Customer Reviews

Digging for the Truth: One Man's Epic Adventure Exploring the World's Greatest Archaeological Mysteries

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found when I received this book yesterday I could not put it down. It is well written, the pictures are very good. After having watched the series it helps to fill in the background. I found the information about what Josh carries, clothes, etc. to be interesting. It seemed as though it was more of a conversation with you than "just facts in a book". I would hope that many would read this book. It will make the new series in January come more alive as I shall be curious to see where the adventure leads. It would be my hope that Josh will write more about his adventures, especially the back stories. Again, great job!

I've enjoyed Josh's show, "Digging for the Truth", since it first aired on the History Channel, so when I found he'd written a book about his adventures, I was excited to read it.

In addition to providing some personal background about the host of the show, the book gives us some insight into what it's like to be the host of a highly successful TV program that just happens to require that each episode be filmed in an exotic and often far flung location. His shooting and travel schedule is ... well ... crazy. Josh thinks he has the greatest job in the world, and it shows when you watch him in action and read his thoughts about his adventures. But personally, I'm glad HE is the one running him self ragged to make these wonderful shows and all I have to do is watch them. :)

Josh gives us a nice blend in this book of a) "technical" insights into some of his favorite episodes, b) a glimpse into what he personally experienced while creating them, c) some fun photos and anecdotes of his life on the road, d) a closer view of some of the other personalities we see both on camera and those behind the scenes and e) enjoyable reflections on what creating this show means to him personally.

All in all, it's a very enjoyable read. My only disappointment was that it wasn't longer. :) I'll look forward to a follow up.

Great job, Josh ... keep it up. Though I'd suggest you take a break first.

Josh Bernstein brings his own brand of humor and knowledge to this fun, interesting and hectic portrayal behind the scenes of this top-rated t.v. show of the same name. At times he ends up in dangerous situations, and you're not quite sure how he does it, but the telling of it will keep readers caught up in each adventure. He also uses the head on his shoulders, not putting himself unnecessarily into the path of danger, but thinking through his decisions and using his own curiosity to guide him.(He also runs himself pretty ragged, so I hope the poor guy will get some rest)!

The recaps are told in simple yet captivating passages, and readers with a taste for travel and exploration will feel almost like they are right there alongside him. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read more. There were moments that were poignant, and others that were sweet and funny. Josh has a way with words. He also has a deep appreciation of the earth and a strong respect for the people who live on it, no matter what culture or belief system they hold dear. It's something we could all learn from.

This would no doubt make a wonderful gift for several people on your list.

If you have ever wondered what it's like to work on the production of an international adventure archaeology show, this is your chance. And let me tell you, this job ain't for sissies.

Author and host Josh Bernstein takes up (deep) behind the scenes of the making of the History Channel's hit show, Digging for the Truth, and it's as close to being there as you can get without actually hopping a flight with him and his crew. He describes the high (and sometimes very low) points of the making of various episodes throughout the show's first two seasons, which took about 18 months in total to film.

Josh tells it like it is, and makes you feel what it was like to experience the extreme fatigue, illnesses, humor, excitement, and rigors of making the show. He's hilariously funny at times, and his writing is very conversational and easy to follow; he hooks you in from page one. Evident through it all is that Josh loves his job very much, and has a profound respect for the subjects of his adventures. He also apparently loves his fans a lot to keep up this kind of schedule!

There's also a chapter on his background that will really give you a new respect for this amazing man, and you will be a fan after you read the book even if you weren't before you started. My only complaint is that the book isn't longer, but maybe he will write another one someday!

I am a great fan of the History Channel - as a history professor, that should be no surprise. I am also a great fan of adventure stories, having been captivated by characters such as Indiana Jones decades ago, who showed that to be an adventurer did not mean checking one's mind at the door. In many ways, Josh Bernstein has become a real-life Indiana Jones figure for today, and most importantly for the younger people today, who can see that history need not be the exclusive province of dry, dusty tomes on bookshelves of fluorescent-lighting libraries. Indeed, Bernstein mentions that at different times in his life he has been tempted, ever so briefly, to that scholarly type of life, but was always dissuaded (with the encouragement of rabbis, co-workers, and friends).

