Into Thin Air

Author: Jon Krakauer
Publisher: 1997, Villard
Lexile Measure: 1320L
Classifcation: Non-fiction

Summary:
Into Thin Air is Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction account of a deadly May 10, 1996, trek up Mt. Everest.  Krakauer, an experienced mountain climber working for Outside magazine, was there to describe the trip (and the industry built around getting climbers to the top).  After making a successful ascent and descent, Krakauer fell into an exhausted sleep only to learn, upon awakening, that some of his climbing team, including experienced guides, died on the mountain while others made it down only to face death or crippling injuries.  Into Thin Air describes what happened, questions how experienced hikers made so many fatal mistakes, and discusses, generally, the hunger to summit the world’s highest peak.

---

---

Language:
Into Thin Air is a non-fiction account.  Profanity is present only in quotes, and includes:
f*cking (pp. 8, 82, 195)
f*cked (p. 124)
f*ck (pp. 186, 204, 219, 226, 279)
“Jesus f*cking Christ” (p. 255)
f*cker (p. 219)
“f*ck things up” (p. 191)
b*stard (pp. 124, 146)
sh*t (pp. 123, 234, 252)
*sshole (p. 96)
sh*t hole (p. 58)
h*ll (pp. 9, 58, 256)
h*ll-bent (p. 148)
bullsh*t (pp. 83, 93, 99)
*ss (pp. 9, 50, 260)
“I’m going to rip your f*cking head off and ram it up your arse” (p. 98)

Drug and Alcohol Use:
There are a few references to the parties’ drinking and smoking marijuana.

• The climbers drink in a bar (p. 43).
• The book references a climber smoking pot and drinking (p. 64).
• Krakauer discusses smoking pot in his hotel after returning to Kathmandu (p. 269).
  

Violence and Crime:
None.

Sexual Content:
The book contains very little in the way of sexual content.

• On pp. 127-129, the book discusses Sherpa superstition about sexual conduct on the mountain and their belief that tragedy will befall two climbers who engage in it.
  

Other:

• The book is set in Nepal and Tibet where the main religion is Buddhism.  The book discusses Buddhist beliefs and traditions.  Example pp. 128-129.
  

---

Other Helpful Reviews:

• Good Reads
  
• New York Times
  
• Kirkus Reviews