The Mountain: My Time on Everest by Ed Viesturs

The Mountain: My Time on Everest Reviews

• 
  Alexa

  A solid entry in Everest/mountaineering canon, and enough to draw me to the rest of Viesturs works with David Roberts. Not my absolute fave, but it's undeniable that Ed's career is fodder for myriad fascinating stories about high altitude climbing. And lol did this book tease other books! I get why--if you've already written 400 pages on something, you're not going to retell those stories--but so many times it was like "I already told that really juicy story in this other book so I won't repeat it" and I was like *shaking my fist at library holds*
  
  So to that end, readers of mountaineering disaster canon and particularly about Everest should know Viesturs account of the 1996 disaster is not in the book, as it was covered in other works. The Mountain is more like a... glancing "biography" of the mountain's climbing history? Ish? So you get a bit of the early history. A bit of the earliest successful expeditions and mention of a controversy or two. A bit of a few of the famous Disaster Seasons. A walk through of Ed's personal history with the mountain--failing to summit, summitting, why he came back over and over.
  
  Roberts is a solid, functional writer--it's interesting, moves along nicely, but doesn't rank up there with my die-hard fave narrative journalistic takes (in terms of style of storytelling). You can tell he and Ed have an excellent partnership, with Roberts able to express Ed's stories and point of view vividly and well. I will be reading more of the Viesturs canon! The stories are just too good. I really want to read about Annapurna (library holds!).
  
  But I'd say if you have to be choosy about your Everest canon/time, I would recommend The Third Pole for a comprehensive history and analysis of "summit fever." Ed seems like SUCH a nice guy, really down to earth and thoughtful but also very forgiving of the entire Everest tourism climate. Which is totally fine, but it gives the whole book a more gauzy, skimming feel.
• 
  Navarra

  After having read a great deal of non-fiction about Everest and about mountain-climbing (mainly, but not exclusively, regarding the Himalayas) including nearly all Ed Viesturs' other books, I've begun to think that nearly any book about the 8000m mountains is good. Re: I'm not sure how reliable a review I am. However, if you enjoy a book that "cuts to the chase." He's the mountain climbing non-fiction author for you. Personally, I enjoy his succinct style. Also, I truly appreciate his philosophy of climbing, which has been demonstrated not by his successes, but by his failures (i.e. his ability to trust his instincts and "live to climb another day"). Another bonus with Ed Viesturs is his ability to avoid (for the most part) judgment of other climbers and their philosophies.
  
  There was not a lot of extremely new information for me in this book, but the Viesturs' perspective is always refreshing.
• 
  Dara

  I mostly enjoyed this book.
  Ed Viesturs spends a little too much time on the various historic climbs of Everest that I wasn't too interested in and I got bored with it (you can only read about George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's climb so many times before it's dull. Same for Edmund Hillary's and Tenzing Norgay's successful first summit). I preferred reading about his own personal experiences climbing the highest mountain in the world. Viesturs and his co-author David Roberts work very well together, making Ed's experiences visceral and personal. I'll continue to read their collaborations.
  
  B
• 
  Susan Liston

  Well if you want to read Ed Viesturs' version of the 1996 Everest tragedy, it's in his other book, No Shortcuts to the Top, apparently, he 'didn't want to repeat it here' even though this is a book about Everest...? That doesn't make a lot of sense unless of course it's make you go get the other book. But no matter, he's been to Everest 11 million other times. A lot of this book is about Everest history, some of which I could skip because I've read it multiple times before. But moments here are riveting, as with all mountain climbing books as your mind boggles that these people are even here to tell the story. And I have to give a shout out to a lovely saga about a Guy With A Mucus Plug...oh dear, well ya gotta read it. What fun! These people are truly insane, which is why I so love reading about them.
• 
  Katherine Jones

  There’s something about the highest point on earth that beckons the romantic in all of us–even though there’s nothing at all romantic about this peak. Summiting Mt. Everest requires absolute fortitude, determination and courage–which is underscored by the chilling truth that not every one who attempts to climb Mt. Everest makes it back.
  
