Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

In this book, author Jon Krakauer describes his experiences during the 1996 Everest disaster. The event has inspired other books and a 2015 movie. Notably, two popular expedition leaders (Rob Hall and Scott Fischer) perished during the weather event.

The book (hardcopy) can be purchased online for around $8 (before tax). I also found a Kindle version for $12. The book has a few (black and white) pictures.

Contents:

Introduction

Chapter One: Everest Summit, May 10, 1996, 29,028 Feet

Chapter Two: Dehra Dun, India, 1852; 2,234 Feet

Chapter Three: Over Northern India, March 29, 1996; 30,000 Feet

Chapter Four: Phakding, March 31, 1996; 9,186 Feet

Chapter Five: Lobuje, April 8, 1996; 16,200 Feet

Chapter Six: Everest Base Camp, April 12, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Chapter Seven: Camp One, April 13, 1996; 19,500 Feet

Chapter Eight: Camp One, April 16, 1996; 19,500 Feet

Chapter Nine: Camp Two, April 28, 1996; 21,300 Feet

Chapter Ten: Lhotse Face, April 29, 1996; 23,400 Feet

Chapter Eleven: Base Camp, May 6, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Chapter Twelve: Camp Three, May 9, 1996; 24,000 Feet

Chapter Thirteen: Southeast Ridge, May 10, 1996; 27,600 Feet

Chapter Fourteen: Summit, 1:12 P.M., May 10, 1996; 29,028 Feet

Chapter Fifteen: Summit, 1:25 P.M., May 10, 1996; 29,028 Feet

Chapter Sixteen: South Col, 6:00 A.M., May 11; 26,000 Feet

Chapter Seventeen: Summit, 3:40 P.M., May 10, 29,028 Feet

Chapter Eighteen: Northeast Ridge, May 10, 1996; 28,550 Feet

Chapter Nineteen: South Col, 7:30 A.M., May 11, 1996; 26,000 Feet

Chapter Twenty: The Geneva Spur, 9:45 A.M., May 12, 1996; 25,900 Feet

Chapter Twenty-one: Everest Base Camp, May 13, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Epilogue: Seattle, November 29, 1996; 270 Feet

Titanic Destination Disaster

Titanic Destination Disaster

This is a very good book if you're interested in the Titanic. You can buy it for around ten dollars.

Titanic Destination Disaster: The Legends and the Reality

John P. Eaton and Charles A. Haas

Contents

Chapter One: 'Iceberg, Right Ahead!'

Chapter Two: Lights that Pass in the Night

Chapter Three: A Burst of Cheering

Chapter Four: From the Four Corners of the Compass

Chapter Five: Park Lane and Scotland Road

Chapter Six: Westwards to Destiny

Chapter Seven: City of Sorrow

Chapter Eight: Questions and Answers . . . and Questions

Chapter Nine: With Time's Passing

Chapter Ten: Dateline: North Atlantic

From the back cover:

Myth and legend have long been part of the story. The authors explore many of the misconceptions that have developed over the years concerning the ship, the people and the sinking, and give the most likely explanations based on present-day research and knowledge.

314 The Widowsfield Trilogy

314 - Author's Picture

It's too late to buy physical copies for Christmas presents, but there is still time to buy Kindle editions. 314 (The Widowsfield Trilogy) is a great series by A.R. Wise. For a while, I was reading it once a year. I need to read it again and reading it one time only is not possible, in my opinion. Something new "jumps out at you" every time you sit down to read it. The following descriptions were taken (verbatim) from Goodreads.com, the series itself, and my own thoughts.

Book 1

Alma Harper has been trying to forget what happened in Widowsfield 16 years ago. She has a good life as a music teacher now, and might rekindle her relationship with her one true love. However, the number 314 haunts her, and threatens to bring her back to the day that her brother disappeared. When a reporter shows up, just days before March 14th, Alma realizes that her past is coming back to haunt her. What happened on March 14th, at 3:14, 16 years ago? No one but The Skeleton Man can remember. (Goodreads)

Book one satisfactorily sets up its primary characters and puts them on the road to Widowsfield. Key thought: "Widowsfield lives perpetually within only a few minutes of time." (The Skeleton Man speaking to Paul).

Book 2

Alma Harper and her friends are lost in Widowsfield. They're trapped in a lie created by The Skeleton Man, and even death provides no escape. As they struggle to discover the truth about the once sleepy town, a new evil emerges: The Watcher in the Walls. As the lies are exposed, the liars are revealed, and the only way out of the maze is to fall into the lies and disappear.

