Eiger Dreams - Rated 
Krakauer does it again with 'Eiger Dreams', a book of gripping climbing articles with his highly readable and captivating style. This book has a selection of articles looking at various aspects of climbing, from glacial pilots to life around a french climbing town and canyon exploration to Himalayan adventures. This book pretty much has it all. Each article is expertly written and I was engrossed from the moment I opened the book. I've read all of Krakauers other books and have to say this lived up to my high expectations. Great adventure stories to inspire or terrify depending on your temperament!!! Highly recommended.
Living Your Challenging Dreams - Rated
People have always pushed to accomplish more. When one of my best friends took up mountain climbing well into his fifties after he back wasn't up to golf any more, I began to wonder what the sport was all about. Having remembered that Jon Krakauer is both a wonderful writer and an adventuresome climber, it seemed like I might learn the answers by reading this book. I was more than amply rewarded for my curiosity.
Knowing that adventures are better heard as a story rather than read, I also opted for Philip Franklin's reading for Books on Tape. This was a stunningly good choice. Mr. Franklin makes you feel like you are right there as you look down from dizzying heights of thousands of feet while being held up by a small patch of crumbling ice.
The diversity of the stories is remarkable, from those who want to set records for getting up dangerous new routes to those who want to set records for speed in sport climbing (lots of strength and technique but not much risk). I was very surprised by some of the stories, including the ones about climbing "impossible" boulders that might be only 30 feet high and tall columns of crumbling frozen water . . . unattached to any nearby rock.
Mr. Krakauer has a wonderful ability to bring you into the stories by recounting his own fearful beginnings as a climber and the ways that he has sought release from humdrum cares by climbing. You'll find yourself chilled to the bone in places, even though you may be sitting in front of a roaring fire. It's a great trip!
I don't think I'll take up climbing, but I am indebted to this brilliant exposition of climbing's appeal.
Great short stories - Rated
A wonderful collection of short stories. Crazy ,likeable characters in, to say the least ,unusual & challenging situations.All written with great humour, Mr. Krakauer knows how to tell a good story. The account of the Mt.McKinley climb is probably one of the best & funniest short stories I ever read. Maybe even more enjoyable for non-climbers ( I am not), just to find out about the mad men of the mountains.Well recommended.
A funny, moving collection of mountaineering stories. - Rated
A series of very well written short stories by the master of mountain writing. Funny, moving, scary and above all accessable. Dont expect great long epis, this looks at the lighter side of mountaineering.
very useful and at the right times very funny indeed - Rated
I have read a few climbing books, and apart from the fact that I still don't quite know why these guys do it, I find most modern writers on the subject vaguely stimulating. More often than not, I read the first 50 pages or so, but then I get bored. Not so with John Krakauer's work here. His style very is well placed, he obviously knows what he's talking about, and his own ideas seem to come through a little. I just wish that other authors on the same subject could lighten up a bit.
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