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Patti's Reviews > Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors
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Not gonna lie--I read this book because I wanted to read about how they ate the people. That is what hooked everyone to this story, isn't it? I saw the movie to see how they ate the people. It's what everyone remembers and why we remember the Donner party all these years later. Dude, they ATE THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!
In the book, they had already eaten the first people by about page 70; the book is hundreds of pages longer. Huh, I thought. What are they going to talk about for the rest of the book?
What they talk about are the other aspects of survival and it is a very compelling read. There was an avalanche shortly after the initial crash, there are a couple of treks to find the tail and to see who is hardy enough to attempt a walk for help. There are deaths and fights and camaraderie and heartbreaks and survival and yes, they eat the people.
This of course begs the question of how far any of us would go to survive. Would I be able to take a piece of glass and cut the flesh off of a recently dead human being? I don't think there is any way to answer that without actually being in that situation which, God willing, I never will be. And speaking of God, the boys' faith in God is awe inspiring. I sometimes snap at God when I get caught in traffic and these boys were faithful throughout (although they, understandably, questioned why some lived while others died). I will have to remember this story next time I get snappy.
The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I found the parts describing the parents' efforts to find the boys rather dull. I don't know if I just anxious to get back onto the mountain with the boys, but I found myself skimming those parts. I will say though that the reunions with the families were just amazing...I can't imagine what the families went through and how full of awe they were to see their sons again.
One other thing I would have liked is to some sort of follow up to tell me what the rest of their lives turned out like, especially the older man who had the 4 kids and the boy whose sister and mother died in the crash (or shortly thereafter). Nevertheless, this was a compelling read...I would suggest reading it in the summer though because parts of it made me feel kinda chilly!!
In the book, they had already eaten the first people by about page 70; the book is hundreds of pages longer. Huh, I thought. What are they going to talk about for the rest of the book?
What they talk about are the other aspects of survival and it is a very compelling read. There was an avalanche shortly after the initial crash, there are a couple of treks to find the tail and to see who is hardy enough to attempt a walk for help. There are deaths and fights and camaraderie and heartbreaks and survival and yes, they eat the people.
This of course begs the question of how far any of us would go to survive. Would I be able to take a piece of glass and cut the flesh off of a recently dead human being? I don't think there is any way to answer that without actually being in that situation which, God willing, I never will be. And speaking of God, the boys' faith in God is awe inspiring. I sometimes snap at God when I get caught in traffic and these boys were faithful throughout (although they, understandably, questioned why some lived while others died). I will have to remember this story next time I get snappy.
The only reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I found the parts describing the parents' efforts to find the boys rather dull. I don't know if I just anxious to get back onto the mountain with the boys, but I found myself skimming those parts. I will say though that the reunions with the families were just amazing...I can't imagine what the families went through and how full of awe they were to see their sons again.
One other thing I would have liked is to some sort of follow up to tell me what the rest of their lives turned out like, especially the older man who had the 4 kids and the boy whose sister and mother died in the crash (or shortly thereafter). Nevertheless, this was a compelling read...I would suggest reading it in the summer though because parts of it made me feel kinda chilly!!
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July 1, 2011
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Olivia
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rated it 5 stars
May 28, 2014 07:02PM
I totally agree with you re: parents' saving efforts. I just didn't care about the political climate or morale back in the land where they had food and hot water. Take me back to the human sashimi!!!!
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Human sashimi is an awesome term :) Great band name, too :)
I too wanted a follow up. I'm sure it had s very dramatic effect on their future. Plus I wonder if any of them every craved human flesh afterwards. I have read other cases of cannibalism where the people claimed to have a strange desire(for lack of a better word) to eat it again. Kinda made me think that I wouldn't want guys like these as roommates.
One of my favorites stories ever. Heard of it first when I was a little girl and it has fascinated me since.
for a follow up you should read the book "Miracle in the Andes", written by Nando Parrado many years after.. Also you can search the Youtube for interviews with Nando- he went to have a wonderful and meaningful life.
In the movie you really don't get the extent of what they ate compared to the book., I just finished it and was floored. In the movie you just see someone eating an ass cheek. But int the book you see that that is just the appetizer. It is incredible what those guys did.There are many youtube videos with a full panel of survivors talking about it. they all seem to be doing well but when they talk about it, it's haunting. There are pictures of some of them on the mountain years later as well.
They didn't have any bowls, but they made and ate stew. When I started to talk about this, my family members stopped me from elaborating on how exactly they did that. And yet, to me the cannibalism is just an aside in this story of human strength and resolve, and the least interesting part.
