Left for Dead (Movie Tie-in Edition) - My Journey Home from Everest

I had heard about Beck Weathers and remembered the story of the Everest climb that turned in a huge tragedy.

Beck tells his story without reservation. He paints a dark picture of the selfish self centered man he was. He doesn't hold anything back. The book is very colorful and interesting. The stories about climbing are very harrowing!

It is also a book about redemption! He lives, against impossible odds and turns his life around!

This is a very interesting and heartfelt book about Beck Weathers and his family and the effect that his mountain climbing had on their life. When he was in serious trouble and thought to be dead on the mountain, he made several promises to himself about his family and he has followed through. A sad tragedy with his wife's brother cemented his agenda and he and his family are now in better shape. This book is very touching and I recommend that anyone who followed the tragic events on Mount Everest in 1996 add this to their library.

This book is a hard read due its disjointed structure of multiple narrators and temporal shifting. Michaud is no Faulkner and this story is not modernist fiction. None of the text offers any further insight into the May 1996 disaster. Most of the narration is done by Beck and/or Peach Weather, two unsympathetic people who seem very self-absorbed. One star for the selflessness described by brothers Dan and Howard.

Outstanding account of one man's struggle with himself, and this majestic mountain. Especially poignant as he shares his own personal struggles and inner demons, which took more bravery than tackling the climb. Beck Weathers was my pathophysiology professor in nursing school, back in '76-'77. He possesses a unique gift for narrating, as well as an amazing sense of humor! An incredible story, a must-read!

The first few chapters are pretty good and he recounts the events of the climb. Then it's all down hill. Most of the book is about Beck's family and home life. Not what I want to read about. Should have read other reviews before I purchased. Not worth the money.

Interesting enough of a story of a mountain climb leaving physical injuries, a guy who was kind of a jerk to his family for decades realizing how valuable family ties were when he was facing death, monumental efforts to rescue him and help with his recovery, reconciliation with his family. Some of it did not ring true for me, as how sincere were his new-found values of family and friendship under circumstances when he had such a huge obligation for the humongous efforts made on his behalf, and became (at least temporarily) physically dependent. Now he's become a motivational speaker, but what has he done for the poverty-stricken Sherpa climbers who helped save him, and families of those who died in the same storm who risked their lives so he could have warm beverages in his tent and oxygen delivered to high altitude? He accepted the services of Sherpa climbers throughout, yet he speaks at best nonchalantly about all they did on the expedition, and at worst disrespectfully and disdainfully.

This is a whiny book in which Beck Weathers blames everyone but himself for his predicament. I truly hated how he was so self-pitying, self-aggrandizing, and antagonistic. In fact, I struggled to finish the book because I was so sick of him and had begun to dislike him intensely, while feeling sorry for his neglected and long-suffering family. Besides, it is so poorly organized and written that it offended my sensibilities, the kiss of death for me with any book.

I expected more information from book. All the info it provided was about how much of a jerk Mr. Weathers seemed to be prior to his trip to Everest. Glad he survived and is ok. The movie didn't show this side of him.

Beck's sense of humor and timing are priceless. The story is more interesting and personal then the Everest event as a whole. Beck's dealings with his personal life touched me as I tackle my demons on a daily basis. The author put the story together as if you could almost hear the characters talking

I am fascinated by stories of high-altitude climbers, and have read a few. After reading Into Thin Air 1ST Edition, I thought it would be interesting (to say the least!) to get Dr Weather's take on the events of May 1996 on Everest. NOT SO!

I found this book to be literally _unreadable_. Not only is it poorly-written, but the more of it I forced myself to plod through, the more I disliked Beck Weathers. He came across as profoundly selfish and self-centered, shallow, and a whining, self-aggrandizing braggart, with nothing, really, to brag about. His mentions of his wife and family only reinforced my opinion. Any sympathy I originally may have had for Dr Weathers was very quickly drowned in my dislike.

In my opinion, rich, bored, "clients" who spend tens of thousands of dollars attempting to trivialize huge, magnificent peaks into their next "mine is better than yours" vacation have no business at all in "the death zone." (It is called that for a reason, get it?) I wouldn't wish what happened to Dr Weathers on anyone, but why was he there in the first place?

I could not finish this book. I actually threw it across the room in disgust. The ONLY good thing I can say about it is that at least it was Dr Weathers himself ringing the register to cash in on his own suffering.

