Reading A to Z: K is for Krakauer

I first fell in love with Jon Krakauer's writing when I read Into the Wild. I read the book after watching the movie. I was drawn to the story. And having Eddie Vedder create the soundtrack made it worthwhile. So, I went and purchased the book. I was fascinated.


After reading that, I decided to check out Into Thin Air. Jon Krakauer was one of the people up on Mt. Everest during that horrendous storm that led to the largest death toll at one time on the mountain. That book was his account. It is the one that got me hooked on adventure stories. I now devour books about mountain climbing and hiking.


Jon Krakauer is also someone who helped to expose Greg Mortensen's lies in his book Three Cups of Tea. Krakauer and others discovered that the book was not entirely truthful. He published his short book Three Cups of Deceipt in 2011.


Krakauer used to write regularly for my favorite magazine, Outside, prior to embarking upon his career writing books. He likes to dive into the middle of his research, actually living what he writes. It helps to make his writing quite interesting to read.

Die Trying: One Man's Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits

Die Trying: One Man's Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits is an inspiring memoir by a man, who at the age of 26, began a four-year journey to summit all of the highest climbs on the seven continents. When starting his journey, Parfet was an overweight, under-trained 26 year-old working 100 hours a week as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan. His first summit, of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, made him realize that he was capable of doing anything that he set his mind to, and whetted his appetite to go for more.

He had always dreamed of going to Mt. Everest, ever since reading about Sir Edmund Hilliary and Tenzing Norgay being the first documented people to summit the world's tallest mountain. Then, hearing about the challenge to summit the tallest on every continent, Parfet began taking the necessary steps to prepare. He started eating better, working to lose the excess weight he had put on as a junior banker at J.P. Morgan. He began to actively train during the off times when he wasn't climbing.

Each mountain brought its own set of challenges. Lessons learned on one mountain didn't necessarily translate to a different mountain. He learned the importance of friendship, trust, and simplistic intelligence, as well as the necessity of staying cool in the face of danger. And as if it isn't already inspiring enough that he conquered all Seven Summits, Parfet shares about his scholarship funds that were set up to educate people in each country he visited.

The mountains that Parfet climbed, in order of ascent, are as follows: Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Cerro Aconcagua (South America), Denali/Mount McKinley (North America), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), Mount Elbrus (Europe), Castensz Pyramid and Mount Kosciuszko (Australia -- two different lists of the Seven Summits exist), and finally Mount Everest (Asia).

Parfet's recollections of each of his climbs are filled with vivid detail that help you feel like you are right there with him. An energy to his storytelling keep the pages turning, because you want to know what happens next.

The accomplishments Parfet shares in Die Trying are humbling, especially when you realize how young he was at the time. You will laugh, cry, and bit your nails as he fights with a tent mate, loses a team member, and slides down the ice.

This book definitely ranks up there with the likes of Jon Krakauer, author of Into Thin Air. If Bo Parfet has more stories to share, he should tell them! Die Trying has definitely become my favorite book of 2009.

Buy Die Trying: One Man's Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits





Andrea Coventry is a reviewer for Bookpleasures.com