Customer Reviews
An entertaining collection - By: Foxylock, 03 Oct 2008 
Written by Jon Krakauer of "Into Thin Air" fame this book didnt live up to my expectations.Its a little book containing twelve short essays on various aspects of mountaineering.Although entertaining & at times amusing i was nonetheless glad to finish it quite quickly.Its best read when someone doesnt want to launch into an epic,but dare i say a bit disappointing
Eiger Dreams - By: Spider Monkey, 25 Mar 2008 
Krakauer does it again with 'Eiger Dreams', a book of gripping climbing articles with his highly readable & 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 & canyon exploration to Himalayan adventures. This book pretty much has it all. Each article is expertly written & I was engrossed from the moment I opened the book. I've read all of Krakauers other books & 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 - By: Donald Mitchell, 05 Feb 2008 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 & 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 speedin sport climbing (lots of strength & 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 & 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 & the ways that he has sought release from humdrum cares by climbing. You'll find yourself chilled to the bonein places, even though you may be sittingin 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 - By: p. donk, 06 Mar 2003 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. - By: Sam Moore, 09 May 2000 A series of very well written short stories by the master of mountain writing. Funny, moving, scary & above all accessable. Dont expect great long epis, this looks at the lighter side of mountaineering.
