Pros: More stories of people cleaning up the gene pool
Cons: Not as good as the first edition.
The Bottom Line: Some good stories of people who have done their best to remove the genes of stupidity from the population. However, the first book was much funnier.
The Darwin Awards, for those of you who haven't heard, are awarded to the people who do their best to remove their chance of procreation via their own stupid actions. In effect, by killing themselves off doing something completely idiotic, they end their chances of breeding. Generally, these actions are done in a spectacular way.
Currently, there are four types of Darwin Awards:
1) Darwin Award - When the hapless victim succeeds in killing themselves, and the action has been verified by various sources; Darwin Candidates are people who did everything necessary but actually remove themselves from the gene pool. These can be either verified or unconfirmed - the book will tell you which.
2) Honorable Mention - When the person manages to cause irreperable harm which will prevent breeding, but do not necessarily die from that action.
3) Urban Legend - Stories that have been verified as false.
4) Personal Accounts - Stories that have been submitted by individuals over the years but have no verification.
The book collects many of these stories and puts them together for us to read at a sitting or two, amusing us with the insane ideas people sometimes come up with to have fun, get the girl, avoid work or create the next great invention. Wendy Northcutt, manager of the Darwin Awards website (www.darwinawards.com), has been tracking various feats of idiocy and doing a very good job at tracking down and authenticating them. Many of the stories we hear are just urban legends, and Ms. Northcutt is an expert at verifying stories so we know the truth.
In Darwin Awards II stories run the gamut of idiocy - from the guy wanted to sleep on his roof during a hot summer night, but forgot that sloped roofs tend to let objects ROLL OFF OF THEM, as he did, dying when he hit the ground to the man who accidentally shot himself -- because he picked up (and fired off) the gun next to his bed instead of the ringing phone). Most are funny, some are scary and some you thank the stars that these people haven't passed on their genes.
The book runs 10 chapters and covers a wide variety of Darwin Awards:
Chapter 1 - Penance: Seven Deadly Sins - Stories involving lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, envy, sloth and vanity.
Chapter 2 - Women: Femme Fatales - Most Darwins are awarded (post-humously) to men. Here is a collection of FEMALE winners.
Chapter 3 - Water: All Washed Up - Darwins with a water theme.
Chapter 4 - Technology: Engines of Destruction - Homemade ways to start your lineage, using the modern methods of technology.
Chapter 5 - Men: Male-Functions - Men showing off, and then dying off because of their stupidity.
Chapter 6 - Animals: Pall of the Wild - Man vs. Nature - and nature tends to win.
Chapter 7 - Explosions: Out with a Bang! - Dumb people and dynamite - a REALLY bad mix.
Chapter 8 - Outlaws: Crime and Punishment - As I once heard: "All of the investigative work in the word isn't worth the stupidity of a criminal."
Chapter 9 - Disqualified: Losing Is Its Own Reward - Stories in which some questionable activity was involved but not gross stupidity. The author explains each disqualification.
Chapter 10 - Classic Dozen: Better Read than Dead The best Darwins since the beginning.
The style of the book has added a few things since the last version, which I enjoyed. Snide comments, questions to think about and 'See also' sections which relate similar stories were a welcome addition to the book. She also took the time to come up with apropos quotes for some of the more ridiculous actions in the book.
However, when it comes down to it, much of the book seems to be stuff that might have been cut from the first edition. Heck, chapter 10 is all CLASSIC Darwin Awards. Although some of them are hilarious, many are just head-shakers with a chuckle and little more. Although I appreciate getting my annual Darwin Award email every year, I don't think there is enough new material to justify a new book. Better to wait 3-4 years to collect enough good (and original material).
If you like reading the litany of gross stupidity which reaches the level of a Darwin Award, I suggest getting volume one over the second installment. However, if you can't get your fill, then get the second book as well.
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