Do yourself a BIG favor, and read something by Maurice Herzog Annapurna-Heroic Conquest of the Highest Mountain-26, 493 Ft. Ever Climbed By a Man, Ed Viesturs K2: Life and Death on the World's Most Dangerous Mountain, or Lionel Terray Conquistadors of the Useless: From the Alps to Annapurna instead!

If you like to read about real mountaineering, try a book by Joe Simpson or Jon Krakauer. If you want to read a book about a guy who blows off his family to climb, and all the damage he does because of it, then this book is ideal for you.

I was hoping to read a survival story, instead I got family dynamics.

Probable one of the worst books I have ever read. I am no critic; but....even though Beck Weathers sounds like an interesting guy. The book ineptly titled My return from Everest....ended on page 109. the next 244 pages covered his disasterous and selfish marriage with Peach (his wife).

A extaordinary, candidly written work.It seems Dr. Weathers was for a long period lost to himself as much as to his wife and family.That he lived for climbing and nearly sacrificed his life to it is above all a much rued self acknowledged fact.That he awoke to this reality in such a state is nothing if not miraculous proof of Dr. Weathers' real and deep love for Peach and their children avalanched as it was by this deep-rooted obsession - I find no other word for it. Great people often suffer from great flaws and this prince of a guy received the grace that turned his into blessings. Beck and Peach are truly deserving of each other and their second chance. Thank God.

I have read several books and many articles relating to the 1996 Everest disaster and was looking forward to reading Beck Weather's account.
Instead, we get a whiny, pathetic tale of poor little rich man who needs to indulge his every obesession and whim at the expense of his family and friends. Although his tale of survival on Everest is amazing, in the context of this book the reader will be amazed that Mr. Weathers lasted so long as to get to Everest in the first place.
The writing is horrible and self-serving, with interludes from various people in his life, including his wife and friends, many of which seem to have nothing nice to say about him.
Conversely, one may find it tough to relate to Mr. Weathers or those who interject themselves into the narrative, in particular his wife Peach whose life seemingly revolves around the gossip of other North Dallas housewives and standing a top a high perch of revolting moral righteousness [at one point, she acts like a divorce is akin to cold blooded murder]. About two-thirds of the way through the book I was hoping that somehow Mr. Weathers and his wife would both find themselves trapped in a hopeless cold, this time without such a happy ending.

Beck Weathers' account of the tragedy on Everest offers something that the others do not: a picture of the dedication and self(ish) sacrifice demanded by the "big" climbs. The value of this account is the hardship that Everest claims on the families of climbers before, during and after the expeditions. I would recommend this book to climbers and their families as a tale from a man who had it all, and didn't discover it until he was left for dead.

The worst. Horrible writing style and incredibly boring. Not to mention the fact that what he wrote in regards to Anatoli's guiding clients was a lie. Additionally, his assumption that he and Yasuko were left for dead because they were Hall's clients or rather, Fischer's clients were saved first because they were Fischer's is bull. Yasuko and Beck were already practically dead that that point. Obviously the strongest should be saved first. You can't haul an almost dead body, in a blizzard, after summiting the tallest mountain on earth, while having just saved another group of people. I would have left him too. Anatoli, as amazing as he was, still wasn't a super hero.

And as a side note, Beck complains that Anatoli was inattentive to his clients but then whines that Anatoli took care of his clients. Can't have it both ways. Anatoli's lack of O2 was not the reason for a fast descent. It was ordered by Fischer himself. It seems as though all these survivors want to blame anyone but themselves for getting in that mess. However, they all chose to climb knowing it could kill them. Take some personal responsibility Weathers.

Many of the negative reviews of this book contain complaints that it spends too much time talking about Beck Weather's personal life and not enough about the disaster on Everest or mountaineering in general. Left For Dead is a *personal* narrative which complements the books on the subject and adds much to our understanding of at least one participant.

I found the whole book to be a fascinating read, and to understand Beck's upbringing, life, obsession with climbing, and emotional makeup may in fact tell up something about the other members of the climb. I have no doubt at least some of them share the same traits or stories.

The decision to allow Beck's family members to add their voice was a wise one and used to great effect. It gave the book an air of authenticity and emotional honesty, though it must have hurt to do so. I'm grateful that they chose to share that part of themselves.

