The Next Everest

Surviving the Mountain's Deadliest Day and Finding the Resilience to Climb Again

By: Jim Davidson

Narrated by: Jim Davidson, Tim Campbell

This program includes excerpts read by the author.

One of Atlas & Boots' Top 10 Adventure Travel Books of 2021

A dramatic account of the deadly earthquake on Everest - and a return to reach the summit.

On April 25, 2015, Jim Davidson was climbing Mount Everest when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake released avalanches all around him and his team, destroying their only escape route and trapping them at nearly 20,000 feet. It was the largest earthquake in Nepal in 81 years and killed about 8,900 people. That day also became the deadliest in the history of Everest, with 18 people losing their lives on the mountain.

After spending two unsettling days stranded on Everest, Davidson's team was rescued by helicopter. The experience left him shaken, and despite his 33 years of climbing and serving as an expedition leader, he wasn’t sure that he would ever go back. But in the face of risk and uncertainty, he returned in 2017 and finally achieved his dream of reaching the summit.

Suspenseful and engrossing, The Next Everest portrays the experience of living through the biggest disaster to ever hit the mountain. Davidson's background in geology and environmental science makes him uniquely qualified to explain how this natural disaster unfolded and why the seismic threats lurking beneath Nepal are even greater today. But this story is not about “conquering” the world’s highest peak. Instead, it reveals how embracing change, challenge, and uncertainty prepares anyone to face their “next Everest” in life.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

"Among all outdoor pursuits, climbing mountains offers the purest, most direct challenge. Jim Davidson weaves his experiences with avalanches, crevasse falls, earthquakes, altitude, frostbite, and other Himalayan hazards into an exciting, sometimes somber introspective narrative, describing not just how he survives climbing the highest mountains in the world, but more importantly, why he must go again and again." (Roman Dial, author of The Adventurer’s Son)

©2021 Jim Davidson (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Excellent book

Amazingly written story that takes you along on the journey ! I felt as though I was along for the climb !

Great story

This was almost like two stories in one. I enjoyed the perspective about the earthquake from someone who was there. I also love inspirational stories. This book had both.

Great account of what it took to realise a dream.

Fantastic read and narration. Felt like I was there and part of this adventure. A great reflection on life, dreams, goals and what it takes to realise them.

A great book and a fresh take on climbing Everest

On top of an edge of your seat story the author offers some fresh perspectives on climbing Mt. Everest. A topic that has been written about in dozens of books. It's one of my favorites on the topic I've ever read.

Great book

Great book, well written. You can almost imagine being there. The reader, however, was quite monotonous.

Mountains, life, and endeavors

I liked how the author weaved a coherent message about how he chooses to navigate through life, and how his quests intertwine with others integral to him, like family and friends. I like how he leaves commentary about the world that we live in, and I like how he talks about that next adventure.

Excellent Story Brilliantly Told

Even if you have no climbing experience, you will thoroughly enjoy this honest, humble, thrilling, and very personal account of one of the biggest adventures a person could ever have. While listening, I felt as if I were climbing right next to Jim...from the warmth and comfort of my couch while sipping beer. This is a very personal account of what it takes in a persons life to follow their dreams and it was an absolute pleasure to listen along. The narrator did a great job bringing this true story to life. Couldn't recommend this audio book more.

Utterly fantastic

I am a huge armchair mountaineer and out of the volumes of books I have read, this one is certainly one of the finer ones out there. Well written and well performed. Worth a listen.

Excellent!

Loved the details and sound bites that were worked into the reading. Davidson has a great concern for the Nepalese people and that is evident in this book.

So great!!

loved it so much! really well written and a great listen, felt like I was watching it all! I don't often listen to books more than once but I will with this one!