As Alma struggles to find a way out of Widowsfield, a new character comes to town. Her name is Nia, and she is a gifted young woman that can pull memories out of the world around her. Of course, the true memories of Widowsfield are lost behind the lies. As she gets closer to the truth, others will attempt to exploit her gift.

All the while, The Skeleton Man plans his escape. What if he gets out? (Goodreads)

Book two introduces a new set of characters and gives more insight into The Skeleton Man, The Watcher in the Walls, and lies that abound beginning with something that occurred on March 14 at 3:14. Key Thought: The Skeleton Man spins lie after lie, but he wants out of Widowsfield - will he escape?

Book 3

Alma Harper and her friends have been struggling to figure out the puzzle of lies weaved in the town of Widowsfield. They've escaped the grasp of The Watcher, but now The Skeleton Man is free as well, and no one's certain what he's capable of. The Watcher in the Walls is forced to craft new lies, and weave a new nightmare in Widowsfield, but he longs for the return of the Harpers. As his world crumbles, he knows that the ones he's influenced will return, and that everything can begin again. As the clock ticks down, and March 14th approaches, all will be revealed. The true conspiracy will come to light, and each player will learn their role. The Skeleton Man will have his revenge. (Goodreads)

Book three brings the mystery of March 14 at 3:14 to a conclusion, if not a completely satisfactory conclusion. Key thoughts: The Skeleton Man and The Watcher are as active as ever, the main characters attempt to stop them, and the ominous history of 3:14 is revealed.

A.R. Wise Goodreads Page

314 at Goodreads

The King in Yellow by Robert Chambers

The King In Yellow by Robert Chambers (Overview, no spoilers)

The following contains rough descriptions of some (not all) of the stories in The King In Yellow by Robert Chambers. The book was published in 1895 and has had influence on other authors, including H.P. Lovecraft. "The King in Yellow" refers to a (imaginary) play, a supernatural entity, and the book by Chambers. Also associated with this is something called "the yellow sign."

In order of appearance:

1. The Repairer Of Reputations

The main character is Hildred Castaigne, a mentally unstable and unreliable narrator who obtains and reads the play called The King In Yellow. The story has been called a horror story with "motifs of the Yellow Sign and the King in Yellow." The tale takes place in 1920, at a time when the United States has become intolerably ethnocentric. I must confess that I had to read, and then reread, the story. I found the reading to be dry, but worth the effort. There are ten stories in the collection, but only four relate to the King In Yellow mythos.

The Repairer Of Reputations is preceded by the Table Of Contents and Cassilda's Song from a mysterious play called The King In Yellow:

"Along the shore the cloud waves break,

The twin suns sink behind the lake,

The shadows lengthen

In Carcosa.

 Strange is the night where black stars rise,

And strange moons circle through the skies

But stranger still is

Lost Carcosa.

Songs that the Hyades shall sing,

Where flap the tatters of the King,

Must die unheard in

Dim Carcosa.

Song of my soul, my voice is dead;

Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed

Shall dry and die in

Lost Carcosa."

Cassilda's Song in "The King in Yellow," Act I, Scene 2.

2. The Mask

The story can be described as a love story containing elements of fantasy and alchemy (the narrator defines it as chemistry). It has a pleasant ending. It refers to The King In Yellow, with quotes from the same before the story starts:

Camilla: You, sir, should unmask.

Stranger: Indeed?

Cassilda: Indeed it's time. We all have laid aside disguise but you.

Stranger: I wear no mask.

Camilla: (Terrified, aside to Cassilda.) No mask? No mask!

The King in Yellow, Act I, Scene 2.

3. In The Court Of The Dragon

The narrator is on the run from a mysterious organist. The King In Yellow himself appears in this story.

In the Court of the Dragon | The Yellow Site | Fandom

4. The Yellow Sign

The source of the cryptic saying, "Have you found the Yellow Sign?"

https://kinginyellow.fandom.com/wiki/The_Yellow_Sign_(story)

5. The Demoiselle D'Ys

While it doesn't refer specifically to KiY material, I include it because it's an excellent story. It's a love story with elements of time travel.

That's the end of the list, but, again, a few more stories appear in the book. They are not horror or supernatural-oriented tales.

More reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_in_Yellow

https://kinginyellow.fandom.com/wiki/The_King_In_Yellow_(The_Book)

Read it for free: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8492