Did you hear about the man from Uraguay who was rescued from the Andes Mountains? He had survived for four months on mostly raisins and sugar. You may read about it here. I remember reading that it was purely by chance that he was found, there were officials there recording the amount of snowfall when they found him. This reminded me of a couple of books that I wonder if you have read...
"Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors" by Piers Paul Read is a book about the young rugby team from Uruguay who crashed in the snowy Andes Mountains on Oct. 12, 1972. You might have seen the movie made about this, with Ethan Hawke in one of the starring roles. Now, if you have not read the book, I recommend it. Out of the 45 passengers and crew on board the aircraft, only 16 survived, and due to the harsh conditions, it is because of cannibalism that they were able to survive. The British author, Piers Paul Read, interviewed the survivors and wrote this book not long after the rescue.
"Miracle In The Andes: 72 Days On the Mountain And My Long Trek Home:
If you have seen the movie, "Alive: Miracle In The Andes", and you admired the leadership and determination of Nando Parrado (portrayed by Ethan Hawke in the movie), then you should read this book by Nando Parrado, co-written with Vince Rause. In the first book, by Piers Paul Read, the emphasis is on the shared Catholic faith of those aboard the flight. In the second book, while trying to keep a very respectful tone, Nando Parrado makes it clear that it was the thought of keeping himself alive that was the driving force behind his will to make it out, having already lost his mother and sister in the crash, he could not bear the thought of his father losing everyone in the family.
One thing I must tell you, someone loaned me a paperback copy of "Alive" by Piers Paul Read during the weekend of March 12, 1993, and it just so happened that that was the weekend of the "Storm of the Century" when we had almost blizzard like conditions in Georgia. I remember that the wind had driven pine needles into the snow so deeply, it looked bizarre, I had never seen anything like it, before or since. This was the kind of snowy weather that we experienced for the two days that I read this book. To hear the fierce wind blowing and to look out and see the sudden swift snowfall made the book even more real for me.
These snowy photos are from the Monastery after one of the most beautiful snows we have ever had in Conyers, from Feb. 13, 2010.
I have heard about the dramatic and tragic story of the rugby team in 1972; I think my Mum remembers it quite well from the news reports of that time (I was only 4 years old and so knew nothing of it).
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see what different perspectives the two books take on the same story.
Both books are worth reading, truly a remarkable story.
DeleteKay, We are in for a super hot day today...95 degrees and that's in September...so seeing your snow photos will help me indure this heat.LOL. I just read Tracey's blog and she said she won the give away .She was very happy with her gift.:):) That is wonderful. Hope you are having a good day. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteHey Susie!
DeleteHopefully, it will cool down for you soon and you will have a lovely Autumn, I am wishing the same for this area!
Isn't Tracey just the sweetest thing? I LOVED that she shared that she got the Agatha Christie audio book with the gift card! I love Agatha Christie!!
Take care! xx
It sounds absolutely awful, but in the same situation I am sure we would all do the same. Even vegetarian me!
ReplyDeleteI know, people say THEY would NEVER do such a thing. I say you don't know what you would do until you are in that situation, so I don't think we should judge.
DeleteBesides, the survivors of the crash were so religious, it became something more than just a survivor's tale, it was more than that, but then, that is why I cannot do book reviews, you just need to read the book!
We get a lot of snow here in the winter time and sometimes there are blizzards. Thankfully I've always been safe and able to keep warm. There is always the chance of power outages and then keeping warm could be a problem. I'm not at all looking forward to winter. But here I am where without a doubt winter will come. I'm just trying to enjoy the last few days of summer.
ReplyDeleteThe story of the man rescued remeinded me of this story and that is why I shared the two books on my post. Autumn is such a wonderful time of year with our beautiful leaves, I can't wait to see the colors this year! Winter is still nice, but hopefully, we won't see that much snow in Georgia!
DeleteI remember the sensation that the book "Alive" made when it was first published. Haven't read it though or seen the movie.
ReplyDeleteGo on Amazon and read some of the reviews. Some of them say that ALIVE should be required reading in schools. It is a good book. Non fiction is so down-played, I don't understand it, I love journalistic stye writing, telling a true story in such a way that you feel that you are there.