So if you want to read the definitive word on what happened on Everest that day, read Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. But if you want to feel like a participant in what drives a person to do this climb, how it feels to return from a near clinical death, and what it takes to recover physically and to live your life afterwards, read this book. It's worth the trip.

"Left for dead" is the extraordinary survival story of Beck Weathers during the infamous 1996 Mount Everest Disaster that will go down in the annals of Himalayan history as one of the most tragic, yet most avoidable. Where "Left for Dead" differs from other '96 Everest memoirs like "Into Thin Air" & "No Shortcuts to the Top" is in its deeply-personal nature. Beck Weathers spares the reader no details about his growing obsession with climbing the world's tallest peaks, and the destructive effect this had on his marriage and his family. Weathers threw himself and his fortune into his obsession, which makes "Left for Dead" a psychological journey as well as a physical one. On May 10th, 1996, Beck Weathers was "technically dead", buried in a clump of ice on the South Col at 7,900 feet, but some indescribable force intervened and caused him to rise from the dead, so to speak, and seek help. Whatever force that was is one of life's great mysteries, a metaphor perhaps, that no matter how hopeless a person's situation may be, there is always a way out. "Left for Dead" is a testimony to man's ability to repair his damaged psyche and his ruined life no matter what the odds, and find his way home.

Beck's book "Left for Dead" took a little warming up to but once I finished it I realized how much I enjoyed it. I kind of divided it into 4 quarters, and just putting it out there that the 2nd 1/4 is really not needed. Its the background of how Beck grew up in the mid-west and doesn't add much. At first I didn't like that it jumped around using other family members to narrate, but by the end it provided some great [differing] perspectives. This wasn't a total mountaineering book, like the other biggies ("No Shortcuts" or "Into Thin Air" for instance), but more of a character study and come-back story of a depressed, and sometimes conflicted Doctor and family man.

Let it be known, this is really kind of a follow-up book to other mountaineering books, most notably to Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" where most people were probably introduced to Beck's impossible story. This will also help with some of the mountaineering terminology and atmosphere that may not be well known.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I have read all the books I can get my hands on about the 1996 Everest tragedy - enjoying mostly what I've read - but this book has been different. It has a more human appeal than the other books. We get the "behind the scenes" look at what it takes to go through something like Beck did. Beck takes us through the tragedy, the aftermath, and his life before. This is truly an amazing account from an amazing man who puts the whole tragedy into perspective. Thanks!

This is an autobiography, and not "a return from Everest". Not to his fault, the problem with this saga is that he spent some 12-16 hours unconscious, lying down on the ice. There were no 12 hours of wondering around, eating insects, struggling trying to survive. The man came to, walked about 400 meters in the correct direction (judging the wind), and made it back to camp. This makes his story's actual material very limited. Again, not his fault. But I could have not imagined a worse way of writing this story; and the 2.9 stars it gets at the store is proof of the lousy style and content of the book. There is something to be said when others' books telling YOUR story, get better reviews.

The book starts with the author diving right into Everest and the events of the expedition for the first 90 or so pages; and he is done. Done. Then you need to return for the last 30 pages or so to get info on recovery, surgeries, etc. The middle 170 pages or so are boring beyond belief. His wife, who was instrumental in getting the helicopter rescue going, not only gets her deserved space to describe those painful events going on in Dallas during the rescue. But by then you have gotten used to her interrupting the story; and she does all through out the book; to the bitter end. If this is not enough, her girlfriends get into the action too (I was waiting for: PATTY: Beck never does the dishes, and Peach hates that!). You start coming across these names writing for half a page or so and you wonder "who are you???", and "who cares??".

You do sympathize with the author's battle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Otherwise, as so many have mentioned, this guy is not someone you want to be stranded with alone on an island. Early in the book, you get the first hint you are dealing with someone "special". Most of us would break in new hiking boots before going for any hike. Not Mr. Weathers; he showed up at Everest with sparkling new, "unbroken" boots; because "I do not believe in breaking in shoes". Your reaction as you read that is a "no way!!!, you gotta be kidding!!!", followed by an explanation to your wife sitting next to you.

This book could have been saved by adding more details on his life back. It was published some 4 years after the tragedy; plenty of time to settle in his new life and daily routine. All this detail could have replaced his childhood years (and his very annoying wife's bio).

