Death by Stupidity: The 1001 Most Ridiculous, Bizarre and Astonishingly Idiotic Ways People Have Kicked the Bucket (Paperback)

by David Southwell (Author)
Key Phrases: ridiculous deaths, fatal head injuries, New Zealand, South Wales, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

If the stories were not true, no one would believe that these 1001 people managed to die in such utterly stupid yet highly amusing ways—but they did. From the woman who drunk herself to death with water trying to win a contest that required her to hold in her wee longer than the other contestants to the convicted killer who turned his toilet into a homemade electric chair by frying himself while sitting on it and fixing a television set at the same time, Death by Stupidity presents hundreds of newly collected accounts of what might kindly be described as actions lacking foresight or less-kindly described as really idiotic ways to meet one's maker.
The ultimate cautionary guide on what not to do, this comprehensive catalog of ridiculous ways to die offers snappy tellings of awe-inspiring examples of actions that led to truly amusing incidences of fatality. It also features a series of unique lists that present examples of the "top ten" stupid ways people have died in various categories, including alcohol-induced, wildlife-included, crime-related, and sex-involved deaths.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ulysses Press (January 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569756937
• ISBN-13: 978-1569756935
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #726,008 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They Did What?!? , March 21, 2009

By	Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

People who fervently believe in Doone's "the death of one man diminishes me" statement might be sorely tested by DEATH BY STUPIDITY. The various dim-bulbs whose deaths are immortalized in David Southwell and Matt Adams' book might make ever the staunchest Doone devotee have second thoughts. The rest of us will just shake our heads and be glad we're not related to those dearly departed nitwits.

Originally published in England, DEATH BY STUPIDIY is top-heavy with U.K. deaths. Yet it includes a fair sampling of dumb deaths from the States and various countries around the world. Whatever the locale, the overwhelming principle that runs through DEATH BY STUPIDITY is "What were they thinking?!?" Some cases in point:

*A Rio de Janeiro One scrap metal dealer tries to open an rocket-propelled-grenade (RPG) with a sledgehammer. Guess what the result was?
*A Ukranian poacher stuns fish using a cable connected to a generator. Unfortunately, when he jumps in the river to retrieve the fish, he forgot to turn off the juice. Zap!!!!!
*A woman driving the interstate near Denver is fixing her lipstick when she's forced to break. Down her throat goes the lipstick. It lodges in her windpipe and it's coffin-city.
*Desperate for a nose job, a bloke from London has at it with a chisel. The do-it-yourself (DIY) operation leads to a infection. Result: a new nose on the old - but very dead - body.
*A Phoenix gun-nut decides it would be fun to blast away at a 20-foot high saguaro cacti, pumping so many rounds into the cactus that it falls on him, crushing him to death.
*A popular French singer decides to change a light bulb while standing in a bathtub of water.
*A drunk, having an argument over whether a solvent is flammable, douses himself with it and strikes a match. He died of severe burns six days later!

What accounts for these deaths? Many are tied in with Alcohol and/or drug abuse. Suicides make up a fair share not to mention dangerous Kinky Sex, dangerous Extreme Sports, etc.

And, time and again, there are those incredibly unlucky people who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Case in point: an elderly British couple is motoring down the road when the driver of an oncoming van is stung in the crotch(!) by a bee. Losing control of his van, he slams into the couples' car, killing them instantly.

While some may find DEATH BY STUPIDITY appalling, it is fascinating in a macabre fashion. Depening on your sensitivities, you may chuckle at the various deadly doings in the book or just marvel at the thoughtlessness of people involved. Recommended.