Noting is as gripping as the ability of humans to survive the harshest, most desperate of circumstances. Throughout the years, there have been several riveting stories of people surviving horrific endeavors, and each one of them leaves us more in awe of what humans are capable of, even in the face of death. If you are looking for a good adventure story to read more about the ability of humans to survive, here are some of the best ones that have been published up until now:
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
In this autobiographical tale, Aron Ralston describes what he went through after an eight-hundred-pound boulder pinned his right hand and trapped him in a remote Utah canyon. The book describes his struggle to survive in that canyon as well as his life up to that point and his exploits as a mountaineer. The movie 127 Hours was adapted from this book but Ralson’s account of his ordeal, and having to amputate his own arm to get out alive, is enthralling nonetheless.
Into Thin Air
A legendary account of Mount Everest climbs, Into Thin Air is the story of the disastrous 1996 season that left eight people dead from the perspective of journalist and climber Jon Krakauer. This book continues to create controversy over what exactly happened when dozens of climbers headed for the summit only to be caught in a deadly storm. Krakauer details the personalities involved as well as his agony about what went wrong. He also asks several tough questions about climbing, mountaineering, and Mount Everest in general.
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
In October of 1972, a plane full of young rugby players from Uruguay, plus their friends and family, was headed to Chile when it crashed into the Andes Mountains. Out of over 40 people, only 16 survived the harsh conditions by resorting to cannibalism. The group was found after two members decided to go look for help. This book from Piers Paul Read tells the story of what happened using interviews from the survivors, their family members, and family members of those who did not survive.
Touching the Void
When Joe Simpson and his partner, Simon Yates, decided to climb the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, little did they know what awaited them. Shortly after reaching the summit, disaster struck when Simpson broke his right leg. His partner was then forced to cut the rope while trying to get Simpson, leaving him struggling to survive in a deep crevasse with only one good leg. Simpson’s account of their climb and his successful attempt to survive is haunting.
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea
For 76 days, Steve Callahan managed to survive adrift in the Atlantic Ocean with only an inflatable raft and a handful of tools. Callahan was racing his sailboat from Spain to Antigua when a storm sunk his ship west of the Canary Islands. Callahan tells the story of how he overcame a variety of obstacles, including sharks, storms, hunger, thirst, and salt water stores, with his own determination and ingenuity in order to be rescued almost 80 days later.