Some people don't break in shoes; some of us do not pay attention to the store reviews when we are set on reading a topic. Shame on me.

Beck; this was supposed to be your book; not your wife's. I am sure Howie was a great man (your wife sure wasted plenty of pages of your "Left for Dead, my return from Everest" to tell us about him); but welcome to the lives the rest of us live. We all lose love ones to cancer. So you got frustrated and angry because Howie's health insurance company did not care and would not do anything for him? Well, welcome to the club; imagine the rest of us that do not have connections like you do (one of the Bush twins was in your daughter's class). I hope part of your transformation was not only becoming a better husband and father; but also a better human being.

Great True story, Well worth it. It certainly kept me picking it up at every spare moment. Even better it kept me away from Social media and aimless browsing which not all books do? All the events on Everest are covered but the majority of the story is how Beck got to that situation in the first place and how he became a different person during the tragedy and afterwards. Unusually written with the other people involved in the timeline writing their take on the events, which is good. They do not always agree with Beck.
I could identify with some of beck after his ordeal. Before Everest he comes over as somebody I personally could not figure, but the writing is good enough so this strange alien personality comes across sufficiently for you to see why he made his decisions. It is a sad book in many different ways. I wish him all the best in the future.

The image of Beck Waethers' frostbitten face is one I have stamped on my memory. I have often wondered what happened to this survivor of the deadly 1996 Everest Expedition. Beck returned to Dallas to try pick up the pieces of his life and discovered, for all intents and purposes, he had almost lost his family as well. This book is the combined stories of Beck Weathers and his wife, Peach (I was so glad to find she actually had another name). It touches on Beck's growing up, his schooling, getting married and how he became obsessed with conquering the Seven Summits. Peach adds her observations and commentary on the family that for all intents and purposes came along for the recovery. It is a tale of struggling to find self, (both Weathers)and a marriage. The most interesting thing about this book is the narritative style and the absolute honesty of both writers. You find yourself wondering if Beck will ever overcome his feelings of inadequacy and will he ever really reach out and make an emotional connection with those closest to him. There is enough about the climb to remind the reader this was a serious and driven climber. Left For Dead is more a story of redemption, and a tale that leaves its reader wondering if it will ever be completely found in Beck's mind.

The book was okay. Beck talking about his climbing and the incident on Everest was great. Even the background of his life was nice as it gives the reader a little window into who mountain climbers are. Not ever climber begins climbing at age 5 like Messner. The reason I'm giving this book only 3 stars is because of the "other" writer, his wife Peach. She simply bashes him throughout most of the book. Rather than admit she mad a mistake herself and got married to beck too young, she comments throughout the book about how everything is his fault. He is the one with the problem. What sadden me was that towards the end Beck starts agreeing with her. For her comments in a majority of the book I give it 1 star. All the additional comments by his children and others, especially his wife's friends, gets a bit much (I had to skip over some of it-male bashing etc). As a climber myself I'll admit he did climb some impressive peaks prior to Everest. It's sad that he didn't get to complete the 7 Summits. As long as you don't read Peach's comments then it's a good book; read her comments and you'll be very annoyed.

I just finished the paperback. Actually I could not put this book down. I stretched it to 10 days and have ordered another round of Everest books (being a fellow Everest junkie like all of you.) The first Everest book I read was the superb "Into Thin Air." Since then, I have been finding all the subsequent Everest books on the store.
The only complaints I have about this book is the lack of high quality photos (paperback version), the only photo's being grainy blk & whites group shots of Beck Weathers and friends. The other is that there is a rather large section of the book going into deep detail on Beck's family tree. I skipped that part and went on to experiences Beck had on the other 7 summits of the world and the narrative was worth the purchase price ( I had bought "The 7 Summits" and the narrative was so bad, I could not finish that book...and what an interesting subject. Too bad that book wasn't written by a good ghost writer.)For Everest junkies, this book is very well written and gave me some insights into my own marriage. Beck has had a life-long mid-life crisis it seems and Everest finally purged the demons from his life. I hope he lives a long happy life.

