Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors

I bought this and "Miracle in the Andes" for my father who had been an American AirForce pilot stationed in Bolivia during the 1960's. I was a teen at the time. My father flew over the Andes many times and I was so lucky to be a passenger for many of those flights. During the three years we lived in Bolivia, I had been to some of the towns mentioned in this book so the mentions of their names brought back memories.Reading the book was a very visceral experience for both my father and I. We knew what it was like to see the Andes from above and very aware of the dangers posed. For those who have not had this experience the author has given each of you a gift as he is able to bring this experience to life in the written page.The book begins with a brief history of Uruguay and the rise of rugby as a sport as well as the role that the Catholic church played in the lives of the upper middle class. This is necessary for understanding the character of the passengers who went through this ordeal.The narrative is gripping, visually evocative and emotionally shattering at times. It is fascinating to see how each survivor dealt with the struggle to stay alive. This book, in my experience, encourages the reader to reflect on their own experiences and how they shaped our own depth of character and degree of resiliency.Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates the complete and utter disregard that nature has for the survival of humans and can appreciate the Andes as an indifferent, magnificent force of nature. And for those of us who observe and wonder about human nature - this is an absorbing and sobering look at the fortitude it takes to stay alive in very trying circumstances.Absolutely recommend!

This is a brilliant read. Even if you saw the movie first, that's OK, this book will far exceed the quality of the movie. I appreciate Read's attempt to be as straightforward as possible. There is no reason for an author to try and add emotion or tension to this story, since it was all there in the first place. There are some disturbing moments in the book (as expected), but nothing graphic. I appreciate Read's respect toward the faith those people had in God. Another reviewer said very little was dedicated to the actual crash. That's true. And after finishing the book, I can see why. What happened afterward was far more important than the actual crash. Amazing story. They thought they would be rescued since people knew they were flying. But they were never found. So they decided to save themselves. Amazing story. One of the greatest achievements in human history.

I disagree with the complaints about the slow pace of the book. Survival and eventual rescue were a slow process. Time was needed to develop the story, and to tell it from the points of view of both the survivors and the families who never gave up on finding their sons. Yes, the author admits that some of the survivors felt that a more passionate rendering of their story was called for. This you can find in Nando Parrado’s first rate “Miracle in the Andes”. Roberto Cannesa and Eduardo Strauch have also published first hand accounts, but these I haven’t read yet.The true miracle of this story is the way the survivors banded together despite the endless waiting, the slow deaths that decreased their numbers, the constant hunger and constant cold. This book will give you some idea of what that was like, and how the group continued to support each other no matter what. Mr Read’s dispassionate style, in my opinion, was the right approach for a third party account. The events themselves provide enough detail for the reader to imagine what it was like to live through something like this. Complaints about the accuracy of the book have been few, and that’s reason enough to read this book. In my opinion, it’s well written, but as always, check out the free sample and see for yourself before buying.

I read Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado, one of the survivors before reading Alive. Nando was one of the two survivors that somehow hiked to safety and thus saved the rest. His book was written many years after the event. Alive was written within a few years of the crash by Piers Paul Read who interviewed many of the survivors. Both books are excellent. I slightly prefer Parrado's book. If you have never read the story, read one of these books. It is an incredible story.

My God !!..This is such an outstanding book. I met Mr.Gustavo Zerbino in january, 2005 during a meeting he held in the company I used to work for. He talked about his experience on the mountain for about an hour and he covered many details related to how much they did to survive up there. Since that time, I became so interested in getting to know much more about this real story, therefore I decided to purchase this book. There are so many details in it that Mr Zerbino couldn't talk about due to time reasons, then, by reading Alive, I could picture what those guys suffered there on the mountain in a way as I was right there. Most of the chapters are really tough to read, but it is a way we can learn about the experience accurately. I really recommend it 100 % !!. I am looking forward to read the books written by Canessa and Nando Parrado very soon. Thank you.

What would you have done had you been a survivor? As you read this book, you will ask yourself this question many times and then you will seriously question your belief in numerous religious, political and existential issues that confront each of us daily. This marvelous book may not provide the answers, but it will certainly raise the questions. It is well worth reading..

The story of the people on that Uruguayan Air Force Fairchild plane that crashed into the Andes is an epic tale of human endurance, love and transformation, a spiritual journey. I read this book when it first came out in 1973 and I loved reading it again even more after all these years. I encourage anyone to read it, it's very well written, and quite a complete description of every stage of a complex, very rich narrative.

