Jon Krakauer je americký spisovateľ a horolezec, oslavovaný pre svoje podmanivé príbehy z prostredia prírody a horolezectva. Jeho diela sa ponárajú do odolnosti ľudského ducha a hlbokej príťažlivosti prírodného sveta. Prostredníctvom žiarivého štýlu a dôkladného výskumu prenáša čitateľov do odľahlých a náročných krajín, pričom skúma témy rizika, posadnutosti a prežitia.
V marci 1996 ma časopis Outside vyslal do Nepálu, aby som sa zúčastnil a napísal o horskými vodcami vedenom výstupe na Mount Everest. Šiel som naň ako jeden z ôsmich klientov expedície, vedenej známym vodcom z Nového Zélandu Robom Hallom. 10. mája som vystúpil na vrchol hory, ten vrchol však vyšiel veľmi draho.Z piatich mojich tímových kolegov zahynuli štyria, vrátane Halla, v silnej búrke, ktorá sa bez varovania rozpútala vo chvíli, keď sme boli ešte vysoko na štíte. Kým som zostúpil do základného tábora, bolo deväť horolezcov z našej expedície mŕtvych a do konca mesiaca mali prísť o život traja ďalší.
V apríli 1992 sa mladý muž z bohatého prostredia na východnom pobreží USA vybral stopovať na Aljašku, aby sám prešiel divočinou severne od vrchu Denali. O štyri mesiace neskôr našli lovci jeho rozkladajúce sa telo. Christopher Johnson McCandless, vynikajúci študent a športovec z Washingtonu D.C., po ukončení štúdia na Emoryho univerzite zmizol. Zmenil si meno, daroval svojich 20 000 dolárov na charitu, opustil auto a väčšinu majetku a spálil hotovosť. Začal nový život na okraji spoločnosti, túlal sa po Severnej Amerike a hľadal intenzívne zážitky. Jeho rodina netušila, kde je, až kým sa nenašli jeho pozostatky.
Bol to idealistický mladík, ktorý sa inšpiroval dielom Leva Nikolajeviča Tolstého a jeho asketizmom. Keď sa vybral do aljašskej divočiny, vedel, že hľadá nebezpečenstvo a výzvy. Počas 16 týždňov takmer prežil, no jedna či dve malé chyby mu boli osudné. Jeho smrť zasiahla rodinu a vyvolala rozporuplné reakcie verejnosti. Niektorí obdivovali jeho odvahu a ideály, iní ho považovali za bezohľadného blázna, ktorý doplatil na svoju aroganciu a nevedomosť.
In this collection of his finest work from such magazines as "Outside" and "Smithsonian," Krakauer explores mountaineering from the unique and memorable perspective of one who has battled peaks like K2, Denali, Everest, and, of course, the Eiger.
Jon Krakauer’s literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. He now shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders, taking readers inside isolated American communities where some 40,000 Mormon Fundamentalists still practice polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God.At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Scott and Amundsen's Race to the South Pole - Revised and Updated
640 stránok
23 hodin čítania
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the South Pole was the most coveted prize in the fiercely nationalistic modern age of exploration. In the brilliant dual biography, the award-winning writer Roland Huntford re-examines every detail of the great race to the South Pole between Britain's Robert Scott and Norway's Roald Amundsen. Scott, who dies along with four of his men only eleven miles from his next cache of supplies, became Britain's beloved failure, while Amundsen, who not only beat Scott to the Pole but returned alive, was largely forgotten. This account of their race is a gripping, highly readable history that captures the driving ambitions of the era and the complex, often deeply flawed men who were charged with carrying them out. THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH is the first of Huntford's masterly trilogy of polar biographies. It is also the only work on the subject in the English language based on the original Norwegian sources, to which Huntford returned to revise and update this edition.
Although the reader knows from the beginning that a disaster is brewing, they are quickly caught up in "summit fever." Krakauer recounts the story and adventures of great Everest pioneers, including Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the two men who first reached the summit. He also makes it clear that Everest is an unforgiving mountain. Before anyone managed to set foot on the summit for the first time, it had already claimed the lives of 24 people from 15 different expeditions. Details about the technical aspects of this ascent explain to the novice climber how dangerous— even under the best conditions— the endeavor to reach the roof of the world is. The sobering toll of this ill-fated expedition—the deadliest in Everest's history: by the end of summit day, eight people had lost their lives.