I'm laughing from reading the other reviews....this book was definitely a bait and switch but I still mostly liked it even though Mt. Everest figured only as a backdrop. It was more like reading someone's personal journal and I did find it interesting. Actually, I listened to the unabridged tapes. I am sorry to say this but the reader was horrible and grated terribly on my nerves... almost to the point of not finishing. My biggest complaint was the reader's rendition of a woman's southern accent. Maybe the real Peach really sounds like that but I live in the south and the accent sounded totally fake to me....the way a non southerner would imagine it. Also, I'm nit-picking but there were several mispronounciations: the worst for me as a nurse was calling an AMBU bag an "AMU" bag. I guess Beck didn't listen to the tape???? Also....hello, Beck? One doesn't walk into a hospital for a summer job and work as a "Scrub NURSE". Last time I checked we still had to go to nursing school and take state boards before practicing as an RN. I'm splitting hairs...I guess he was referring to a scrub STUDENT? nurse/tech position but as a doc he should have known better. Like Peach said, he was NOT aware of how other people reacted to him....still isn't, I guess.As one other reader mentioned, my favorite part was about their cats. That was pretty creative and made me laugh. I did like what Beck says at the end about his spiritual side being a "work in progress." but I didn't get the feeling he'd really made ammends with his family.

Anyone who has read Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" should read this as well. I was curious to get a chance to hear Dr. Beck Weathers' side of the story, and he tells it in a straightforward way, not blaming anyone for the tragedy that left him with multiple amputations and several other people dead, when in fact there was plenty of blame to go around. What is off-putting are the included comments from Dr. Weathers' wife, who clearly does not understand him in the least and has consistently refused to share any of his interests (one fine example being her comment that she wouldn't go sailing with him because the boat wasn't air conditioned) and then complains that he has ignored his family. Well, it seems as if there is plenty of blame to go in both directions. Fortunately it's fairly easy to skim over the family dysfunction stuff and concentrate on the climbing. Dr. Weathers is a courageous, humorous man, and he seems to have survived his ordeal in better order than might have been expected. You'll finish the book wishing him well, as I do.

Amazing, riveting, a real page turner...all descriptions of many Everest adventures ( I have read more than my share). This one may top them all. Why? Because while most of us cannot actually go climb the highest peaks in the world like Beck Weathers, most of us can identify with the complex challenges of emotions and day-to-day life that he faces. Though thankfully, without the depths of his depression.
This riveting account of how one man would be more willing to face the "death zone" of Everest than confront the death zone of marriage, fatherhood, his profession etc. is amazing.
The best part is Weathers, who literally rose from the dead on Everest, comes back and with the intention of raising his marriage and the rest of his life from near death as well. One could come to the conclusion it is THE reason he did so.
Beck Weathers has to be one of the funniest men alive. There were many times I actually was laughing out loud reading this book on the airplane (especially as he describes living conditions under the dictatorship of Muffin the cat). There were also times I was glad to be alone as my eyes were brimming with the emotion of this man and his family's journey.
The book is written in a wonderful structure, with his wife and children's perspectives juxtaposed coincidently against his own. It is amazing to see two or more people view the same events from diametrically opposite perspectives.
As a reader of more than 100 books a year I can easily say this is the best read I've had in years.
My heartfelt congratulations to Beck Weathers, his wife Peach and their children. As with any expedition through major challenges in life, we never know if we will make it or not. And while their expedition continues, I openly admire their efforts.
Simply a must read

I have read several accounts about the 1996 disaster on Everest, and was eager to read Beck weather's version. I think the book can be divided into three parts: an account of his climb (Part I), the story of his recovery (Part II), and how the event has changed his life and given him new perspective (Part III). Part I was enthralling, although I was somewhat disappointed that it did not contain more detail as seen through his eyes. Part II was very slow and agonizing reading. I am glad that I stuck with it as I found Part III somewhat redeeming. The organization of the book is frustrating. Certainly, it was worthwhile to hear other perspectives from Beck's family and friends, but there could have been a better way to incorporate this information other than sticking quotes in places that often times seemed not to make sense. If you a a true Everest addict, this is a must read. But if you are looking for something as well written as Krakauer's INTO THIN AIR, then this is not the book for you.

I knew nothing about the mountain tragedy, but I picked up the book because I like to read survival stories. I had read some of the reviews, but was still surprised of how very short the Mt Everest part of the book was. Then I was surprised of how much I enjoyed the rest of the book. In some ways I could relate to his personality and struggles, but in other ways he's not like me at all, and those both sides made it an intriguing read. I liked the candidness of his analysis of himself and the self-deprecating humor. I also liked to read the comments from his friends and family. The book is well written and fast to read. For someone who is only interested in the Everest catastrophe and not interested in reading a memoir that focuses on inner struggles it might not be worth it, but I enjoyed this book a lot and will surely read it again one day.

