It is a rare treat to find a book that I can’t put down. Don’t you love that? Reading a story that is so interesting and exciting that you just want to keep going? This week I read “Dead Lucky: Life after Death on Mount Everest” by Lincoln Hall. This book was so good that I read the acknowledgments at the end. Seriously. An absolutely amazing story.

Lincoln Hall is a veteran climber from Australia. He has written several books in the Mountain Climbing genre and is quite well known among these Mountaineering types.  He attempted Everest in his twenties but was not able summit (I believe White Limbo chronicles this attempt).  He continued climbing through the years but then settled in with his family in Australia living a nice life. However, when he was approached to be a photographer for a climb involving the youngest climber to attempt the summit he decided it was something he had to do.

He makes the summit but on the way down, just below the summit things began to go very wrong. He started hallucinating and when he fell down in the snow to “rest” he could not be revived by his team so he was left for dead not far below the summit.  News travelled fast. His family was notified, the media were notified and people in Australia and around the world mourned Lincoln Hall’s death.

The next morning another team of climbers were attempting the summit and saw someone sitting up and moving around. The went over to him and the man said, “I bet your are surprised to see me here.” The men asked what his name was and he said, “I’m Lincoln Hall.” Unbelievably, Hall survived a night at the top of Mt. Everest. This has never happened before. Even more unbelievably, Hall walked down most of the mountain! Albeit confused, but he did it. His walk down the mountain is even more unbelievable. I won’t give you the details because I want you to read the book, but the story is absolutely jaw dropping.

The book is very well written, as can be expected by an experienced writer. He puts his reader on the mountain with him as he his sitting through the night. You are going through the hallucinations with him and you are there with him when he suddenly realizes where he is and that he as to survive this. Amazing stuff.

This has to be one of the best books I have ever read. The story is truly amazing. I highly recommend it.