Jon Krakauer

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

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The narrative intertwines two compelling narratives. The first one traces the adventurous odyssey of a young man named Christopher McCandless into the wilderness, while the second delves into his psychological profile and motivations. The story unfolds nonlinearly, with the two narratives often crossing paths through intricate details and varying scenarios. McCandless is initially introduced through his acquaintance Wayne Westerberg, who paints a compelling image of a smart, charming, and determined individual who rejects materialism and hails from a comfortable middle-class background in Virginia. The story then backtracks to the start of McCandless's journey west in his used yellow Datsun.

McCandless initiates his journey post-college, driving to Lake Mead in Nevada, where a flash flood prompts him to abandon his car and some possessions. His adventurous spirit sees him buying a canoe on a whim and embarking on a five-month journey down the Colorado River to Mexico. Meanwhile, his family back home try to piece together his disappearance. McCandless later settles in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he briefly stays with an older man named Charlie before moving on. Along his journey, he forms a pseudo father-son bond with an individual named Ronald Franz, whose shared story offers insight into the potential harm McCandless's risky behavior could inflict on others.

The narrative then revisits Westerberg, providing a look into McCandless's problematic relationship with his father and his final month in Carthage, South Dakota. It reveals that McCandless had discovered his father's bigamous past, which potentially fueled his drive to abandon his previous life. The story also explores the reactions to McCandless's journey, with some labeling him as a romantic fool, while others see similarities between McCandless and other wilderness fanatics such as Everett Ruess. The narrative concludes with the discovery and identification of McCandless's body in Alaska, leaving behind a trail of heartbreak and unanswered questions, and offering a cautionary tale of adventure and self-discovery gone awry.

Into the Wild

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A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

A seasoned mountaineer is commissioned by a popular outdoor publication to document the increasing commercialization of Mount Everest. His curiosity piqued, he joins an expedition, which turns out to be one of the most catastrophic in the mountain's history. The team he joins is led by a company known as Adventure Consultants, whose role is to expedite the acclimatization process to the extreme altitude and guide the climbers safely to Everest's peak.

The expedition is divided into multiple camps: Base Camp and four others positioned at various altitudes. After weeks at Base Camp, the team embarks on several trips to the higher camps to hasten their adaptation to the high altitude. In May, they finally set out for the summit. The mountaineer chronicles his journey, detailing the experiences of his teammates and guides, and mapping out the timeline of their time on the formidable mountain. The climbers find the altitude hard to adjust to, each dealing with exhaustion, weight loss, and slow movement. Their experience varies greatly, with some well-equipped for the challenge, while others are amateurs heavily reliant on their guides.

Tragedy truly strikes in the latter part of the journey. The group leader sets a 2:00 pm deadline to reach the summit and turn back, but this is largely disregarded. Only a few, including the mountaineer, make the deadline, with others, including the team leader, reaching the peak as late as 4:00 pm. A storm hits soon after, leaving various members stranded, lost, and ultimately leading to fatalities. Through a miracle, one climber presumed dead manages to return to camp and survives the ordeal, though he suffers profound injuries. In all, the expedition results in 12 deaths, leaving the mountaineer haunted by the experience. 

In the aftermath, he publishes the commissioned article but feels compelled to delve deeper into the events of the tragic expedition. Through extensive research and interviews with survivors, he writes a more comprehensive account, aiming to present an accurate and thorough narrative of the harrowing events. His reflections on his own survival and the loss of life he witnessed lead to a redefinition of his own mortality and a lasting sense of survivor's guilt. Despite potential backlash, he is determined to share the full scale of the tragic, heroic, and selfish actions that occurred during their attempt to conquer Everest.

Jon Krakauer Books in Order (8 Book Series)

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

Into the Wild

Into Thin Air

A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Under the Banner of Heaven

A Story of Violent Faith

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk

What To Read Next

Jon Krakauer Books in Order (8 Book Series)

Eiger Dreams: Ventures Among Men and Mountains

Into the Wild

Into Thin Air

A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Under the Banner of Heaven

A Story of Violent Faith

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk

What To Read Next

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