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A review by teacherpatti
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read
4.0
Not gonna lie--I read this book because I wanted to read about how they ate the people. That is what hooked everyone to this story, isn't it? I saw the movie to see how they ate the people. It's what everyone remembers and why we remember the Donner party all these years later. Dude, they ATE THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!
In the book, they had already eaten the first people by about page 70; the book is hundreds of pages longer. Huh, I thought. What are they going to talk about for the rest of the book?
What they talk about are the other aspects of survival and it is a very compelling read. There was an avalanche shortly after the initial crash, there are a couple of treks to find the tail and to see who is hardy enough to attempt a walk for help. There are deaths and fights and camaraderie and heartbreaks and survival and yes, they eat the people.
This of course begs the question of how far any of us would go to survive. Would I be able to take a piece of glass and cut the flesh off of a recently dead human being? I don't think there is any way to answer that without actually being in that situation which, God willing, I never will be. And speaking of God, the boys' faith in God is awe inspiring. I sometimes snap at God when I get caught in traffic and these boys were faithful throughout (although they, understandably, questioned why some lived while others died). I will have to remember this story next time I get snappy.
The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I found the parts describing the parents' efforts to find the boys rather dull. I don't know if I just anxious to get back onto the mountain with the boys, but I found myself skimming those parts. I will say though that the reunions with the families were just amazing...I can't imagine what the families went through and how full of awe they were to see their sons again.
One other thing I would have liked is to some sort of follow up to tell me what the rest of their lives turned out like, especially the older man who had the 4 kids and the boy whose sister and mother died in the crash (or shortly thereafter). Nevertheless, this was a compelling read...I would suggest reading it in the summer though because parts of it made me feel kinda chilly!!
In the book, they had already eaten the first people by about page 70; the book is hundreds of pages longer. Huh, I thought. What are they going to talk about for the rest of the book?
What they talk about are the other aspects of survival and it is a very compelling read. There was an avalanche shortly after the initial crash, there are a couple of treks to find the tail and to see who is hardy enough to attempt a walk for help. There are deaths and fights and camaraderie and heartbreaks and survival and yes, they eat the people.
This of course begs the question of how far any of us would go to survive. Would I be able to take a piece of glass and cut the flesh off of a recently dead human being? I don't think there is any way to answer that without actually being in that situation which, God willing, I never will be. And speaking of God, the boys' faith in God is awe inspiring. I sometimes snap at God when I get caught in traffic and these boys were faithful throughout (although they, understandably, questioned why some lived while others died). I will have to remember this story next time I get snappy.
The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I found the parts describing the parents' efforts to find the boys rather dull. I don't know if I just anxious to get back onto the mountain with the boys, but I found myself skimming those parts. I will say though that the reunions with the families were just amazing...I can't imagine what the families went through and how full of awe they were to see their sons again.
One other thing I would have liked is to some sort of follow up to tell me what the rest of their lives turned out like, especially the older man who had the 4 kids and the boy whose sister and mother died in the crash (or shortly thereafter). Nevertheless, this was a compelling read...I would suggest reading it in the summer though because parts of it made me feel kinda chilly!!