  In Viesturs’ and Roberts’ hands, The Mountain is a story that manages to be both personal and global. Viesturs offers his take on many of the historical climbs of Everest, as well as his own poignant moments–such as, when during the filming of the IMAX movie (the highest grossing IMAX movie to date), he paused to pay homage to the frozen bodies of his friends Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, who had died making the ascent a year earlier.
  
  Another plus are the excerpts from Viesturs’ diary, which add to the “you are there” flavor of the book. So do some of the brutal details that don’t otherwise get a lot of press: the agonizing sore throats many climbers suffer, for example, as a result of breathing the cold, thin air; or their dry, hacking coughs, harsh enough to break ribs or bring up larynx lining.
  
  The Mountain is not a romantic account but plainly reveals the darker underbelly of the legend. All in all, a fascinating read–even for non-climbers, like me. Recommended.
  
  Thanks to Touchtone for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
  
• 
  Michelle

  If you are Ed Viesturs's mom, look away now. You may not want to read this...
  
  I love reading travel and adventure memoirs. Reading about places that I may never get to visit, dangers I may never get to experience, and people I may never get to meet makes me feel a little more well-rounded. I have armchair traveled to Everest several times and thought I would enjoy this book, so I bought it without reading anything about it.
  
  Ed Viesturs comes across as strangely unlikeable and a bit of an ass. He was featured in the Everest IMAX documentary and he didn't seem that way in the movie, so I have to attribute it to the weird combination of using a co-writer whose voice differed so greatly from the voice in Viestur's climbing diaries. The entire book reads as one huge humblebrag. He sprinkles stories of climbing history, his attempts on Everest and other 8000s, and adventures of other climbers he has known and worked with throughout the book. His diary entries made me think, "I'll bet this guy is insufferable at parties. He thinks he's amazing." I get it; you are brave and have successfully reached the summit several times--no small feat. I would never, ever attempt such insanity, as I hate to be cold and am a bit afraid of heights. He seemed critical of some of his peers and a bit smug about the decisions he would have made in those situations, as if his superior judgment is why he is alive today while so many others have perished. But Ed, mountain climbing is an inherently dangerous sport. If you have not had an unfortunate accident, I believe it is as much a matter of luck, not skill. Mother Nature can and will take you out at anytime, so count your blessings.
  
  I did enjoy all of the stories about various summit attempts on Everest, and would still recommend to people who love adventure and climbing. But Viesturs's writing definitely annoyed me. I have a copy of another one of his books, "No Shortcuts to the Top," and I will give it a try. Hopefully it is less of a humblebrag and more of a collection of entertaining climbing vignettes. One more chance, Ed, one more chance. Don't let me down!
  
• 
  Katherine Coble

  See my review for _No Shortcuts To The Top_.
  
  Isn't that irritating?? Well, I was pretty irritated when I got to the chapter on the 1996 disaster that was immortalized in _Into Thin Air_ and the IMAX film _Everest_. Because this seminal event, in which Viesturs played a key role is mentioned. MENTIONED. He says "if you're interested I already talk about it in _No Shortcuts To The Top_." I swear to the gods of print media that I honestly heard Gilderoy Lockhart in the back of my mind saying "For further details see my published works."
  
  This book is about Everest and the historic expeditions thereto. Chapters with Viesturs' experience alternate with chapters on expeditions of historic importance--eg. Hillary and Norgay. So if you are writing a book about famous expeditions, one of which you played a vital role in, one would THINK you'd include that in the book which is meant to discuss it. So what you already talked about it?? Talk about it again.
  
  Well, I checked _No Shortcuts_ out of the library. (So much for that cross-marketing tactic.) Frankly, he should at some point edit his books into one large compendium. There is do much repetition that the 3 books I've read really amount to what could be one comprehensive volume. If they ever do that it'd be a five star book. For now they've (and by they I mean Viesturs and his co-author) got quite a few 3 star books on their hands.
• 
  Dianne

  Although I give this 3 stars, it is not a bad book or one to pass by. My problem with it is that the title includes "My Time on Everest" but the vast majority of the book is about others' journeys on Everest. It's great at what it does - pointedly recount the history of climbing on Everest - but it wasn't what I expected. I have not read all of Viesturs' other books so perhaps they will help fill me in on what I was looking for out of this one.
  
