Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. A story of adventure and tragedy, Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air is a classic adventure novel. Into Thin Air is a personal account of the Mt. Everest disaster of 1996 which claimed 9 lives on the day of the tragedy, and 3 more later in the season. The novel begins when the protagonist, a veteran mountaineer and journalist gets invited by outside magazine to climb Everest and write a short story of his experiences. Jon Krakauer agrees and flies out to Nepal to meet his team, a group of ill experienced climbers who depend on the team’s seasoned guide, Rob Hall. Despite Rob Hall’s experience, things go wrong, and at 28,000 feet above sea level, accidents never end well. Pride, ignorance, and selfishness from members of the team eventually led to the deaths of 9 climbers. Jon krakauer's Into Thin Air is a great work because it is a classic adventure novel that has received reviews from prominent critics and has won numerous major awards. Into Thin Air has been widely renowned as one of the greatest adventure novels of all time, and it has been positively reviewed by many prominent reviewers. Included in this list are famous newspaper organizations, writers, and peers of Krakauer. Positive reviews include a 4.5 out of 5 from Barnes and Noble, and a 4.1 out of 5 from Goodreads. However, reviews for this book have not all held it in the same positive light. Into thin air has received many negative comments from friends and families of the victims, who Krakauer unknowingly hurt through his actions. On the night of the disaster, Krakauer was navigating the blizzard to find his tent site, when he encountered his friend and colleague Andy Harris. Krakauer watched Andy walk in the direction of the tents, and assumed he had made it there safely. It was later that Jon heard of Andy’s disappearance, and assumed that Andy had fallen off the cliff that Rob know was near the tents. This is the information that Krakauer provided, and was later passed on to Andy’s friends and relatives. In fact, Krakauer had not seen Andy that night, but an entirely different climber, and in passing on false information he unnecessarily hurt these people. In light of the controversy surrounding the book, it has been positively reviewed by many. The Wall Street Journal said the novel "Ranks among the great adventure books of all time” An opinion held by many readers and climbers, Krakauer's novel deserves a place in every hall of famous adventure books. The Washington Post reviewed that ”into thin air is a raw, vivid book, written in anguish and reported within an inch of its life” Jon Krakauer was one of few survivors of the tragedy. Another review was written by Sports Illustrated, who wrote, "In this movingly written book, krakauer describes an experience of such bone-chilling horror as to persuade even the most fanatical alpinists to seek sanctuary at sea level.” A story of great tragedy, Krakauer’s is one that strikes fear into the hearts of many climbers. What makes the story so chilling is that it was a real event, and real lives were lost. The disaster has gone down in history as one of mountaineering's greatest tragedies, and it was immortalized in Krakauer’s book. Jon Krakauer’s Outside Magazine article on the incident was so well received that he was driven to expand his literature into a full novel, Into Thin Air, which received numerous major awards. Shortly after being released, Krakauers novel reached first place on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list and remained there for some time after. This was the first of many awards. Later in 1998, Into Thin Air was honored as “Book of the Year” by Time Magazine, and was among the final three books considered for the Pullitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. Jon Krakauer continued his winning streak into 1999, when the American Academy of Arts and Letters gave Krakauer an Academy Award in Literature. The Academy of Arts and Letters commended Krakauer for his work on Into Thin Air and commented that “Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport.” Love for Krakauer’s book has continued over the years and this great novel has not lost any of its relevance. Director Baltasar Kormákur was particularly touched by Krakauer’s novel, and is currently making a feature film documenting the 1996 tragedy. The film is called Everest, and is set to be released in late 2015. Into Thin Air is a great work because it is a classic adventure novel. Most serious climbers know all about Into Thin Air, and about Jon Krakauer’s infamous expedition in 1996. Into Thin Air deserves a spot on every educated climber’s bookshelf. Kakauer’s book is one loved by many as one of the greatest adventure stories available. With a bit of adventure, tragedy, suspense, and drama, Into Thin Air is a great work that appeals to all kinds of readers. Be an adrenaline junkie, a climber, a Walter Mitty, or anyone looking for a good book, Into Thin Air holds a special place in the hearts of many. A controversial novel, it has received scrutiny over the years from friends and relatives of the deceased. Jon Krakauer has received mixed reviews and even death threats for his impactful novel. Narrating the 1996 Everest disaster, Into Thin Air is a personal account of what happened on that fateful afternoon. Into Thin Air describes Krakauer’s experiences, and the general state of Mt. Everest mountaineering at the time. Into Thin Air has received many awards and positive reviews, all of which make it a great work.