"I searched all over the world for that which would fulfill me, and all along it was in my own backyard." That's how Beck Weathers sums up what his harrowing Everest adventure taught him.

If you're looking for suspense, look elsewhere. The facts of the 1996 climbing season on Mount Everest are well known, and Dr. Weathers (a Texas pathologist) tells his own climb's story in his book's first section. This is one man's personal memoir, not a mountaineering book, and I knew that when I bought it. His reasons for wanting to summit Everest were entirely unlike pioneer climber George Mallory's famous, "Because it is there." For Dr. Weathers this was one more way to insulate himself from the growing pain of living.

What could make such an outwardly successful human being feel that way about his life? Beck Weathers had it all, and not just the material things that a partner in a thriving medical practice can afford for himself and for his family. He also had a loving wife, two healthy and gifted children, a host of friends, and a supportive extended family. Yet this brilliant and charismatic man could not bring himself to believe that these people really did love him, and wanted his company. Nor could he allow himself to enjoy theirs, because in his mind he did not deserve happiness. He deserved, instead, the kind of punishment that extreme sports inflict.

The enormous gap between Beck's world as he perceived it through the filter of chronic depression, and Beck's world as it really was, closed when he to all intents and purposes froze to death on Mount Everest. Opening his eyes after hours of lying out in a blizzard, left for dead not once but twice by comrades unable to carry him to safety, was his first miracle. Getting off the mountain alive was his second, after the Base Camp doctors responded to news of his revival by telling those trying to care for him after he stumbled into camp horribly frostbitten: "He is going to die. Do not bring him down." The third miracle, though, is the greatest one. Beck Weathers held onto his near-death epiphany. He believed the truths he'd finally glimpsed, and used that knowledge to transform his life.

Slow reading at times, as we follow Beck's early life and go with him through young manhood? Maybe. But everything he says in those chapters is necessary to the story, and his flashes of wry and biting humor had this particular reader howling at times. He spares himself nothing, and allows others who know him - wife "Peach" mostly, but also his children, brothers, and associates - to add their viewpoints even when they honestly disagree with his own.

No, this isn't a book about mountaineering. It's about redemption, and how high a price one man paid to find the happiness that should have been his all along. I am very glad I read it.

Of all the people involved in the 1996 Everest expeditions, Beck Weathers should have 1 of the more interesting stories to tell. Blind, severely frostbit, and left to die (twice), Weathers stood up and basically walked down the mountain to a high altitude helicopter evacuation.
This Everest story involves about a quarter of the book. It quickly becomes apparent that Weathers' greatest accomplishment in life was to almost die.
The rest of the book is about Beck and his parents, his brother, his wife, his kids, his pets, his depression, his faith, and his job...and it's pretty boring. In the end, we find that Weathers neglected his family for so long, they basically gave up on him...not caring whether he was around or not. But of course Beck is given a second chance to make everything better and now he wanders around his house telling his kids, wife, and pets how much he really loves them (at least that's the impression I got).
What I found most interesting is that Weathers at no point absolutely swears off mountain climbing (despite having lost a good part of his face and most of his hands to frostbite, not to mention the strain it put on his family).
Will Beck climb again? Will Peach divorce him and take the kids? What will happen to the family dog? I'm sure there will be a sequel and I'll tentatively call it "Back To Life" and give it 1 star. The gravy train on Everest books is coming to an end.

I have always looked beyond the flippant "Because it is there" to understand why people climb mountains like Everest. In Weathers' case, it was depression, perhaps manic-depression. While he was busy challenging his physical existence, he did not feel depressed, it was that simple. This book tells, in his own words and those of his devoted but long-suffering wife, friends, and children, the story of how this escalated to the point where he nearly killed himself. If you are looking for more facts, figures, objectivity, etc., about the ill-fated 1996 climb, read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, an excellent book. This, however is about Weathers' epiphany, how his upbringing and personal history contributed to his obsession with climbing, and how after maiming his marriage and his physical self, he is attempting to live a normal life. Weathers is not a writer, but I defy anyone not to be moved by the passages about his brother-in-law's death.

