- tikra istorija
- nelaimės po vieną nevaikšto
- moraliniai klausimai
- tikėjimas bei viltis net ir baisiausiose situacijose
- kalnų didybė
- gamtos nenugalimumas
- gyvenimas po katastrofos
Norėčiau turėti bent kelis procentus autoriaus tikėjimo bei stiprybės. Po lėktuvo katastrofos nebuvo laiko gedėti žuvusių, reikėjo veikti, išgyventi. Ir kokia neviltis bei pyktis turėjo užplūsti sužinojus, jog niekas gyvųjų nebeieško. Tad arba liksi amžiams palaidotas kalnuose, arba bandysi rasti kelią namo.
Labiausiai palietė autoriaus pasidalijimai apie iškilusius moralinius klausimus, ar galima valgyti mirusius, juk jie broliai, pusbroliai, draugai. Ir platus žvilgsnis į daugialypę nuomonę. O kokia bus artimųjų bei jų giminių reakcija?
Ši knyga apie gyvenimo didžiausią kada siųstą iššūkį, susitapatinimą su gamta, bet tuo pačiu ir bandymą ištrūkti iš jos glėbio.
O dabar einu žiūrėti pagal išgyvenusiųjų pasakojimus pastatyto filmo.
January 7, 2019
3 and 1 / 2 stars
I read the Kindle edition.
This book is very difficult to judge. I think Mr. Strauch Urioste did an excellent job of describing his harrowing adventure when his and several of his friends’ plane crashed in the Andes. He is very brave in recalling this painful and horrible episode in his life.However, the book is not very well written. While I have no doubt Mr. Strauch Urioste’s statements are true, the book lacks a certain drive. It is a little aimless. The transitions are poor. My hat is off to the translator on this project who is Jennie Erikson. I believe she did a fine job in recording the author’s words accurately.
I want to thank NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for forwarding to me a copy of this bok so that I may read and review it.
I read the Kindle edition.
This book is very difficult to judge. I think Mr. Strauch Urioste did an excellent job of describing his harrowing adventure when his and several of his friends’ plane crashed in the Andes. He is very brave in recalling this painful and horrible episode in his life.However, the book is not very well written. While I have no doubt Mr. Strauch Urioste’s statements are true, the book lacks a certain drive. It is a little aimless. The transitions are poor. My hat is off to the translator on this project who is Jennie Erikson. I believe she did a fine job in recording the author’s words accurately.
I want to thank NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for forwarding to me a copy of this bok so that I may read and review it.
December 22, 2022
I blame my lack of enjoyment of this book on my false expectations of what it was. I expected a conventionally formatted story of the Andes disaster and aftermath. What I got was about half a book of that, and a lot of disjointed metaphysical musings. Clearly the entire ordeal of Strauch’s disaster was deeply affecting and a formative experience in his life, but committing his philosophies and oft-repeated musings into an oddly formatted and non linear mosaic of stream-of-consciousness anecdotes was not an enjoyable read for me.
January 3, 2021
Wonderful Read
I couldn’t put it down. Eduardo’s description of the crash and its aftermath, combined with his powerful insights, gets at the essence of what life is all about.
I couldn’t put it down. Eduardo’s description of the crash and its aftermath, combined with his powerful insights, gets at the essence of what life is all about.
November 19, 2022
Nuo šio įvykio šiemet sukako lygiai 50 metų. Tiksliau, jei atkartotume visą nelaimės chronologiją, prieš 50 metų lėktuvas jau buvo nukritęs, išlikę gyvi daugiau kaip mėnesį stengėsi išlikti itin atšiauriomis sąlygomis be maisto, šiltų drabužių, medikamentų ir be normalaus geriamo vandens, o iki išsigelbėjimo buvo likę daugiau, kaip mėnuo. Daugiau kaip du mėnesius žmonės tikėjosi, kad juos kas nors išgelbės, buvo praradę viltis ir beveik visą sveikatą. Ir vis tik keliems iš jų pavyko išgyventi. Ko gero tai galima vadinti stebuklu. O gal įrodymu, kokios neįtikėtinos gali būti žmogaus galimybės.
Jei nieko negirdėjote apie šią istoriją, tikrai verta su ja susipažinti. Dar ir kaip! Tik jei jau rekomenduoju, siūlyčiau skaityti kito išgyvenusiojo knygą, kuri kadaise buvo išleista lietuviškai “Stebuklas Anduose”. Toje knygoje istorija pateikiama kur kas jautriau. Nuoseklus emocijų kupinas pasakojimas, kuriame yra galimybė pažinti kiekvieną išgyvenusį, pajusti šių žmonių emocijas ir suprasti, kaip jiems pavyko išsigelbėti. Juk išsigelbėjimas tai ne tik fizinis kelias, bet kur kas labiau psichologinis, emocinis. Šioje gi knygoje pasakojimas trūkinėjantis, katastrofos dalyviai šmėsčioja tik tarpais, tarsi būtų butaforiniai. Autorius pasakoja apie save dažnai aplenkdamas kitus, nors dėl to, kad išgyventų ar vienytų visus tomis sunkiomis akimirkomis, atrodytų, nuveikė ne tiek ir daug.
Neįsigyvenau. O jeigu nebūčiau istorijos girdėjęs anksčiau, nežinau, kokį galutinį įspūdį būčiau susidaręs. Realiai istorijai tik pats aukščiausias vertinimas. O tam, kas sudėta šioje knygoje, ne daugiau, kaip 3.
Jei nieko negirdėjote apie šią istoriją, tikrai verta su ja susipažinti. Dar ir kaip! Tik jei jau rekomenduoju, siūlyčiau skaityti kito išgyvenusiojo knygą, kuri kadaise buvo išleista lietuviškai “Stebuklas Anduose”. Toje knygoje istorija pateikiama kur kas jautriau. Nuoseklus emocijų kupinas pasakojimas, kuriame yra galimybė pažinti kiekvieną išgyvenusį, pajusti šių žmonių emocijas ir suprasti, kaip jiems pavyko išsigelbėti. Juk išsigelbėjimas tai ne tik fizinis kelias, bet kur kas labiau psichologinis, emocinis. Šioje gi knygoje pasakojimas trūkinėjantis, katastrofos dalyviai šmėsčioja tik tarpais, tarsi būtų butaforiniai. Autorius pasakoja apie save dažnai aplenkdamas kitus, nors dėl to, kad išgyventų ar vienytų visus tomis sunkiomis akimirkomis, atrodytų, nuveikė ne tiek ir daug.
Neįsigyvenau. O jeigu nebūčiau istorijos girdėjęs anksčiau, nežinau, kokį galutinį įspūdį būčiau susidaręs. Realiai istorijai tik pats aukščiausias vertinimas. O tam, kas sudėta šioje knygoje, ne daugiau, kaip 3.
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