Into Thin Air

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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Jon Krakauer

Anchor: 1997, 337 Pages

Reviewed by Tori Lyons

Krakauer chronicles climbing Mt. Everest on a guided expedition in May 1996 while researching an article for Outside magazine.  Clients on Rob Hall’s Adventure Consultants guided expedition each paid $65,000 for the opportunity to ascend the world’s tallest mountain.  While Krakauer is able to successfully reach the summit, he is all too aware that reaching the top is only half the battle.  A strong storm hits the upper reaches of Everest as the climbers are returning to camp and claims the lives of multiple climbers.  Into Thin Air provides a first-hand account of the weeks leading up to the tragedy as well as the aftermath for the guilt-ridden survivors.     

Bettyville

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Bettyville

George Hodgman

Viking: 2014, 279 pages

Reviewed by Tori Lyons

In this memoir, author George Hodgman describes the time spent with his elderly mother at his childhood home in rural Paris, Missouri.  George took a break from his life as an editor in New York to attend a funeral with his mother in Paris. However, once he sees that Betty needs more help than he realized, George becomes her unlikely caretaker. Throughout the book, the author blends in background and anecdotes from both his and Betty's lives, particularly those that highlight the fact that Betty has never really acknowledged the fact that George is gay.  Overall, the book kept my interest, but the narrative at times felt meandering and unfocused.  I would recommend this to fans of family memoirs as well as those who are currently or anticipate caring for an aging parent.