soothsayer's Full Review: Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht - The Worst-Case...
Lost? Without a satellite phone, or a camera crew to follow you around? Need water? Food? What about if you are kidnapped, or find yourself surrounded by UFOs and long spindly-armed aliens? Is the camel you are riding going to bolt? How about minefields and volcanic eruptions? This book offers indispensable advice on surviving the most unlikely scenarios while traveling. The theory is that anything can happen on a trip, so always prepare for the worse.
The book is organized in to topical chapters each containing scenarios and the 4-5 easy steps it takes to either avoid, or to escape the situation. Of course, “easy” is an understatement. It is easy to sit back and casually read through each scenario, and the steps it takes to avoid or survive the situation. It’s a little harder to actually put it into practice, but at least you are prepared.
Scattered throughout the book are line drawings and diagrams illustrating some of the scenarios you may encounter, and how to go about surviving it. Some illustrations are useful such as the procedure on how to jump from a moving train, or how to build animal traps; but some are just plain amusing and funny like foiling UFO abductions.
Personally, I thought the book was OK and useful in case these situations come up, and you have the technical instructions on how to survive it. In case the scenario you face might be different than is described in the book, you may be out of luck. The book does not delve into thinking outside the box, or to rely on scavenged supplies, tools, and your own gut instinct.
The first chapter, “Getting There” lists methods on how to control a runaway horse, camel, car, train, or airplane. All sound advice, and even goes on to prepare you for a train or airplane crash in case the methods do not work as planned.
Chapter 2, “People Skills” deals with unpleasant situations you may encounter when dealing with people. Among the advice dispensed are how to survive a riot, or a hostage situation, how to pass bribes, and how to foil a mugging. They even list advice on foiling UFO abductions (think positive, resist verbally, if all else fails, aim for the eyes).
Chapter 3, “Getting Around” offers useful advice in case you find yourself searching for an escape route. If you are tied up, there is a scenario on how to escape when tied up, or how to escape from the trunk of a car. If you need to run away, there is advice on jumping from rooftop to rooftop, or jumping off a moving train, and the proper procedure on ramming barricades (aim for the weak point). In a big city where anything might happen, there are useful two scenarios, how to survive a fall onto subway tracks, and how to survive a plummeting elevator.
Chapter 4, “Out and About” helps you find your way out of a hostile landscape when Lassie is nowhere to be found. It lists advice on how to climb out of a well, how to find your way without a compass, and how to survive in a jungle. In case you need to navigate a minefield, survive riptides, volcanic eruptions, and even a trip down a waterfall, there is advice for that too. I serious doubt this book can help you survive Niagara Falls, or Victoria Falls, but you never can tell.
Chapter 5, “Food and Shelter” is a pretty serious section listing advice on what to do in case you find yourself in the wilds famished and without shelter. If you need to find water on a deserted island, it shows you how to locate potential water sources, and how to purify water for drinking. If you need to survive a tsunami, or a sandstorm, it will show you how. Need food? There is advice on making animal traps, and catching fish without a rod. Unfortunately, what’s missing from this chapter is advice on distinguishing edible plants and animals (including insects).
Chapter 6, “Surviving Illness and Injury” dispenses survival advice on certain medical conditions one may encounter should one’s travel take you away from civilization. How to remove leeches, and tarantulas; dealing with scorpion stings, and severed limbs; and how to cross piranha-infested waters. I found this advice useful, “If a leech invades an air passage.” They advise, “Gargle with diluted 80-proof alcohol, being careful not to aspirate (inhaling the leech and the alcohol). 2. Spit out the leech.” I wonder what happens if you accidentally inhale the leech; they are mum on that issue.
At the end, the Appendix offers a potpourri of general travel and safety advice, called “Strategies”. Most of the information listed can be found in most other travel books, such as strategies for hotels, and strategies for flying. The appendix also lists several emergency phrases conveniently translated into Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. Although this book seems geared toward travel in lands that utilize neither of these languages, the authors mention that, “odds are that you will get your point across if you know these key phrases.” Um, right… In case I ever find myself held hostage in Afghanistan, I will say, “Zettai watashi wo shaberaseru koto wa dekinai!” (Japanese for “You will never make me talk!”)
The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel
Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht. 2001.
Chronicle Books. www.chroniclebooks.com
ISBN 0-8118-3131-0
$14.95 USD
Providing frightening and funny real information, this indispensable follow-up to the New York Times best-seller, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Han...More at Audiofy Corporation
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