DeleteThat book fascinated me when i was young, i read it soon after it came out.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get much snow, either, so it's hard for me to imagine surviving such a harsh environment.
I just saw on the news of the 732 pound alligator that they caught in Mississippi. Do you have them that big in Louisiana? Hoo boy, that's some big gators.
DeleteNo snow, but watch out for the wildlife, eh? ;-)
I read ALIVE and thought about it for so long afterwards. I'm pretty sure I saw the movie too although my memory of that isn't as clear. It's amazing what some people survive. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love books about people who have survived something, something that many other people would not have been able to...ALIVE is a book that once you have read it, you won't forget it.
DeleteYes I do remember the incident. It was quite sensational at the time because of the cannibalism. Never read the books.
ReplyDeleteYou would like the books. The story of how they survived by eating human flesh is something that is examined very closely and carefully but done in such a way, that you can see how they got to that point.
DeleteThanks for your comment, Chris! :-)
Checking your posts after Tracey's warm comments!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about the book, a title ex-RAF hubby probably would love to check out (a bit off for my taste, I am just a dreamer!)
Blessings,
Your husband would like these books, but I think that you would too.
DeleteI have many women who tell me that they don't like my taste in books, my non-fiction books that I find so interesting, and I say to them, that if you like stories about people, about the real things that happen in real life, then you would like these books! I am a dreamer too, but when you crash in the Andes, thre isn't much time for dreaming, just surviving.
Thanks for your comment!
I remember that year, awful!
ReplyDeleteWe just got a taste of that storm but it was still unusual for Georgia!
DeleteWhat an odd thing to have been reading that book during that storm. I read that book many years ago and found it horrifyingly fascinating. I also saw the movie a few years ago. That last photo is gorgeous- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteI know, the friend who loaned me the book teased me when I gave it back to her, about all the snow outside that weekend!
DeleteThe Monastery is so beautiful, in all seasons of the year.
I read the book years ago. The will to live is strong and I think many people would do what it took to survive. I just hope I never have to find out how far I would go. Your pics remind me that snow will be here before we know it! Although it's warm today, Friday will bring temps only in the 60's during the day, and 40's at night!
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean. I hope that I have really strong people around me in any kind of emergency situation, I am afraid that I would be HOPELESS and not not much help!!
DeleteI am looking forward to Autumn and seeing all the colors!!
The Storm of the Century must have been quite an event. Thanks for your regular comments. There are gail force winds outside my window as I type this comment.
ReplyDeleteHey Paul! Hope you are doing well these days!
DeleteI remember that you told me you climbed Stone Mountain once, that is Stone Mountain in my header photo just now, with the Yellow Daisies blooming, so beautiful.
Take care! :-)
Gorgeous header, Kay! I have not read the books, but I certainly remember the story of the rugby team surviving in the Andes. I was going through a shelf in my bookcase on Monday. I pulled out my old lab book from when I took Geology 100 too many years ago. I remembered that a lab I did from that book was the first time I heard about monadnocks. I opened the book up ~ somewhere in the middle ~ and there was a topographic map of Stone Mountain! I couldn't believe it! Thank you for making it so real and for showing its beauty! Take care!
ReplyDeleteAh, a topographic map of Stone Mountain...it is just meant to be, you MUST come to Atlanta to see Stone Mountain and to climb it!
DeleteI hope to show you more photos of it soon, the TREES around the mountain are fantastic, and when they change color the sight is so glorious it is breathtaking!
Hey Kay! I would love to climb Stone Mountain with you! Can't wait to see future photos! We were supposed to go up to Breckenridge last night for Octoberfest and to see the changing leaves, but the roads are a mess after the extreme flash flooding. Terry's still asleep, so I don't know if yet if he wants to try this morning. The last few days have been something else along our part of the Front Range! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt is always wonderful when the weather and surroundings enhance the book. I'm imagining the pine needles driven into the snow.... wow....
ReplyDeleteIt is always wonderful when the weather and surroundings enhance the book. I'm imagining the pine needles driven into the snow.... wow....
ReplyDelete