Reviewed by Rachel Stoll
John Krakauer was relatively well-known in the mountaineering community as a climber and journalist when he was hired by Outside magazine in 1996 to accompany a team attempting to summit Mt. Everest. The leader of the expedition was Rob Hall, a mountaineer who had the most non-sherpa summits of Mt. Everest and who was one of the most qualified leaders on the mountain at the time. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster documents the fatal climbing season of 1996 on Mt. Everest, which ultimately took the life of Rob Hall and many others.
Krakauer’s account is compelling. The book begins with an explanation of how he came into the fold of the mountaineering community, inevitably leading him to attempt the world's greatest peak. Upon arriving in Katmandu and joining up with the expedition, Krakauer was both hopeful and concerned about his teammates. Having Rob Hall as a guide almost assured a summit, but Krakauer questioned the experience of some of his other teammates.
They spent weeks acclimating and made it to the icefalls and into camp 3 on May 11, 1996. Hall’s team, and several other teams who were waiting for the perfect day, started out for the summit well before sunrise. The weather slowly got worse as the day progressed, and poor decisions were made by members of Hall’s team and other guides on the mountain. This culminated in all hell breaking lose on the mountain, resulting in a significant loss of life. It is clear from the writing that this day still haunts Krakauer.
Into Thin Air is a thrilling tale containing a lot of tragedy. For anyone interested in mountaineering, it is a compelling read. This book is highly recommended to those interested in adventure travel, dramas, and thrillers.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Rhymed Reviews on Twitter
If you prefer your reviews in verse, and 140 characters or less, check out my Rhymed Reviews on Twitter!
Here's a sample:
Here's a sample:
GWTW: Nobles of another era, Butler, Wilkes, and Miss O'Hara come to life onscreen to share a story of the war on Tara.Rhymed Reviews
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future, by George B.N. Ayittey
Reviewed by Rachel Stoll
Although diverse in history and government, the countries that make up the African continent have struggled with development since independence. Foreign aid and hesitant direct investment have been major challenges for many of these war-torn nations. Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future by George B.N. Ayittey discusses the common issues plaguing the 43 nations and offers up hope and suggestions for building a better continent.
Ayittey discusses the failed attempts at socialism as part of the rejection of the colonial experience of capitalism. Disagreeing with former socialist leaders, Ayittey argues the natural economy that was developed in most African countries was one of capitalism and mercantilism which made the promotion of Afro-Marxism a political tool of the nationalist movements. This discussion, coupled with his argument that state corruption and false governments are the real problem, has upset many scholars and leaders on the African continent who now consider Ayittey a sellout.
Sellout or not, Ayittey seems very accurate in what he perceives to be the prevailing issues, and he makes a concise argument against the socialist and nationalist movements which so quickly demonized capitalism and Western political and economic institutions. As a solution, Ayittey suggests that more financial aid be given to these countries and claims that foreign direct investment is required in order to jumpstart development. This can only work if corruption is lessened so that money goes to where it is intended and government agencies enforce the rules equally and according to the laws. Ayittey explains that a true non-political bureaucracy is needed, something which has not existed in many African nations since independence.
Whether or not this will come to fruition is yet to be seen, but Ayittey makes some keen observations and offers a solution to this decades-old problem. Although Ayittey uses history to make some arguments, this book is light on history and focuses more on policy and government issues. Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future is highly recommended for those interested in African development and international economies.
Although diverse in history and government, the countries that make up the African continent have struggled with development since independence. Foreign aid and hesitant direct investment have been major challenges for many of these war-torn nations. Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future by George B.N. Ayittey discusses the common issues plaguing the 43 nations and offers up hope and suggestions for building a better continent.
Ayittey discusses the failed attempts at socialism as part of the rejection of the colonial experience of capitalism. Disagreeing with former socialist leaders, Ayittey argues the natural economy that was developed in most African countries was one of capitalism and mercantilism which made the promotion of Afro-Marxism a political tool of the nationalist movements. This discussion, coupled with his argument that state corruption and false governments are the real problem, has upset many scholars and leaders on the African continent who now consider Ayittey a sellout.
Sellout or not, Ayittey seems very accurate in what he perceives to be the prevailing issues, and he makes a concise argument against the socialist and nationalist movements which so quickly demonized capitalism and Western political and economic institutions. As a solution, Ayittey suggests that more financial aid be given to these countries and claims that foreign direct investment is required in order to jumpstart development. This can only work if corruption is lessened so that money goes to where it is intended and government agencies enforce the rules equally and according to the laws. Ayittey explains that a true non-political bureaucracy is needed, something which has not existed in many African nations since independence.
Whether or not this will come to fruition is yet to be seen, but Ayittey makes some keen observations and offers a solution to this decades-old problem. Although Ayittey uses history to make some arguments, this book is light on history and focuses more on policy and government issues. Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future is highly recommended for those interested in African development and international economies.
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