Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day
4.4 | 4,551 ratings
Price: 14.44
Last update: 05-12-2026
Top reviews from the United States
- Constant ReaderA Wonderful Book and A Great ReadThis is a wonderful book, well researched, carefully documented, absolutely accurate and beautifully written and edited. It is a true adventure that takes the reader into the world of climbing Nepali Sherpas and Pakistani High Altitude Porters (HAPs), a world seldom experienced and little understood by westerners. We usually only hear about the westerners on the mountains and even in death most Eastern Sherpas and HAPs are not identified by name in news reports. The book weaves a true tale of tragedy, courage, and humanity about the most skilled climbers in the world who carry the rest of us to the top of unforgiving mountains inhabited by their goddesses. It is also the story of their culture, their families, and physiologically why they are especially adapted to climbing at high altitudes. This book leads us into their world.
My husband and I have a personal interest in this story and have carefully followed the books published about the 2008 tragedy on K2 as Jumik and Tshering Bhote, Nepali Sherpa friends of ours, were on that mountain. They are brothers of Pemba, our lead Sherpa on our visits to Nepal. They have cared for us, driven us, guided us, and befriended us, as Sherpas do. Jumik lost his life when a serac fell on him. Tshering survived but will be forever marked by that terrible event as will his family, also friends of ours. I wish that I could say Jumik died in a place where he wanted to be doing what he loved; but, truthfully, he was doing what he could to provide for his family. People in that part of the world mostly live in abject poverty. Money can be made in the mountains, risky as climbing is. Jumik, and the other HAPs and Sherpas, do not climb for the love of climbing. They climb for money. Jumik was doing honorable work for honorable reasons, and this book honors his memory as well as all of those Sherpas and HAPs who were on the mountain that day. It tells the story of terrible death and great heroism and why these skilled mountaineers climb. It introduces us to their humanity as well as ours.
I urge you to enter this world through the eyes of Amanda and Peter. You will be glad you did. - Kindle CustomerWell researchedBuried in the Sky tells the story of the people who do most of the work, but get little credit when climbing the 8000 meter mountains of the Himalayas. These people are the Sherpa and Hunza who are the high mountain porters and, in many cases, the guides on mountains like K2 and Everest. The authors attempt to put a face and voice to these people. Sometimes the action is gripping and the scenes are visceral and uncomfortable to the reader. Sometimes the writing becomes tedious. Still, the thorough research and effort is admirable.
- Vicki L LuebInsight - Lives, culture, strength, and generosity of the HAPS / mountaineersThis book is so much more than a recounting of the tragic events that took place on K2. The background on the history and culture of the various ethnic groups and the high altitude porters involved, is so enlightening. And the story, told from the perspectives of these men makes it so unique among the books on mountaineering. Last, but not least, it is so well written a d compelling.
- MichelleAbsolutely captivating.I couldn't put the book down. Although unlike Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, Peter Zuckerman wrote the book as an outsider, not one who climbed the mountain, the book is as engrossing as Into Thin Air. I actually like this book better. Into Thin Air, jumps to other stories in the midst of telling one too much. It's quite confusing. A reviewer commented the book spent too much time in the beginning talking about the lives of sherpas? but this book is exactly that, as the title goes The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day. I do have the sentiment that in order to present a whole picture of the story of the sherpas, we do need to know about their lives, about how they start to have a job as a guide. I am fascinated by sherpas. They are strong, kind and exceptionally loyal people (the same goes to the Paskistani high altitude worker/porter). I like that the author tells the lives of sherpas and their families, before their mountain career and after - what happened to the families of the deceased and the sherpas who survived.
It is disturbing to know that how climbers would ask the sherpas or the HAP to go back into the worst of conditions to look for their friends. In my mind, that's equal to asking them to go and die out there in the snow storm. I personally think that once you decided to go Everest summit, you are responsible for your own life. Yes, sherpas/HAP should help when they can but it should not put them in a situation where they are highly likely to die while saving you, no matter how much you can pay them.. There's always moral debate about leaving climbers in trouble high on the mountain. But so many people ignored turnaround time, inexperienced climbers ignored their own physical ability and put themselves in danger for summit, they and they alone are responsible for their own decisions. It is unfair and selfish to accuse others for not trying to help, especially when it's so high up in the mountain where others' own survival is also in question. Climbers do not spend tens of thousands to have to bear the consequence for irresponsible climbers.
I digressed. Back to the book. Although I read some comments that the book is too short and felt cheated (I don't remember the exact comment), it still came as a shock to me when the ebook ended 60% into it......... It is the first time I encounter such situation..... Nevertheless, it doesn't affect my liking to this book. I find this a very good read. - Patrick FLike a Better Researched and More Sensitive "Into Thin Air"Interesting profile of K2 and the world of high-altitude climbing. Also an interesting window into Sherpa culture and religion. Ultimately the narrative is a bit disjointed which robs the story of some of its power, but it is still a gripping account of the eleven people who died and those who survived. The book is clearly very meticulously researched and does well to give fair treatment to the Sherpa people who seem to be so often overlooked as a critical component in the success of people pursuing the high summits of the Himalayan mountains.
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