Reading this book has given me a new perspective in regards to non-fiction literature. I haven’t fancied this before; I would always reach for a fictional story if given a choice. I never quite understood the enjoyment people felt when reading non-fiction pieces. However, I decided to give this type of writing a chance once again. I have to confess that I found pleasure in reading this book. I believe that this is because people change as they age, and I am now able to see the value in reading books about real events. Their importance has been brought to my attention, and I appreciate the fact that I gain knowledge of interesting topics as I progress through a non-fiction novel.
I am someone who greatly values knowledge, but have never known a monumental amount about mountain climbing. This book has increased the amount of information on mountain climbing I contain. The author not only talked about what he did while on Mount Everest, but he talked about the experiences of other people he was climbing with. This was nice because it showed how unity and working with people has an immensely large importance, and what can happen if people only care about themselves.
We’ve all been told that we should follow directions, but have you ever realized that not doing so could be the cause of your death? For the summit day, a time was set to let people know when they needed to start heading back down the mountain. Not many climbers followed this time, and that did contribute to the fact that not all of the climbers made it back down the mountain. A horrible storm showed up, and some of the climbers were caught in it because they hadn’t yet started down the mountain, even though it was past the turnaround time. Remember, actions have consequences. Also, stepping onto the summit only marks the half-way point of the journey.
In addition to talking about what happened while he and his fellow climbers were on the mountain, John included information on people who climbed Everest before him. This was a phenomenal move because it gave the reader an opportunity to learn history of the mountain.
I would certainly recommend this book to a friend, family member, or stranger. I enjoyed how the chapters of the novel weren’t in chronological order; that made the book unique and interesting.