How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Frank's apparent deterioration came as a particular blow: I'd assumed from the beginning that if any members of our team reach the top, Frank […] would be among them. (11.26)
Even the mighty are not exempt from this brutal suffering. It doesn't matter if you've been climbing mountains since the day you were born—no one makes it to the top of Everest without suffering along the way. Heck, you'll endure plenty of suffering even if you don't reach the tippy-top of this massive mountain.
Quote #5
Above the South Col, up in the Death Zone, survival is to no small degree a race against the clock. (13.4)
This place is known as the "Death Zone" for good reason. As soon as you're above 8,000 meters, your body starts slowly dying due to oxygen deprivation. It's a real nasty bit of business.
Quote #6
I was so far beyond ordinary exhaustion that I experienced a queer detachment from my body […] I imagined that I was dressed in a green cardigan and wingtips. (14.41)
Well, that's one way to manage pain. In fact, this sort of hallucinatory experience is quite common on Everest; deprived of oxygen, the brain goes haywire trying to make sense of its predicament. You've got to give the Kraken some credit for that green cardigan and wingtip combo, though—dude is swagged out.