  If you've not read or otherwise learned about climbing, this is not the first book you should read about it because Viesturs jumps right in using terminology (jumar, fixed rope, etc) and locations (Yellow Band, Western Cwm, etc) that you will probably not be familiar with. You could miss out on further understanding if you don't know them already - or aren't willing to look them up as you go.
• 
  Michael

  "Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory." - Ed Viesturs
  
  In and of itself, this book could be counted as just another addition to the list of books about Mt. Everest that I've read.
  
  But it's the mindset of the above quote that connected me to this account. My fascination with Everest goes back to grade school. Way before I found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Way before I became a father. Way before I ever set foot on a "real" mountain, let alone have the intent of climbing it. But now, as I approach my mid-40s, I am married, I'm a father, and I have 15 Colorado 14er summits (2 repeats). I want to live a long life and be around for my wife and children. I also want to keep climbing and become a better climber, strong enough to take on more difficult terrain.
  
  The Mountain is the first book I've read where I could feel the author's commitment to returning home to his family. Viesturs gives a remarkable account of figuring out how to balance being able to push himself, utilize his drive for success, and yet balance that with the requirement that he has to return home safely. I'm actually glad that I've read this later in life because the previous books and accounts I've read on Everest have given me the utmost respect for segments like the Khumbu Icefall and the Hillary Step and the risks that come with navigating those sections. Now, to read about Viesturs' success in those areas while knowing his priorities only adds to how remarkable I find his accounts.
  
  I also really enjoyed the historical narratives he included in this book, which reminded me of The Boys of Everest by Clint Willis. I will certainly read the rest of Viesturs' books. I initially planned to go to his K2 book next, but after reading this, I think I am most intrigued about his quest to conquer his nemesis, Annapurna, in The Will to Climb.
  
  If you enjoy mountaineering books, then I highly recommend The Mountain.
• 
  Brandon Carter

  Another wonderful book on mountaineering from Ed Viesturs and Dave Roberts. This book is very much in the vein of their books on K2 and Annapurna. It combines tales of Viesturs’ own time spent on Mt. Everest (Summited 7 times) with his musings on some of the most historically significant expeditions.
  
  The one thing that kind of bugged me was that there were a few times in the book when he brought up a subject only to say, “Well, I’m not going to go into that here.” He generally had good reasons for it, but it was a little off putting the third or fourth time. That’s nitpicking though, it really is a great book.
  
  Two caveats though. First, if you’re looking for Viesturs’ recounting of the 1996 Everest Disaster, he doesn’t speak about it very much in this book. Check out his first book “No Shortcuts To the Top” for that. It kind of sounds like he’s kind of tired of talking about it, and he admits that even Jon Krakauer, who wrote “Into Thin Air” and kicked it all off, won’t talk about it in public anymore either. I get that, after all, almost 25 years later what is there left to say?
  
  The second caveat also has to do with “Into Thin Air.” If you’re looking for kind of the “tell all” style of adventure narrative with a blow by blow account of every conflict that takes place on the mountain and the kind of caricatures that those books often create, you’re going to be disappointed. Viesturs doesn’t roll that way. I think that’s a good thing though. What you’ll get instead is an insightful story about Mt. Everest told by one of the most renowned mountaineers of his era. It’s not quite perfect but it’s definitely worth the journey!
• 
  Clara Mazzi

  Ed Viesturs (1959) è diventato il primo americano a completare l’Himalayan Crown nel 2005 ed è salito ben 11 volte sull’Everest. Dal titolo, “La mia avventura sull’Everest” mi aspettavo dei racconti di queste spedizioni. Invece il suo libro è una sorta di bigino (ben colorito) del voluminoso ed accurato lavoro dedicato all’Everest di Walt Unsworth, lungo più di mille pagine, in cui sono raccolte molte delle spedizioni degne di nota, dall’inizio fino agli anni Ottanta. Di conseguenza, chi fosse interessato alla storia dell’Everest, può trovare in questo libro una valida raccolta delle imprese più famose; chi invece fosse interessato più a Ed Viesturs, come me, credo che ne sarà un po’ insoddisfatto perché poco condivide con noi di sé. Mi è parso di capire che se si voglia conoscerlo meglio, bisogna leggere invece “No Shortcuts to The Top”, in italiano edito da Solferino, in cui racconta tutta la sua storia nel corso di questo suo progetto Endevour 8000. Piacevole, scorrevole, ma poco interessante per quello che riguarda l’alpinista in sé.
• 
  Timmy

