Where the Air Grows Thin: Memoir of a Mountaineer (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798896361701)

For readers of Cheryl Strayed and Anthony Doerr, a lyrical adventure memoir tracing one woman's Seven Summits quest while caring for her mother through ALS--a story of endurance, love, and the cost of coming home changed.

"An incredible work of art."--Alison Levine, New York Times best-selling author of On the Edge

When Nicole LoBiondo set out to climb the Seven Summits--the highest mountain on every continent--she never imagined that her hardest climb would be the one waiting at home.

As Nicole pushes through extreme expeditions--from Antarctica's frozen plateau to the thin air of Everest--she returns home between climbs to care for her mother through a devastating illness. These parallel journeys reveal a story of grit, love, and the emotional cost of choosing strength when life demands everything at once. With clear-eyed honesty and vivid, cinematic detail, LoBiondo captures the reality of high-altitude mountaineering, the toll of long-term caregiving, and the universal struggle to survive what breaks us. Ultimately, she discovers that endurance is not just the ability to keep going up a mountain but also the courage to face loss, reshape identity, and rise again.

A gripping blend of adventure story and intimate family memoir, Where the Air Grows Thin is a powerful story of adventure, caregiving, ALS, and the journey of a daughter fighting to hold on to her mother while learning how to let go.

Author: Nicole Lobiondo
ISBN-13: 9798896361701
Publisher: She Writes Press
Language: English
Published: 10/13/2026
Pages: 208
Format: Paperback