Into Thin Air, by John Krakauer was first published in 1997, but I’ve just got around to reading it. I needed a break from the leadership books I’ve been digesting lately, and this provided the perfect break. This book has disturbed me and fascinated me at the same time. It’s a first-person account of the 1996 Everest climbing disaster. I don’t have the time to rehash the entire story so just google it or better yet read the book.
However I do want to say something about what has been the most interesting part about this particular read. I’ve always had a sick fascination with the decisions people make when they know that those choices will effect the lives of others. As a person who is daily confronted with the choice between apple pop tarts and frosted mini wheat for breakfast; I can’t even begin to understand the pressure that accompanies such choices.
And it should go without saying that I will NOT be planning an Everest expedition any time soon.