After the Fall, Mark Foo's Last Ride and Other Essays from the Vault
174 stránok
7 hodin čítania
The gripping articles in Classic Krakauer , originally published in periodicals such as The New Yorker , Outside , and Smithsonian , display the singular investigative reporting that made Jon Krakauer famous—and show why he is considered a standard-bearer of modern journalism. Spanning an extraordinary range of subjects and locations, these articles take us from a horrifying avalanche on Mt. Everest to a volcano poised to obliterate a big chunk of greater Seattle at any moment; from a wilderness teen-therapy program run by apparent sadists to an otherwordly cave in New Mexico, studied by NASA to better understand Mars; from the notebook of one Fred Beckey, who catalogued the greatest unclimbed mountaineering routes on the planet, to the last days of legendary surfer Mark Foo. Rigorously researched and vividly written, marked by an unerring instinct for storytelling and scoop, the pieces in Classic Krakauer are unified by the author’s ambivalent love affair with unruly landscapes and his relentless search for truth.
Acquaintance rape presents a unique and harrowing challenge for victims, who often face more scrutiny than their alleged assailants. This is particularly true for women who are sexually active, have been drinking, or accuse someone associated with a popular sports team. The trauma of being raped is compounded by the societal and legal hurdles that follow. When victims approach law enforcement, they may encounter undertrained officers who question their credibility, suggesting infidelity rather than taking their claims seriously. The difficulty of proving rape often leads to discouragement, as district attorneys may refuse to prosecute cases. Even if the assailant is indicted, victims often face community backlash, with rumors and stigmatization spreading through social media. The rare instances of false accusations are highlighted in the media, further undermining victims' credibility. If a case reaches trial, the defense may exploit the victim's personal life, adding to their trauma. This brutal reality contributes to acquaintance rape being one of the most underreported crimes in America. Victims endure not only physical harm but also profound psychological damage, resulting in shame, emotional paralysis, and stigmatization. The narrative follows several women in Missoula, detailing their experiences of rape, the aftermath, and the challenges they faced from law enforcement and society, showcasing their courage despite the i
Irrepressible individualist and iconoclast Pat Tillman walked away from his $3.6 million NFL contract in May 2002 to enlist in the United States Army. Deeply troubled by 9/11, he felt a strong moral obligation to join the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Two years later, he died on a desolate hillside in Afghanistan. Though obvious to most on the scene that a ranger in Tillman's own platoon had fired the fatal shots, the Army aggressively maneuvered to keep this information from Tillman's family and the American public for five weeks following his death, while President Bush repeatedly invoked Tillman's name to promote his administration's foreign policy. Biographer Krakauer draws on his journals and letters, interviews with his wife and friends, conversations with the soldiers who served alongside him, and extensive research in Afghanistan to render this driven, complex, and uncommonly compelling figure as well as the definitive account of the events and actions that led to his death.--From publisher description
The narrative vividly captures the stunning landscapes and rich culture of Iceland through the authors' adventurous journey of walking, climbing, and photographing the country. Their experiences intertwine with the chilling sagas of Iceland, providing a deep connection to both the land and its history. The book offers a unique exploration of Iceland's natural beauty and its legendary tales, bringing the country's spirit to life.
Argues that author and humanitarian Greg Mortenson, noted for his campaign to open schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, has not been truthful about his past, his reasons for opening schools, or his abduction by the Taliban.
In this pioneering anthology, Clint Willis presents 75 years of great writing -- from Neil O'Dell to Jon Krakauer -- on the fabled peaks. Here are stories of two British expeditions to Everest in the 1920s; a piece on the 1939 K2 attempt that claimed four climbers' lives; a firsthand account by the Sherpa who reached the summit of Everest in 1953 with Edmund Hillary; the story of the first successful American assault on K2 in 1978; a British photographer's view of the calamitous 1996 storm on Everest; and many more -- a cornucopia of mountaineering thrills for adventurous readers.
In eisige Höhen, von Jon Krakauer / Arbeit an einem Wunder, von Mahlon Johnson und Joseph Olshan / Verschlussache BND, von Udo Ulfkotte / Man nennt mich Mama Daktari, von Anne Spoerry
Il film di Sean Penn tratto dal libro di Jon Krakauer, Nelle Terre Estreme, la vera storia di Chris McCandless e la vicenda editoriale e cinematografica di un grande successo - DVD + contenuti speciali
Il film racconta la storia del giovane idealista Christopher McCandless che, abbandonata la vita normale di tutti i giorni, va a vivere nella selvaggia Alaska. (Mymovies).