[.ca] The Climb (ISBN 0333907159)

From Amazon.com:
The Climb is Russian mountaineer Anatoli Boukreev's account of the harrowing May 1996 Mount Everest attempt, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of eight people. The book is also Boukreev's rebuttal to accusations from fellow climber and author Jon Krakauer, who, in his bestselling memoir, Into Thin Air, suggests that Boukreev forfeited the safety of his clients to achieve his own climbing goals. Investigative writer and Climb coauthor G. Weston DeWalt uses taped statements from the surviving climbers and translated interviews from Boukreev to piece together the events and prove to the reader that Boukreev's role was heroic, not opportunistic. Boukreev refers to the actions of expedition leader Scott Fischer throughout the ascent, implying that factors other than the fierce snowstorm may have caused this disaster. This new account sparks debate among both mountaineers and those who have followed the story through the media and Krakauer's book. Readers can decide for themselves whether Boukreev presents a laudable defense or merely assuages his own bruised ego.

UNCONVINCING:
This book seems to be an attempt to defend the indefensible. Boukreev is an incredible mountaineer but an incompetent guide. He obviously had no concept of what Scott Fisher meant by being a responsible guide, and had Fisher lived, I'm sure Boukreev would never have been asked to work for him again, particularly considering the enormous sum of money he was paid to be a guide. Having neglected his duties repeatedly, and ensured he was in safe quarters while others were in danger of dying on the mountain, this book is an attempt to explain away his lack of understanding of what a guide is supposed to do when on a commercial expedition. Despite his supposed ability to operate without supplemental oxygen, he doesn't explain why he didn't co-ordinate rescue attempts with the doctor who was on Hall's team when he had been told where the people who were in trouble were located. The doctor was clearly hypoxic, but so was Boukreev; that's the only reasonable excuse which can be offered for this failure. A certain arrogance comes through in the book, which is probably his personality anyway and I'm sure why some clients just didn't trust Boukreev. The book is a well written novel and worth reading, but don't take him too seriously.

Egos Clash At 8000 meters:
I found The Climb to be a good companion to Krakauer's Into Thin Air. While I don't believe Krakauer singled out Boukreev (he cast a pretty wide net including himself), I can understand the defensive posture taken in The Climb. After all, Boukreev didn't make his living by pointing fingers. Guiding was his livelyhood. I think that in the final analysis, Boukreev didn't leave the summit too early; everyone but Krakauer left too late. Had he known the clients were gonna dilly-dally on their way to the summit, perhaps he would've used supplemental oxygen. Since he didn't and they did, I suspect he had little choice but to go down 'early.' I'm glad Boukreev took the time to defend himself. I found many of the details he provides fascinating. I found him fascinating. I'm sorry that he's gone, and I'm sorry he felt it necessary to co-author this book.

Oh, that Everest:
I enjoyed "The Climb." I do think that the book would be more convincing if not a direct rebuttal to "Into Thin Air." I would rather hear Boukreev's side of the story unfettered from contensting the other book. It would have made for stronger tale. In both of these books, the authors focus on every little contributing factor that led to the incident. Boukreev's Indonesian ascent in '97 had similar hangups, which leads me to belive that the biggest cause to the carnage on the mountain was the number of climbers on the mountain in one day, not the experience level, etc. That aside I enjoyed a different perspective on the '96 Everest disaster.

It jumps right up and grabs you by the throat:
Marvellous, gripping, breathtaking, dramatic, suspenseful, and above all very well written. The kind of book that you read in one single breath without putting it down before reaching the very last page. Whether one is sympathetic to Boukreev's or Krakauer's claims is less relevant. It is a superb book on one of the most dramatic events in high-altitude mountaineering.

Excellent Book!:
I couldn't put this one down. Anatoli Boukreev gives a credible account of the events of May 1996, regardless of what has been said or written about the tragedy. The world lost a true hero and exceptional mountaineer when he was killed...