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K2 cover art

K2

By: Ed Viesturs, David Roberts
Narrated by: Fred Sanders
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Summary

A thrilling chronicle of the tragedy-ridden history of climbing K2, the world's most difficult and unpredictable mountain, by the bestselling authors of No Shortcuts to the Top

At 28,251 feet, the world's second-tallest mountain, K2 thrusts skyward out of the Karakoram Range of northern Pakistan. Climbers regard it as the ultimate achievement in mountaineering, with good reason. Four times as deadly as Everest, K2 has claimed the lives of seventy-seven climbers since 1954. In August 2008 eleven climbers died in a single thirty-six-hour period on K2–the worst single-event tragedy in the mountain's history and the second-worst in the long chronicle of mountaineering in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. Yet summiting K2 remains a cherished goal for climbers from all over the globe. Before he faced the challenge of K2 himself, Ed Viesturs, one of the world's premier high-altitude mountaineers, thought of it as "the holy grail of mountaineering."

In K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, Viesturs explores the remarkable history of the mountain and of those who have attempted to conquer it. At the same time he probes K2's most memorable sagas in an attempt to illustrate the lessons learned by confronting the fundamental questions raised by mountaineering–questions of risk, ambition, loyalty to one's teammates, self-sacrifice, and the price of glory. Viesturs knows the mountain firsthand. He and renowned alpinist Scott Fischer climbed it in 1992 and were nearly killed in an avalanche that sent them sliding to almost certain death. Fortunately, Ed managed to get into a self-arrest position with his ice ax and stop both his fall and Scott' s.

Focusing on seven of the mountain's most dramatic campaigns, from his own troubled ascent to the 2008 tragedy, Viesturs and Roberts crafts an edge-of-your-seat narrative that climbers and armchair travelers alike will find unforgettably compelling. With photographs from Viesturs's personal collection and from historical sources, this is the definitive account of the world's ultimate mountain, and of the lessons that can be gleaned from struggling toward its elusive summit.

©2009 Ed Viesturs and David Roberts (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“Riveting . . . Viesturs illuminates K2’s challanges, triumphs, tragedies, and follies.”The Daily Beast


“Viesturs’s you-are-there narration communicates effortlessly the enormous effort, and high adventure, of scaling K2.”Publishers Weekly

What listeners say about K2

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Excellent history of climbing K to

This book has brought together many other books and shown in Monbulk the total history of planning and Kate to the ups and downs and she again year of this Mt even Liberty the tenants mother few women that tempted to climb gay K2 The awful danger and reliability of the mountains and many well-known climbers the used different techniques alpine Everest hell solo without oxygen et cetera
The fact that ratio what are use this matter has highest attempt to death rate in the hole because Emily is good history good read and brings together many famous books go together into one good read. As exclaim I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope that people will take something away from it to especially the joy of climbing on the challenge you face

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating chronicle of the difficulties of K2

Possibly a little self centered but nevertheless the thoroughness of the research needed to give such an enlightening insight into the challenges and tragedies of K2 can only be applauded. I was hooked from the moment I started listening.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

Loved it!! I've read a lot of books on climbing, and thought I knew quite a lot about K2, but this told me so much I didn't know, plus a re-interpretation of previous climbs from Visteurs' personal experience. Fascinating and well written. Could hardly bear to put it down/switch it off. Will get his other book now in the hope its just as good.

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3 people found this helpful

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Ammmmazing

Listened to this book 4 times since purchasing it this month!

If you are interested in mountain climbing and the challenges that people face in this endeavour this is a great book for you.

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2 people found this helpful

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Gripping and Fascinating

I loved this audio book. It is gripping and thoroughly interesting but in a non-sensationalist or glorifying way. It is honest and heart felt with genuine opinion. It describes many feelings and sentiments that I can easily imagine given the descriptive accounts. excellent.

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1 person found this helpful

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k2

well read with tons of detail and theory a well researched book , enjoyed it very much

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It's so dull I didn't get past 40 mins

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who already knows a lot about mountaineering, K2 specifically, and is familiar with the stories around those who have successfully made the journey as well as those who did not.

What was most disappointing about Ed Viesturs and David Roberts ’s story?

You need to be an expert in the topic already - if you're not (I'm not) then it quickly sounds like meaningless base camp codes, altitudes, names and years. The author refers to his own expertise enough times that it just comes across as self-flagellation and an 'I wouldn't have done it like that' approach to the stories of those who died trying to conquer K2.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, unfortunately

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from K2?

I wasn't interested enough to listen any longer. I don't think I even got past chapter 1 of 8.

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1 person found this helpful

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Fantastic history of K2

I am easily distracted but this audio book kept my attention. Interesting and riveting. The author clearly knows his stuff having achieved it all himself.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Impossible listen

Book is obviously interesting to Alpinest's but it is impossible to listen to it. It just never stays in same place constantly jumping from different quotes,from different editors and authors,from different decades and climbs.For reading only I'm afraid

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  • Overall
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If you love the mountains..you will love this!

This is such a good listen! actually swapt from the book I was listening too, to finish this first!
so many great stories and also some sad but realistic things that happen on one of the most incredible but dangerous places in the world. got so many books to carry on with from the narrator's story!

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