A monthly Book Club organised by The Society of Young Publishers committee in the bustling heart of London City. Turn up to a central London venue and share your thoughts on the book of the month… Wile away the hours sipping tea (or cocktails!) and have a good old argument about plot, character, genre and anything else that comes to mind. Each month is a different genre and you can put your favourite book forward for reading via our twitter feed.

Book: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Genre: Memoirs

Synopsis: Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air is the true story of a 24-hour period on Everest, when members of three separate expeditions were caught in a storm and faced a battle against hurricane-force winds, exposure, and the effects of altitude, which ended the worst single-season death toll in the peak’s history.

In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. Despite the expertise of Hall and the other leaders, by the end of summit day, eight people were dead. Krakauer’s book is at once the story of the ill-fated adventure and an analysis of the factors leading up to its tragic end. Written within months of the events it chronicles, Into Thin Air clearly evokes the majestic Everest landscape. As the journey up the mountain progresses, Krakauer puts it in context by recalling the triumphs and perils of other Everest trips throughout history. The author’s own anguish over what happened on the mountain is palpable as he leads readers to ponder timeless questions.

If you are planning on attending this month, please RSPV to syp.londonbookclub@gmail.com. This is just to give us an idea of numbers, but please feel free to come along even if you don’t get round to letting us know – all are welcome!