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Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season | 
| Author: Nick Heil
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
Buy New: $13.00
You Save: $13.00 (50%)
New (36) Used (17) from $11.74
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 59627
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0805083103
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.522095496
EAN: 9780805083101
ASIN: 0805083103
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. 100% money back guarantee. All books shipped from Strand Bookstore, New York City, USA.
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Product Description
The inside story of the deadly 2006 climbing season on Everest On May 15, 2006, a young British climber named David Sharp lay dying near the top of Mount Everest while forty other climbers walked past him on their way to the summit. A week later, Lincoln Hall, a seasoned Australian climber, was left for dead near the same spot. Hall’s death was reported around the world, but the next day he was found alive after spending the night on the upper mountain with no food and no shelter. If David Sharp’s death was shocking, it was hardly singular: despite unusually good weather, ten others died attempting to reach the summit that year. In this meticulous inquiry into what went wrong, Nick Heil tells the full story of the deadliest year on Everest since the infamous season of 1996. He introduces Russell Brice, the commercial operator who has done more than anyone to provide access to the summit via the mountain’s north side—and who some believe was partly accountable for Sharp’s death. As more climbers attempt the summit each year, Heil shows how increasingly risky expeditions and unscrupulous outfitters threaten to turn Everest into a deadly circus. Written by an experienced climber and outdoor writer, Dark Summit is both a riveting account of a notorious climbing season and a troubling investigation into whether the pursuit of the ultimate mountaineering prize has spiraled out of control.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Dark Summit December 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you are into mountaineering books, Dark Summit is one to read. I have been intriqued by why climbers are so obsessed with climbing the higher peaks over 8000 meters. Iam an avid hiker and climb only moderate peaks. I became obsessed myself with the tragedy of 1996 with Scott Fischer and Rob Halls' group and why in the face of danger would a client or climber risk their lives to bag the ultimate summit. In So many unseem factors led to their demise. Dark Summit tragedy strikes again ten years after the first one in 1996. As in the first, there are remarkable similarities that occur though under different circumstances. As the story unfolds, author, Nick Heil does a wonderful job in portraying the events as they happen. I wanted to continue reading to find out what happened next and didn't want to put the book down. Like many of the other mountaineering books I read, I wanted to seek out answers to questions in my mind such as why do climbers put their body through so much torture and pain to what it must feel like being in the death zone. There are many complexies to solving the puzzle. This is one book that evokes interest in the quest of obtaining the ultimate dream of summiting mountains that seem to be like pillars that connect earth to the heavens. You will not be disappointed.
Remarkable November 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am fascinated by some things that people do, such as climbing the highest mountain or going to depths of the oceans, and the risks they are willing to take for experiences most of us will never have.
Of course I always assume that the people and situation are being done by experts, in situations where there is some control to the extent possible, but as this books sshows that is not always the case.
Like any book where you read about times when it seems if things were done differently just a bit, another outcome could happpen, this one raises questions and shows potential failings in the system and people which could have avoided unfortunate outcomes.
Hopefully people take heed of books like this for the future, but as pointed out many things have been known about for awhile, such as who and how people can climb Everest. Very well written book and I highly recommmend it to anyone who is interested in Everest and stories surrounding one the the goals people only usually dream about.
Good book! November 10, 2008
I enjoyed this book. It chronicled the 2006 year with fairly good detail. If you want a much more indepth review of Lincoln Hall's ordeal, read "Dead Lucky."
Simply Amazing November 3, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
While I will draw short of calling this book "equal" to INTO THIN AIR, it certainly stands on its own as one of the BEST books ever written about Everest and in particular about the 2006 climbing season. Well written, well researched, and completely thorough. This book goes beyond the 2006 season and delves into the history of Everest, the men and women who have climbed the mountain, and the reasons behind their passions. It gives fair representation to ALL the individuals involved including the often maligned Russell Brice. The conclusion should be that Brice did all that was possible and even went beyond the call for climber David Sharp and his family. Each climber who sets foot on Everest knows the score. Come prepared, come equipped, pay attention, or you're going to die. This book is a great companion to the Discovery DVD series "Everest - Beyond The Limit". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
This is how a book on the subject should be written September 27, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
About a year or so ago I read Michael Kodas [High Crimes] and gave it
a bad review. The reason was that the journalist - Michael Kodas - was
so much in the book that any objectivity disappeared.
Anyways, in the comments to my review somebody suggested this book.
And, yes, this is the way these stories should be written - the
author is not in the picture, the writing is engaging and interesting,
I think he is trying to be as objective as possible, his research
in preparation for this book is extensive. Bottom line - a great book as
far as my opinion goes.
My only note is that the author explains some things about
altitude sickness, about Everest, etc, that I already know based on
previous books, so this was a little boring for me - but this makes the
book more self-contained and thus I think this was the right thing to do.
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