Master of Thin Air: Life and Death on the World's Highest Peaks

The author is a bit full of himself, but it is really a great read. You need to be interested in climbing and mountains to begin with.

First of all, Mr. Lock is not an impressive writer. He writes sketchily and is more keen to reach the summit in his narrative than giving us a fulfilling read of his superlative mountaineering achievements. We are given to believe that he likes the challenge, the climb, the vicissitudes of friendship and betrayals, the worth of human relationships and the ultimate self discovery more than the mere act of reaching the summit. But he is unable to express it well. His narrative exposes an ego at odds with the might of Himalayas.However, I liked reading his book. Especially, the Annapurna and Kanchenjunga accounts are hair raising. His advice to the Nepalese Government in his epilogue is sound and as an Indian I know exactly what he is saying. Best of course is his pride in being an actual mountaineer and not a piece of luggage who is dragged to the summit by Sherpas. Three cheers for the real hero - the genuine mountaineer!

His story telling in the first 2 chapters was pretty weak,I almost put the book down.However I am glad I didn't,he started to express himself with more detail and humor,He gives a short history of each peak then jumps into his climb.He tells us what we need to know and skips over the parts that have made other mountaineering books drag on.Great read, I highly recommend.

Very entertaining book about the author's quest to climb all of the 8,000 meter peaks in the world. Conveys the physical challenges of the climbs and well as the challenges of working with others to accomplish their goals.

Very much worth reading if you are interested in mountain climbing.

Great book, really gave good detail. I could not put the book down.

He may be a good climber, but by his own words, he is a cold and callus climber. The type that give modern climbers a bad name. I found his attitude so offensive that I did not finish the book.

Another nice book by a very good author!