Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors

Written by Piers Paul Read

Narrated by Paul Ansdell

The number one New York Times bestseller and the true story behind the film about a young rugby team that must resort to the unthinkable after a plane crash in the Andes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamscape Media
• Release date: May 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781666584691

Piers Paul Read

Piers Paul Read, third son of poet and art critic Sir Herbert Read, was born in 1941, raised in North Yorkshire, and educated by Benedictine monks at Ampleforth College. After studying history at Cambridge University, he spent two years in Germany, and on his return to London, worked as a subeditor on the Times Literary Supplement. His first novel, Game in Heaven with Tussy Marx, was published in 1966. His fiction has won the Hawthornden Prize, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. Two of his novels, A Married Man and The Free Frenchman, have been adapted for television and a third, Monk Dawson, as a feature film. In 1974, Read wrote his first work of reportage, Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors, which has since sold five million copies worldwide. A film of Alive was released in 1993, directed by Frank Marshall and starring Ethan Hawke. His other works of nonfiction include Ablaze, an account of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl; The Templars, a history of the crusading military order; Alec Guinness: The Authorised Biography, and The Dreyfus Affair. Read is a fellow and member of the Council of the Royal Society of Literature and a member of the Council of the Society of Authors. He lives in London.    

Reviews for Alive

[Melanie Baldwin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story very hard to listen to in places but can understand why it had to be done

[michellesr13 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An impressive book from every angle, without a doubt, the book "Alive" tells you how the accident happened. "The Society of the Snow," which deals with the same subject, tells you how it was lived through. (Translated from Spanish)

[YohansDark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel based on real events left me speechless, truly. It is as graphic and intense as the very lives that exist between its lines. The shocking truthfulness of the story makes me feel the mountain chill or the pain in the most delicate decisions of those survivors. I have always wondered if they endured out of tenacity and survival instinct, by the whim of fate, or because they were well-prepared as they were athletes, rugby players, no less.

Even with these condescending questions, there are still many things in my mind that I cannot separate from fiction and reality. But one thing is certain: the hardships these boys went through, while imaginable through the paragraphs of the book, are indescribable on a moral or empathetic level. Great book or great biography, however you want to call it, worthy of an award. (Translated from Spanish)

[Rafasanchez43 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An impactful book about the real events of an extreme situation in which the survivors relied on faith and appealed to do everything possible to survive... (Translated from Spanish)

[andysol87 ? · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Honestly, being Uruguayan, I don't know how it never occurred to me to read this book, nor to watch the movie, nor to educate myself about it. I think we are born with the chip of this story, which is deeply rooted in our society, so that we no longer question what happened. We simply know that it did happen. I can't say much more. Just that each of my fellow countrymen should read this book. The tale of a story that sinks deep into the bones. I cried a lot, and I am sure I felt a minimal, but very minimal, sensation of the horror that the brave ones of the Andes experienced. (Translated from Spanish)

[Mamen Puerto · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A chilling testimony (Translated from Spanish)

[AnaTerán · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this book many years ago and I still remember the intensity with which I did so. I recall its pages and I feel the same emotions again, of sorrow, frustration, horror, anxiety, and the final joy. A true story that shocked the world with its harshness. Survival encompasses everything. (Translated from Spanish)

[inma2569 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it, and being a true story makes it even more impactful. (Translated from Spanish)

[mariabv2012 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the second review I’m writing, after three days of finding this network that has captivated me instantly. "Alive" was the first adult book I read in my life; I was about 11 years old. I borrowed it from my older brother and read it in secret, knowing that if my parents found out, they wouldn't let me finish it. It was a fascinating read, a heartbreaking true story where the struggle for survival in extreme conditions led the few travelers who survived a plane crash in the Andes to resort to profaning the remains of their companions to feed themselves and continue living. I do not recommend it for young readers, but it left a mark on me; it was one of my first forays into the real world of adults. Until then, my readings had been limited to children's stories, poetry, and adventures of kids my age. From that book onward, I became interested in reading for adults. I recommend it to all interested readers. (Translated from Spanish)

