98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Cody Lundin (Author), Russ Miller (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2003

Cody Lundin, director of the Aboriginal Living Skills School in Prescott, Arizona, shares his own brand of wilderness wisdom in this highly anticipated new book on commonsense, modern survival skills for the backcountry, the backyard, or the highway. This is the ultimate book on how to stay alive-based on the principal of keeping the body's core temperature at a lively 98.6 degrees.

In his entertaining and informative style, Cody stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so. But if the body's core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6 degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. It is a concept that many don't take seriously or even consider, but knowing what to do to maintain a safe core temperature when lost in a blizzard or in the desert could save your life. Lundin delivers the message with wit, rebellious humor, and plenty of backcountry expertise.

Watch naturalist Cody Lundin on "Dual Survival" as he uses many of the same skills and techniques taught in his book: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive.

As seen

in the

10-part series

"Dual Survival"

on

The Discovery Channel!

Cody Lundin and his Aboriginal Living Skills School have been featured in dozens of national and international media sources, including Dateline NBC, CBS News, USA Today, The Donny and Marie Show, and CBC Radio One in Canada, as well as on the cover of Backpacker magazine. When not teaching for his own school, he is an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and a faculty member at the Ecosa Institute. Cody is the only person in Arizona licensed to catch fish with his hands, and lives in a passive solar earth home sixty miles from Prescott, Arizona.

(20030814)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This outrageously straightforward survival book teaches you what you need to know, now, to live through virtually every survival scenario. (Los Angeles Daily News )

From the Inside Flap

A destined underground classic, 98.6: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive is a nonstop thrill ride, jam-packed with commonsense modern survival skills for the backcountry, the backyard, or the highway. Author Cody Lundin, founder and director of the nationally recognized Aboriginal Living Skills School, shares his own brand of wilderness wisdom based on the unique principle of keeping the body's core temperature at a lively 98.6 degrees.

In his no-nonsense and informative style-paired with outrageously hip visuals-Cody stresses that a human can live without food for weeks, and without water for several days. But if the body's core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6-degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. It is a concept that many don't take seriously or even consider, but knowing what to do to maintain a safe core temperature when visiting the great outdoors could save your life.

Delivered with wit, rebellious humor, and plenty of backcountry expertise, 98.6: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive is destined to not only entertain but to empower the reader with practical advice, information, and detailed instructions of how to create an effective modern-day survival kit using simple, easy-to-find items.

Buy a copy for yourself-and for your grandmother!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (June 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586852345
• ISBN-13: 978-1586852344
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (115 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Survival Skills
  • #3 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Reference
  • #6 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Hiking & Camping > Instructional

More About the Author

Cody Lundin and his Aboriginal Living Skills School have been featured in dozens of national and international media sources, including Dateline NBC, CBS News, USA Today, The Donny and Marie Show, and CBC Radio One in Canada, as well as on the cover of Backpacker magazine. When not teaching for his own school, he is an adjunct faculty member at Yavapai College and a faculty member at the Ecosa Institute. Cody is the only person in Arizona licensed to catch fish with his hands, and lives in a passive solar earth home sixty miles from Prescott, Arizona

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

176 of 186 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reality at its best, August 3, 2004

By 

Ted Fisher (Danville, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive (Paperback)

Excellent book on survival. I am glad someone finally divides "SURVIVAL" from "Wilderness Living Skills" I would venture to say that most people that provide bad reviews of this book are looking for texts in Wilderness Living Skills. There are other books for that. I use 98.6 for a text book in our Search and Rescue Team training. In reality most victims succumb to hypothermia in survival situations other than trying to catch fish with a shoe string and a safety pin. It is reality at its best, presented in a humorous fashion.

Ted Fisher, Vermilion County Search and Rescue

139 of 149 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh New Look at Survival, August 27, 2004

By 

Ken (UT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive (Paperback)

It's about time I pick up a book that has more than a list of survival skills. In fact, this book doesn't make any attempt to teach you how to trap animals or construct log furniture in the wilderness. Instead, you learn how to idetify potential survival situations and avoid getting into them if possible. If you do, backcountry knowledge will be helpful but it will be even better if you know how to take care of the basics such as controling fear and focusing on keeping your body at a comfy 98.6 degrees. I absolutely loved this book. There is discussion of psychology, biology, and physiology, all in a basic easy to understand format. Lundin's writing style is as if he were there talking to you. One of my personal favorites of the book is the chapter on survival kits, complete with color photographs. I thought I had a pretty good kit but after reading this, I need to make a few changes. If you spend any time in the world, anywhere, I recommend this book. If you want to know how to build monster solar stills, trap wild animals, and spear fish, look elsewhere. This book rocks!

71 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It kept my ass alive!, May 12, 2005

By 

onliner (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive (Paperback)

Prior to embarking on a rugged solo day hike in AZ's Superstition Wilderness, I read this book cover to cover. (I'm a middle-aged, East Coast trail hiker who hasn't hiked recently, so survival was a major consideration.) My desert day hike turned into an overnight stay on a canyon ledge far from the trailhead. Thanks to Cody Lundin's book, I maintained a "party on" attitude, was fully prepared (both with equipment and mentally), and spent a fabulous night watching the stars. The right attitude is everything! Enjoyed the humor and common sense approach of his writing. His examples stick with you when you need them. Great tips on putting together a practical, personal survival kit that will work anywhere. There's now one in my pack and one in my car. Lots of useful information on how to overcome fear and keep your head.