...well, I'd say read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. Or even Boukreev's The Climb or David Brashears High Exposure. I thought this book would be interesting because it's a different summit and a female climber. It does move at a brisk pace but it's definitely not up to par with the other titles.

To be fair, Kocour is not a professional writer. And while her interment on Denali might have been suspenseful for her, considering most of it was spent tentbound in a blizzard where she never appears to be in real danger there's not a lot going on for the reader. She is also (as other reviewers have observed) rather ungenerous towards her fellow climbers. Even her tentmate, the only one she seemed to get along with, gets described as "pleasant to look at, though not particularly handsome." And despite the assistance of a professional writer, some of the wording is awkward bordering on hilarious. Example: on complimenting one of her guides upon reaching the summit, she calls him "a tribute to his family's storied mountaineering history." Who talks like this-hands? Her ethnic stereotyping of some Korean climbers is also tiresome.

Still, it's an easy read and it does have some interesting detail about Denali and climbing in the death zone. And it's one of the few mountaineering books that I've seen written by a woman. So, read at your discretion.

Both my wife and I read this book in almost one sitting; it was very compelling. Her descriptions of the cold, the storm, and her relationships with the other climbers were right-on. This is the world of climbing as it exists today, and it gives excellent insite into the high-mountain disasters of recent history. I've climbed over 100 mountains higher than 11,000 feet--several of which were winter ascents and required technical ability. I'm not a professional mountain climber and I've never hired a guide. But I probably will hire a guide some day. To put this book down because the author isn't a full-time mountain climber is weak. I have a professional life outside of mountain climbing. That's the reality of modern climbing--is my experiance somehow less authentic because of that? This author was there, her writing is compelling, I enjoyed it immensely!

This was a real page turner. AND it came as close to an explanation I expect I'll ever get, as to why anyone would want to climb a mountain in the first place. The descriptions are terrific. The author sees with an artisit's eye and captures for the reader the raw beauty of Denali. She also captures the feel of the elements. Reading late into the night, I went out to walk my dog in a down parka, hat, gloves, etc....and folks, I live in California where it was 54 degrees outside. Ah, the power of the written word. This is a very different approach to climbing than portrayed by Krakauer's book, very team oriented. I never would have read either book, except I have a friend who climbs and have been trying to understand why for years, Kocour's book helped me do that whereas Krakauer's made me think I should reevaluate my friend's sanity. I am glad that I read both, but I think FACING THE EXTREME has by far the most to offer.