After reading many accounts of the 1996 tragedy on Everest, I expected Beck Weathers' story to be one of the more interesting. After all, he endured life threatening injuries, a night out in the dead zone, an unprecedented helicopter rescue, and a long recovery period. When I saw the book, I thought "Great! I always wondered what happened to that guy!"
I think I probably would have been better off with my own fantasies and speculation as to what became of him.
His account of the events leading up to his helicopter ride off the mountain was sketchy at best. It didn't explain to the reader the difficulties in logistics, the weather complications, the complex terrain and technical expertise required to climb Everest. I suspect he remembers very little, but this doesn't stop him from stating his opinions as facts (Sandy Hill Pittman is an excellent mountaineer, Anatoly Boukreev sacrificed the Hall climbers to save the Fischer climbers, etc). These types of statements will serve to polarize readers, who likely have their own opinions of the other players and will find it annoying that this egotistical, underqualified, wealthy hiker who could afford to be pulled to the top has the audacity to speak ill of anyone else on that mountain. At this point in the book, I decided the interesting part would be his recovery, the road to self enlightenment, and the reunification of his family. Wrong again! I was subjected to several chapters detailing his family tree (who cares?), his upbringing (not relevant), his courtship with Peach (boring), and entry into the world of mountaineering (uninspired). Peach comes across as an angry uptight woman constantly left wondering where her husband has disappeared to. I found Beck to be self absorbed and whiny. His jokes appear to be made in an effort to distract others from real issues. He didn't delve deeply enough into the issues that redeemed him in his family's eyes and I was left to think they were so grateful he was alive, they just decided they'd all kiss and make up. Other than his clear vision (apparently the only time his vision was ever clear) of his family when he woke up face down in the snow, he never answers any of the obvious questions---in what ways has he changed? How does he view his family now? Are they a family, or do they continue to be 4 individuals who sometimes interact with one another? I was letdown in a big way with this book, and look forward to reading the next installment, the one where Peach discovers "divorce" CAN be in her vocabulary, and his kids finally say "I thought he'd changed, but he didn't". On second thought, I don't look forward to that at all.

I liked the parts about what occurred on everest but half the book was more an autobiography about him and his wife which I skipped. He talks down arrogantly about the Nepal towns and his wife named peach says that if you want to marry someone sensitive marry a woman which is quite dumb and from the forties. I also don't like how at the end of the book he thinks he's already contributed or gave to charity by losing his hands on Everest when it's more that he is so arrogant to climb Everest having had eye problems before and shoulder injuries. True he made it down the mountain but he had to be strapped to other mountaineers dragging them down with his repeated falling. He should not have been picked to go. Worse still his wife nagged senators to force a Nepal person to do a very dangerous landing on the side of the mountain for this guys stupidity. This entire book was a tale of 'privilege' and since he has so much money the book should be free for the rest of us.

I have been fascinated by the 1996 disaster on Everest after having read Krakauer's "Into Thin Air." I then read Anatoli Boukreev's "The Climb" and Matt Dickinson's "Other Side of Everest" before reading Beck Weather's "Left for Dead.".

I found the first part of this book very interesting but it lost me in the part about his recovery. Too long and just not as interesting reading for me.

An ok read but doesn't compare to the other ones I have read about the tragedy.

For other books that I found gripping and well worth reading, see my other reviews or my listmania list. I am an avid reader of true adventure and/or survival stories.

While the fateful events on Everest of May '96 may have thrust Weathers to center stage, 'Left for Dead' treats them simply as a focal point in the much larger tale of Beck's life itself. This is really the story of how an ordinary guy with ordinary problems gets so seduced by the power of the mountains that he doesn't see all that has gone askew in his life until his seduction nearly kills him. I think that's something that all of us who spend time in the mountains, or are wrapped up in any hobby, can relate to. Sure, his ramblings about the nuts and bolts of his family history get really old really fast. Sure, sometimes I wonder if this book was written by Beck and Peach's marital counselor. Sure, I wonder if my lasting memory of this book will be about a married couple so dysfunctional that they were only able to express themselves through their cats. But I like the "un-edited feel" of the first person narrative -- there is no doubt that you are hearing this story from Beck, the ordinary husband, father and physician from North Dallas, and not some larger-than-life rock jock.