Volusia County Public Library discussion

Jon Krakauer really captures the reader. His book reads like fast-paced fiction and he's great with details. This story is fascinating as it is and the with Krakauer behind it, it's a winner.

He's a very good author. I thought I had read this book before, but I didn't. I did read Under the Banner of Heaven, also by him, about the FLDS cults, and it was very interesting. I recently listened to this one on CD and thought it was very good...although I have to admit my retention rate with audio is less than it would be with an actual book...but it's pretty much what I can manage right now :)

I agree -- it's harder for me to be captured by audio but some swear by it in long car rides. Under the Banner of Heaven was excellent. Really interesting (and in parts, disturbing) subject matter. Again -- written in great detail without being weighed down, that one reads as fast-paced as Into Thin Air, even though it wasn't adventure.

I liked his detailed description of what's involved with the climbing. I guess he really had to given the subject matter...and of course I knew it was hard -- but I didn't realize how involved it was and didn't know anything about the Sherpas, so that was interesting too. Under the banner of heaven *was* disturbing at times, but I enjoy reading/hearing about other cultures. Even though those members are American, it's still a very foreign culture!

Absolutely. Learning about the incredible amount of preparation that goes into something like climbing Mt. Everest -- that was engrossing. I find it fascinating that someone would take on such a feat. Fascinating, too, was Under the Banner of Heaven. A real glimpse into a world perhaps unknown by a lot of us.

As I said before, I enjoy listening to audio books, especially with my commute. But sometimes a reader will pronounce something either wrong, or just differently. Krakauer reads his own book here, and talks about the Him-AL-yan people, and the region of the Him-AL-yans, as a opposed to the Him-a-LAY-ans. I've never heard it pronounced that way, but on the other hand, he's certainly familiar with the area!

Lol -- I think I would find that annoying - even if he's right!

Like gondola v. gon-DOH-luh or Carnegie v. Car-NAY-gee.

Yes, exactly! Things like that drive me crazy, and sometimes I know it's just wrong. Maybe it's a place name or something. Once, there was a location in PA, I forget exactly which one, that a reader pronounced wrong. I grew up in south Jersey, not far from Phila, so I knew how to pronounce this...and I know others may not know. I'm sure they read ahead though before they actually record a section, and it just seems to me that they could look up a word to see how it's pronounced if they are not sure. My two cents :)

Do you have a book scheduled after this one?

I feel the same way. Or when the presenter on a show pronounces something incorrectly or uses incorrect grammar and I think, did not one member of the production crew know to say something to this fella or lady?
As for the next book, we're reading The Dinner by Koch...

Hmm, I'll have to mull that one over. Not sure, since I really prefer non-fic, although I do occasionally wander into fiction territory. I love the 1st Ladies Detective Agency series, especially on audio. The reader has a great accent and they're really different. Ever since I was a kid though, I loved non-fiction. I read Helen Keller's biography as a kid and that inspired me to learn sign language, which I did when I went to college. It comes in handy at CIT often!

Really? That's interesting. You use sign language at work from learning it in college because you were inspired as a kid. That's neat. As for non-fiction, we have Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune coming up -- which seems like quite the story....

Yes, sign language at work and it all started from a book! More deaf people at CIT than POR. I had a woman who showed up a few weeks ago to do genealogy...she didn't know anything about me and came from Satsuma, near Palatka. She had a grandfather or someone who lived in NSB. She's been in twice now. So you never know. Empty Mansions should be good. I remember the story when she died...very strange. Doesn't seem to be available anywhere on CD though, even Amazon :( We have a downloadable version...if I could put that on CDs and listen in the car that would be good. I don't know if that's possible though...not as much of a techie as I should be.

It's true, for one who enjoys listening to audio in the car, you've got to get it there somehow. Ah, you remember hearing this story when she died? A strange one indeed and should be an interesting read. That's interesting, too, about the hearing impaired at work. Again, that's neat that you're able to communicate with them...

I'll have to see if I can figure something out. I drive about 40 minutes to work so it's easy to listen to a title. By the time I get home, especially if there are errands after work, I'm not interested in concentrating on much :( Yes, I do remember hearing the story on the news after she died. Maybe on the Today Show as well as evening news. It was very intriguing!

Grand. So a good choice then, we hope!