  Although I get nervous anytime I'm on a balcony above the 4th floor or on a roller coaster above 11 feet, I love, love, love reading books about deadly mountain climbing adventures. You could offer me a billion dollars and I wouldn't attempt it myself but I love reading about other heroes accomplishing it. Said book talks about many of the legendary climbs of Everest and he does it well. But one funny thing about Ed Viesturs is that he criticizes other climber's books that criticize others in the group and says he would never do that. And yet every story of his climbs he does exactly that. "I've always felt what happens on Everest stays in Everest and it's not for me to say, having said that.....Tom was lazy and Dick was selfish and Harry couldn't climb."
  
  Regardless, this was a great book. The Mountain....Five Stars.
• 
  Bruce Perry

  This is a highly readable and engaging combination of Everest memoir by the acclaimed Himalayan climber and Cascades guide Ed Viesturs, and "history of Everest." Full of great stories about some of the greatest (daring, arduous, exhausting, almost suicidal) mountainclimbs of all-time, many of which have taken place on the world's highest mountain. Some limited but honest discussion about the circus that the Everest climbing season has become (although this book was published in 2013, and the Everest season has probably become even more bonkers!). Footnote trivia: We briefly met Ed Viesturs when I climbed Mt. Rainier with guides in 2011.
• 
  Lee Madden

  A very good read. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as his other books, most notably “no shortcuts to the top”, this is a very enjoyable narrative covering a range of topics relating to Everest, as well as Ed Visteurs own personal experiences on it. I love his other books but , for me, this one was narrower and less exciting given its focus and my own personal interests.
  
  It’s stands as a very good book on THE mountain, but if you’re interested in the more technical side of mountaineering, I’d suggest you try his other work.
• 
  Josh reading

  Having read Ed Viesturs, No Shortcut to the Top, as well as being an Everest aficionado, I was eager to read Ed’s tale on all of his Everest summit attempts along with a general history of the Everest climbs since Mallory and Irvine first set out nearly a century ago. I always learn something new about high altitude mountaineering when I read a Viesturs book, this is no exception. What a great read which provides avenues to learn more about many of the great Everest attempts over the years.
• 
  Sherry

  I returned recently from my fourth trip to Nepal and the Himalaya. I was lucky to visit the Tibet side of Everest this time. The high mountains have always been special to me, with of course Everest being the pinnacle. So it was great fun to read this book and feel a part of all the Everest adventures. Viesturs and Roberts, once again, did a wonderful job putting the adventures to words.
• 
  Aadesh

  As always Ed Viesturs has presented all the adventures done in Everest in a amazing way. I really liked how he praised the Polish team who tried to summit Everest in a Winter window despite only a month time. After completing this book, I felt like every expedition must publish some thing either a book or an article so that the whole world can benefit from their triumph.
• 
  Pianogirl

  Viesturs is probably my favourite mountaineering author. He's obviously extremely talented and driven, and his writing is very clear and he gets to the point with just the right amount of details. What adds to the pleasure of reading his books is he seems like a genuinely good guy; one who wants to do the right thing, who helps others and who loves his family.
• 
  Brian Rucker

  Really interesting and well-written. I was looking for books similar to Into Thin Air, which I've reread several times. I've also read other books by David Roberts. Highly recommended. I'm also reading his book on K2.
• 
  Marsha Altman

  I'm definitely getting more critical of these "I went up Everest and it was really hard" books, though his co-author (David Roberts) is a very good writer and he knows a lot about other famous climbs and that holds up the book considerably.
• 
  Tfalcone

  Yeah another mountain climbing book!
• 
  Carmen

  2.75
• 
  Matt Oreilly

  Anothe great book by the legend Ed V.