I devoured this book in 2 days reading whenever I could as I could not put it down. It is one of my favourite books now and will be reread over and over. It is just such an amazing survival story. We all know the story and the outcome but reading the book was like living through the experience with them. The style of writing I found was matter of fact, simple and truthful. It was not sensationalised and dramatic, the simplicity of the language had a bigger impact on me and as I read I felt that I was there.The book starts with a bit of background on the boys, their school and rugby team and the decision to charter a plane. Then the journey, the crash, their time on the andes, the expedition, their rescue, and the aftermath. Reading the crash was so well explained I felt I was experiencing it too. The story on the survivors on the andes was broken up by chapters on the search efforts of the parents and relatives and this was a very interesting addition to the story. They had consulted a clairvoyant in their desperation who ended up making quite a few remarkably accurate predictions.We all know that the survivors ate human flesh to stay alive but the book, which could be gruesome to some, fully explains how and why. I was surprised at the honesty of the language in detailing it wasn't just the meat that they ate. As hunger and desperation to survive took over they were forced to literally eat whatever they could from the bodies-blood clots, lungs, fat, skin, organs. But as a reader I didn't feel repulsion, just awe and sympathy for what they had to do. The expedition to reach Chile was fascinating to read and the rescue. This is what I loved about the book over the movie. In the movie it ends as the boys are being rescued but the book continues the story and answers the unanswered questions. For example I did not know that the boys on the andes were forced to spend another night there with their rescuers as the weather did not permit the helicopter to reach them safely. I also was interested to learn about the aftermath-their time in hospital recovering, and the early press conferences they gave. The end of the book explained some unanswered questions I had regarding the plane and what happened. If you want to know, they sent a rescue team there to bury the bodies amd then they set fire to the plane so that it no longer exists. The book had maps and photos for reference which was a helpful addition. All in all I recommend this book as one of the greatest survival stories and I urge you to read it for yourself.

I Got Interested In This story again after seeing an absorbing Documentary on TV over The Christmas holidays. of course I have read The book and had a well worn copy in my library for Quite sometime I felt after seeing The program it was Time to renew it. I am not really going To give you a review of The story Except to say This is The True account of The Andes plane crash Disaster from 1972 as Told by The survivors Themselves. I Think it's safe To say for a certain Generation of us we all know The harrowing events surrounding This story and That it would have been retold and passed down To our younger Generation. The book is 16 survivors interpretation of The ordeal each one went Through The pages olso retell The story Through archive pictures Taken before The Tragedy and during The survivors ordeal. It is an absorbing read from start to finish To remind each of us That The events of Friday 13th October 1972 Should Never Be Forgotten.

I have been hooked on this story ever since it was serialised in a Sunday newspaper supplement, back in the days after it first broke. Really there are no words to describe the sheer grit and determination of these boys (some were only teenagers) who continued to survive against seemingly impossible odds, especially the two who took it upon themselves to hike out to get help for the survivors - an impossible task and yet they did it. A truly inspirational account not only of the human spirit, but of retaining grace and humanity even in the face of horrific circumstances. These are the kind of people we should truly look up to.

Amazing, the grit and determination to hang on to life under extreme duress is incredible, As is the effort of the two men who finally made it possible for themselves and the other survivors to be rescued and returned to a life they must of despaired of ever seeing again.

`Alive' is the profoundly moving story of the survivors of an air crash in the Andes in 1972.A true story, this book recounts how the plane crashed and the things the survivors had to do to survive. From building hammocks and working out methods of melting snow for water high in the mountains, to sewing makeshift sleeping bags to the ultimate decision to eat their dead companions, the levels of courage and bravery are staggering to read of. You also read of the lengths they went to to be rescued and some of the aftermath on their return home.The struggles the survivors went through are incredible to read of and the moral dilemmas around their decision to resort to cannibalism elevate this above other survival stories. I have read many other books of this type and this book was gripping, at times harrowing and ultimately inspiring.This book has two photo plate sections which show some of the conditions and the people involved. They are a little blurry, as is expected of the period, but they give some indication of the conditions on the mountainside.The events on the inhospitable mountain profoundly changed all of the people involved and by reading their story you too will be changed and affected by their experiences. Highly recommended indeed.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.