I dream of Eiger too
Written: Jan 18 '01 (Updated Jan 18 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 12 mountain climbing stories under one roof. Very well written!
Cons: Somewhat dated. Written in 1990. Still interesting to read, though.
The Bottom Line: Few people write about mountains better than Jon Krakauer.
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| AlexG's Full Review: Jon Krakauer - Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men an... |
Mountain Climbing. Few people are genuinely interested in the topic. Even fewer understand what it is that draws some people to risk their lives and in many cases sacrifice the well being of their families. Why do people climb? This is what Eiger Dreams is all about. Yet nowhere in the book the author gives a direct answer. Instead, he “circles the issue continually, pokes at it from behind with a long stick now and then,” and in the end leaves the answer for the reader to discover on his own.
Jon Krakauer needs little introduction for anyone in the outdoors world. He is the author of two national bestsellers Into The Wild and Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains is his first book, originally published in 1990.
Eiger Dreams is a compilation of 12 stories, 11 of which had been written for several national magazines. The last story was written specifically for this book. These stories are not connected—one can read them in any order—but they all have one mountaineering theme in common. In every story, Krakauer draws upon his personal mountain climbing experience.
“Eiger Dreams” is the first story of the book and the one I read with a particular interest. Why? Because this is the only mountain (of many described in the book) that I have actually seen very close with my own eyes. Eiger is one of the most famous mountains in Swiss Alps and its North Face route is considered one of the most dangerous, most difficult and therefore most coveted climbs in the world. Krakauer writes about how he and his friend attempted to climb the North Face of Eiger, which some people call The Wall of Death. After reading the story you won’t have to ask why?
“Gill” is the second story of the book that takes us from the Alps to the Rocky Mountains, where John Gill, a mathematician, in his fifties, climbs boulders for pleasure—and activity with “metaphysical, mystical, and philosophical overtones.” For John Gill, the goal of making it to the summit is not as important as the process of climbing itself. Gill is a living legend to mountain climbers, and his reputation is entirely based on conquering boulders less than thirty feet high. Doesn’t sound like a big accomplishment. But, after reading the story you’ll understand why Krakauer boldly states that, “It is no exaggeration to say that the summit of Mt. Everest could sooner be reached by most climbers than could the summit of any one of a score of Gill’s boulders.”
“A Bad Summer on K2” is one of several Himalaya stories in the book. In 1986, twenty-seven climbers made it to the top of K2. But for every two successes there was one death—13 people! In 1975, Reinhold Messner upped the ante in the mountain climbing game—no oxygen, no support team, no fixed ropes, no chains of preestablished camps. Messner termed this approach “climbing by fair means” (not that climbing by “unfair” means was a walk in the park). Since then, more and more climbers have been pushing the limits, playing a Russian roulette with destiny.
Eiger Dreams takes the reader on a wild ride from the Alps to the Rocky Mountains to Alaskan Denali National Park to canyons of Arizona to Himalaya. This 186-page book is an easy, quick and exciting read. And if you like it, I highly recommend reading other Krakauer’s books. He is a very good climber and a great mountain climbing writer and storyteller.
Recommended:
Yes
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AlexG
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 130
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About Me:
Alex has a voracious appetite for travel. Travel hasn't satisfied an appetite. It's created one.
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