possibly the best survival story of all time, humans can really do anything?? HUGE tw for medical content/cannibalism - don’t read this if you’re squeamish 

This is the second time I’ve read this and I’m still in awe of the story and the fact it was written so cogently within a year of the plane crash. It has a rather harsh, abrupt feel to it. The author describes some of the young men as, variously, violent, immature, and arrogant, and he goes into detail about the strife and bitter arguments amongst the survivors. In agonizing pain, increasingly weak from starvation, tempers frayed and insults flew. 

At the same time, what the survivors remember is their camaraderie and love, their team spirit. In later interviews, the disagreements have been forgotten but at the time, they were all-encompassing. It’s difficult to reconcile the two outlooks. It almost seems like this author goes out of his way to be as harsh and cruel as possible. In other books, the authors bend over backwards to be more understanding and philosophical about the situation. 

In any case, this is an amazing tale of extraordinary survival. It’s a riveting story. I found myself thinking of it whenever I wasn’t actively reading. It may not be the most well-written nonfiction book I’ve read but it’s certainly one of the more compelling. 

This was a terrific journalistic account of the 1972 plane crash in the Andes and those who survived ten weeks on the mountain. Although the events were harrowing, the story was presented in a matter-of-fact way that did not dwell on grisly details. This writing style seemed to echo many of the survivors’ attitudes, as they immediately assessed their situation after the crash and began taking steps to survive and find rescue, never giving up hope.