Customer Reviews

Desperate Journeys, Abandoned Souls: True Stories of Castaways and Other Survivors

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was obviously exhaustively researched, as it spares no details in the dozens of true and horrifying accounts of people throughout the ages who were trapped in hopeless survival situations. Many lived, many did not... The only flaw in this teriffic book is that it may be a bit long and seems to lose momentum before the end. It could have been a third shorter and still been as powerful and just as fascinating. I was a little disappointed that the author did not cover the Raft of the Medusa or the Donner Party, as they would fit perfectly into this book. Perhaps he thought they've already been studies more thoroughly by other reasearchers. But it was still very much worth reading and never got boring. I was surprised at how many instances of civilized cannibalism have occured throughout history! I would recommend this book to anyone interested in survival or human psychology.

"True stories of Castaways and Other Survivors" This is a superb mix of 20+ different types of survival stories. From the Poor Englishman who landed on a barren isle that "had neither springs nor streams and was utterly devoid of vegetation: no grass, plants, or trees" and managed to live for a full year and be rescued -to- The Headhunter's Casket, which in part reads, "...two issues should be examined and resolved. The first involves an individual's responsibility or guilt for actions taken to ensure his survival. The second has to do with the lasting effects of ordeals." It is truely some of the best reading and information, of this type, I've EVER come across.

With the bestseller lists populated by the likes of such adventure stories as Into Thin Air and other contrived adventures of the bored rich, it is refreshing to read about adventure stories that hark back to a time when man was less concerned with adventure and more concerned with science, discovery, or just making a living. Adventure was just something you accidentally stumbled into. The author recounts many lesser known survival stories, and attempts to reconstruct a mental and psychological profile of the victims as well. In an age where we look at adventure and heroism as more important than the preparation and foresight that would make such adventure unnecessary, it is refreshing to read about survival stories where those suffering the hardships simply want to get it over with. The book hums along nicely for about 2/3 of the 500+ pages, but the author seems to run out of steam and stories, and seems to want to read more i nto the adventure experience than is actually there. Many of the survivors seem less than willing to elaborate upon their experiences, or semed less than heroic in their hardships, but this only adds weight to the contrast between explorer/discoverer and the modern adventurer. But those of you with a taste for the bizarre will love this book, it contains enough morbidity,death, cannibalism and suffering to satisfy the most harcore adventure enthusiast. THe chapters on the rampant cannibalism i n the history of the British Navy and in other adventure scenarios are especially gruesome. Bon Appetit! All in all a worthwhile if a bit long of a read.

This 20+ chapter book is a compilation of accounts of individuals who survived real-life tragedies--everything from shipwrecks back in the days of wooden ships, to modern events such as plane crashes, etc.

The one thing each of the stories has in common is that each of the survivors not only had to withstand the tragedy itself, but then they had to fight against nature or the elements to preserve their life.

I did enjoy the book, but I can't give it more than 3 stars. I generally judge a book by how difficult it is for me to set it down before it's finished--this one just wasn't that gripping. The stories were interesting, but at times it didn't seem like there was enough continuity.

In addition, I think the last chapter could have been eliminated entirely. While the other chapters were generally dedicated to one story per chapter, the last contained a dozen or so stories from the 20th century. As a result, they were much more brief, and left me wondering about the details that were necessarily omited.

That said however, the author did a fantastic job of researching the accounts, especially given the number he covered.

This book is a must for every reader who likes survival stories.
Selected here events (on the land and sea) are absolutely astonishing and ranging in time from 16th century to modern times. Tragedy of whale ship "Essex" is included.
Great research and great writing Mr. Leslie, I congratulate you for this !

I wondered if people were ever REALLY trapped on desert islands for years (a la Gilligan and "Cast Away"), and if so, what would it do to them psychologically? This is the perfect book to answer that. Some folks have spiritual revelations, some give up the idea of god altogether, some go crazy. And who survives, and who dies of panic or bad planning? All incredibly interesting. Stories range from pirate mutinies to a woman trapped under her car on a snowy road... oh, and those Japanese soldiers in WWII who didn't know the war ended! What a lot of good stories.

After reading this, I had this strange period of looking at the world from the point of view of a castaway... "what is useful to me in this situation? What can be salvaged here?", which was interesting, to say the least. Any book that gives you a new way to think deserves 5 stars!

this is one of the few books i've read that i can't get out of my mind. i keep thinking about the different stories. i lend it out far too often! you don't have to read it all at once; it's a great book to dip into.

This was a fascinating book. It contains many true stories of survival. If you liked the books Alive or The Perfect Storm, you will love this.

This tome is dirt cheap for the pleasure (or nightmares)it will give you. About 500 pages with footnotes it is a classic in the ethics of disaters. Ie...what would you do if confronted with the choice of eating bits of your dead mate or swallowing sea water?

It's the kinda book that is a treasure to find, keep it under your bed for those nights you cannot sleep. After reading a chapter you will be gratefull to be warm and have water in the next room. Things could always be worse....NOT!

Every story got better than the last. I was a little skeptical of a compilation book of survival stories, but this was very well written. A great collection of true survival stories.