Blind Descent Book Review

Book Review of Blind Descent

  by Brian Dickinson
"Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest"


REVIEW BY: L. Bankhead

      I read this book because it sounded very interesting.  Here is what the book blurb states...

"Former Navy rescue swimmer Brian Dickinson was roughly 1,000 feet from the summit of Mount Everest—also known as “the death zone”—when his Sherpa became ill and had to turn back, leaving Brian with a difficult decision: should he continue to push for the summit, or head back down the mountain? After carefully weighing the options, Brian decided to continue toward the summit—alone. Four hours later, Brian solo summited the highest peak in the world. But the celebration was short-lived. After taking a few pictures, Brian radioed his team to let them know he had summited safely, and got ready to begin his descent. Suddenly, his vision became blurry, his eyes started to burn, and within seconds, he was rendered almost completely blind. All alone at 29,035 feet, low on oxygen, and stricken with snow blindness, Brian was forced to inch his way back down the mountain relying only on his Navy survival training, his gut instinct, and his faith. In Blind Descent, Brian recounts—in fantastic detail—his extraordinary experience on Everest, demonstrating that no matter how dire our circumstances, there is no challenge too big for God."

    Don't do as I did and get your hopes up for a good read.  This book has nine painfully long chapters.  The first seven (that's right, SEVEN) just discuss tools needed to summit a mountain, explain the long road to get to the various mountain side camps, and other nonsensical rantings that have nothing to do whatsoever with the blind descent we all want to read about.  You will get about thirty minutes of the actual account of descending blind.  Also, do not be led astray that he descended the entire mountain this way.  He descended the beginning of the mountain, until his buddies found him.  Now, the actual blind descent is miraculous, and awe-inspiring.  And, I wish the author would have written the majority of the book about it, and went into detail about the one-on-one experience he had with God on the side of the mountain.  But, you won't get any of that here.  If you are big into climbing mountains, you may want to read this book.  If you aren't...just read chapters 7-9 and you won't miss a thing.

(I received this book free from Tyndale Blog Network as part of their blogging program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.") 

NEXT UP!  Reviews coming your way this Fall.... 

The Healing Quilt by Wanda Brunstetter

A Deadly Business by Lis Wiehl

The Confession by Robert Whitlow

A Robertson Family Christmas by Ms. Kay Robertson