[Caroldiego · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read it many years ago, but I remember that it is the kind of reading that I like to pick up from time to time, which makes me feel a bit bad because it's harsh and makes you suffer. Still, I read it to the end. The book is much harsher than the movie, as it explains many more details about what they had to go through to survive. I recommend it!!! (Translated from Spanish)

[Barbybb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was the first book I read. It was a punishment from my father (may he rest in peace) for things at school. And I acknowledge that it has been the book that made me fall in love with reading. Thanks to this book and thanks to my father, I love to read. Although the subject of the book is a bit harsh, it hooks you from the very first moment. (Translated from Spanish)

[JeanCarlosM · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A surprising and hopeful story.
Good book. (Translated from Spanish)

[EugeSasia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating. The real story in all its dimensions. The human spirit and its strength in one of the most extraordinary survival experiences ever known. My respect and admiration to those who lived this. (Translated from Spanish)

[Alipadiz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am Uruguayan; I experienced the tragedy as if it were my own because it involved people my age. The author was able to capture the essence of the emotions and experiences conveyed by the survivors. It is a light work for those who do not have it ingrained in their genes. (Translated from Spanish)

[luchojas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Highly recommended. This is another book from my adolescence... my dad initially didn't want me to read it, but I read it secretly. I don't regret it; it's an excellent story and a tribute to the overcoming of the human spirit. Grateful to have it among my paper books (it actually belonged to my dad, haha), alongside Summer of '42 and The Godfather, all of which my dad left to me, just like his love for reading. Forever grateful. (Translated from Spanish)

[Ilcego · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This particular story I have read from different perspectives and authors; the first time I read it was in this book. Over time, I understood that the theme of eating the bodies of their loved ones was absolutely secondary; what is important is the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity and the incredible mental strength these beings had to not give up and achieve their survival. The fact that they were a team undoubtedly worked in their favor to move forward. (Translated from Spanish)

[Nieves Alvarez Prieto · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emotional and moving. A heartbreaking story about the tragedy of the Andes. I really enjoyed reading it, although it is true that I suffered a lot while reading it. Very well written. (Translated from Spanish)

[kary18 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is very good, interesting from beginning to end; we do not know what we are capable of in a life or death situation. (Translated from Spanish)

[Geniadecuento · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It fell into my hands in the 80s and it was incredible to discover what one can do when there seems to be no way out. But sometimes others feed you so that you can live... (Translated from Spanish)

[Rafaguillo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the novels that impacted me the most, due to the cruelty of eating the fallen for one's own survival. It is true that it was a more common practice than we think, especially in besieged cities, where they also ended up doing it, but perhaps the distance in time softens the fact. The proximity of this story makes it clear that we are not actually so different. (Translated from Spanish)

[melireinhold · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am from the south, my town borders the mountains. Whenever I go skiing and I am looking towards the Andes and see the vastness of those mountains, I remember this book and what these people had to endure.
A very tough book, but well told. (Translated from Spanish)

[Verosilva · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Striking account. Raw. Direct. Unembellished. It's a shame that it's not fiction. :( (Translated from Spanish)

[March Delgado · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very impactful survival story. After an accident in the Andes, the survivors must decide whether to give in and die of starvation or eat... human flesh, taken from the dead around them. Based on true events, it addresses the topic with complete naturalness. (Translated from Spanish)

[gracevb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A true and very hard story. Where an uncle of mine lived one of the toughest experiences of his life. It's worth reading. (Translated from Spanish)

[DanielaGonzlez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A book with a very strong life experience, a very good book. (Translated from Spanish)

[AntonMiralles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Few books have moved me so much. Both for the event itself and for the author's narration, masterful. (Translated from Spanish)

[EstherEst ?‍♀️??‍♂️ · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This phrase struck me: What have we done for God to make us eat our loved ones? (Translated from Spanish)

[Moisés · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had nightmares. (Translated from Spanish)

[Comodin78 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The most impressive and fascinating story of the last 100 years. A must-read. 15 out of 16 are still alive. (Translated from Spanish)

[scotter · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An unmissable book that talks about overcoming challenges, friendship, and perseverance. Out of 50, only 16 survived. What happened, and how did it happen? An epic and true story that is worth reading. (Translated from Spanish)