Miracle in the Andes: 72 Days on the Mountain and My Long Trek Home

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
In the first hours there was nothing, no fear or sadness, just a black and perfect silence.

Nando Parrado was unconscious for three days before he woke to discover that the plane carrying his rugby team, as well as their family members and supporters, to an exhibition game in Chile had crashed somewhere deep in the Andes. He soon learned that many were dead or dying—among them his own mother and sister. Those who remained were stranded on a lifeless glacier at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, with no supplies and no means of summoning help. They struggled to endure freezing temperatures, deadly avalanches, and then the devastating news that the search for them had been called off.

As time passed and Nando’s thoughts turned increasingly to his father, who he knew must be consumed with grief, Nando resolved that he must get home or die trying. He would challenge the Andes, even though he was certain the effort would kill him, telling himself that even if he failed he would die that much closer to his father. It was a desperate decision, but it was also his only chance. So Nando, an ordinary young man with no disposition for leadership or heroism, led an expedition up the treacherous slopes of a snow-capped mountain and across forty-five miles of frozen wilderness in an attempt to find help.

Thirty years after the disaster Nando tells his story with remarkable candor and depth of feeling. Miracle in the Andes—a first person account of the crash and its aftermath—is more than a riveting tale of true-life adventure: it is a revealing look at life at the edge of death and a meditation on the limitless redemptive power of love.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews: Read 97 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Great Story, Great Insight April 12, 2006
79 out of 83 found this review helpful

Piers Paul Read wrote the great book Alive and after an excellent movie it could be thought there was little more left to the actual story. Wrong. Nando Parrado adds much much more to this survival story and doesn't re-tell like Read but lets you know what happened to him and his emotions on the mountain. This is a great companion to the classic book. Most (myself included) wanted to be Nando - he was strong, and saved his friends through unreal internal fortitude - he's a genuine hero. His is one of the most compelling survival stories in recorded history and this is a worthy memoir.

Where Read lets you know what happened Parrado lets you know the why's and how's they survived - the real heart of this story. He let's the reader know in more detail the miserable existence on the mountain. When you read his thought "tears waste salt" it might sound cold hearted but it was the RIGHT thought and you begin to understand his inner strength. His thoughts about his family are touching, his feelings about his great father are insightful - what a fortunate son, what a fortunate father. Without his father the disappearance of the plane would remain a mystery.

In an interview Roberto Canessa once said the survivors know each other better than anyone. I really didn't understand that until reading this book. Parrado also sheds light on some negative depictions of survivors in Read's book and it helps the reader understand their actions. I also enjoyed reading what happened to Parrado after the incident and how the words and behavior of his friends who died on the mountain has influenced him. It took Parrado a long time to realize how inspirational his story is and it's great he's written his story. Make no mistake; this story is not about cannibalism, it is about love, survival and determination. I'm a better person for having read this book.

5 out of 5 stars

A Masterpiece! May 15, 2006
33 out of 35 found this review helpful

This is one of the most remarkable books I've ever read - just an incredible story and told with perfect pacing. I started reading the book on a plane of all places and then finished it the first night at 4:00 in the morning. You won't be able to put it down - even though you'll know the ending.

The story truly puts our small problems in perspective and gives the reader an apprecition for the human spirit at it's most tested.

Now I just want to find someway to hear Nando Parrado speak in person.

5 out of 5 stars

Soul-Searching Horror July 12, 2006
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

As a youngster, I heard bits and pieces of this story--an Andes plane crash; a rugby team; cannibalism; heroism and terror. When I saw that a new, more personal account was being released, I knew I would have to read it, to experience the horror and amazement that my own father felt in the generation before me.

"Miracle in the Andes" is a superbly written book. A prologue hints at much greater trouble to come with a brief description of the plane crash's aftermath. Then, with building, unrelenting drama, the story follows the chronological path of the ordeal. As a reader, I was awed by the grandeur and beauty of the Andes, then frightened by their rapid weather changes and malevolent moods. I related to different individuals' reactions--and lack thereof--to the trials they endured. At certain points, I laughed. Or shook my head. Or took a deep breath and moved on. By the end, I was moved to tears by Nando's final poignancies and his reunion with his father.

Like "Into Thin Air" and "Endurance," this book has all the qualities of fantastic non-fiction, mixing detail and human drama without melodrama. It provides tasteful photos and clear maps for clarity. Going beyond even the soul-searching of "Touching the Void," "Miracle in the Andes" moves forward with unflinching honesty and believable introspection. It's an account of challenge and encouragement to each of us as we go through trials that life throws our way. With his talented co-writer, Nando peels back the layers of his memory and emotion to glean from his experience and then to pass on that learning to others. The passage of time not only lends weight to his words, it lends a humility and grace.

5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful, compelling tale March 11, 2006
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is an incredible book - probably my top read of the year (so far).

I've never read Alive- I was put off by the thought of the cannibalism that was reported. But this book is not sensationalized at all - in fact, it's the exact opposite. This is a compelling read, a true-life adventure story as written by the "expeditionary" who treked from 12,000 feet out of the Andes and into Chile when it became clear to them that they wouldn't be rescued, and were responsible for saving their own lives.

This book is a tribute to the amazing resilience of the human spirit - what a person can endure when pushed beyond their limits. It's also a tribute to the love of a man and his family, which is what kept him going for months, just to survive. This story has been written over 30 years after the events in the Andes mountains (in 1972). It tells of the survivors' lives since the crash, and draws conclusions about how and why they survived. It's a marvelous tribute to life.

If you enjoy tales of outdoor adventures, or stories about man overcoming great obstacles, do yourself a favor and read this book. You won't soon forget it.

5 out of 5 stars

30 Years On, Another Telling of a Great Story May 16, 2006
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I read the book "Alive" years ago and also saw the movie. In all the years hence, though I have read many books on survival and inspiration, nothing resonates like this story. For me, it is the most incredible tale of a terrifying journey through the worst human misery, death and despair to the ultimate in courage, friendship and sheer determination to reclaim life. And Mr. Parrado has to me always been at the center of the story; to my family he is so inspiring that "NANDO" is our code word for never giving up and having courage when faced with the worst you can imagine.
I was delighted to see that Nando Parrado wrote this book and reading it only confirmed to me how extraordinary a spirit he is - and how heartrending the ordeal all the souls on that plane endured. This book offers a deeper picture of the tragedy, giving an unvarnished look at the suffering and emotions of the people involved in the crash, as well as a firsthand account of the "miracle" of how they rescued themselves.
You can view this book as an incredible story of survival, a true guide for facing adversity with bravery and will, or an inspiring revelation on living life to the fullest - it is all of these. Nando Parrado says he is not a hero, but his spirit and story are transcendant, compelling, wonderful. Don't miss it.

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