I will be reading a book called Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Jon was born on April 12, 1954. Growing up Corvallis, Oregon, he was introduced to mountaineering at only 8 years old. Jon studied and attained a degree in Environmental Studies from Hampshire College.
After college, two decades of his life were focused on climbing mountains. He wrote about his climbing experiences in his books Into the Wild and Eiger Dreams. In 1996, Krakauer climbed Mt. Everest but the trip turned deadly after reaching the summit. Four out of five of Jon’s teammates were lost on the expedition. He wrote about the tragedy in the book I am choosing to read, Into Thin Air, and also in Outside, a magazine. In tribute to the friends he lost, Krakauer created the Everest ‘96 Memorial Fund at the Boulder Community Foundation with the money he earned from Into Thin Air. The fund has donated $1.7 million to various charities as of 2012. In 1999, Krakauer won an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Art and Letters, honoring him of his exceptional accomplishments. All the proceeds from his later creations were also donated to the Stop Girl Trafficking program at the American Himalayan Foundation.