This book is a companion to the first seasons of the very popular series on the History Channel of the same name, `Digging for the Truth'. This is not a verbatim transcript, although it does cover many of the important highlights of the shows. This is a combination of a behind-the-scenes travelogue and autobiographical reflection by Bernstein, who, with his hats Henry I-V (there may yet be more - it actually conjures up the song `I'm Henry the Eighth, I am...' to think of his progression of hats - not a fedora, by the way!) has traveled through the world and through life with aplomb, wit, and an adventurous inquisitiveness that makes for exciting viewing and reading.

As a background to a show that explores the background of history and society, this is a wonderful book. It is a wonderful book in terms of look and feel - full-colour pictures and easy-to-read text that does `talk down' but doesn't overwhelm with the confusing or arcane, this is a book for all viewers from middle-school to college graduate level, the span of the likely viewers of the television show. As another commentator has alluded, the book would seem short at twice the length. I got this book as a Christmas gift, and found that I couldn't put it down.

An adventure in itself, this is a book for fans of archaeology, for fans of history, for fans of adventure, and for fans of mysteries that can be revealed in our past.

I love watching DFT, and am eagerly awaiting the new season. I did not know how much went into filming the series. The book walks you through the different adventures that take him around the world. I love the back story that he provides and the side adventures the arise from the crew's journey. It is crazy the little things they have to go through just to get a shot. Josh went through so much for this show I just dont know how he does it. I recommend the book to anyone who likes the show, or history. This is a great adventure story for everyone! Keep it up Josh!!

Josh Bernstein is fascinating. His tales kept me riveted. I felt as if I was along with him on his journeys. I recommend this for anybody who has ever wanted travel the world and discover uncharted territories. Do yourself a favor and buy this book!

Even if you are not a fan of the Digging For the Truth series, this book should be an enjoyable read for anyone. Mr. Bernstein tells it like it is about the series, from fireant-induced anaphylactic shock to weather wreaking havoc in the shoot schedule. Somehow he manages to keep on going, despite health concerns and travelling vast distances in such a short period of time. The book sounds as if he's having a conversation with the reader, and the combination of humor and historical background. I do wish it was a bit longer, but am hoping for a second installment. Mr. Bernstein comes across as a cool, laid back person for such an experienced traveller.

What more can be said about Josh Bernstein? He hosts the most popular show on the History Channel, he runs the Boulder Outdoor Survival School, and somehow finds the time to write a book about his adventures. First I would like point out to the one reviewer, Josh is not an archaeologist by training but by default. Therefore if you're looking for more archaeological information about the episodes, use the bibliography that Josh has included in the back of the book. This is more of a companion book to the first two seasons. Some episodes are not discussed at all, and it's obvious he wrote most of it before the second season started filming. That being said, it is still an interesting read that gives one a glimpse into the exhiliration and exhaustion of making a TV-documentary series that requires the host and crew to travel all over the world in some very remote and dangerous locations. If you've seen the show, you already know that Josh does his own "stunts" (still waiting for him to fly out the windshield of a moving truck and crawl back under the chassis...just kidding folks. Harrison Ford didn't do that either, but rather a stuntman), so I have tremendous admiration for his physical prowess in addition to his equally impressive academic credentials. It's obvious also that enjoys the crap out of doing the show and advocating environmental and anthropological awareness in the process without being too preachy or "Hollywood hippie"-like. I've also noticed he doesn't even sound like a native New Yorker much; must be from living in the great Southwest for the last decade or so...(wink).

I highly recommend this book along with the DVD sets. Hopefully Josh and the History Channel won't burn themselves out too quickly. This is one of the best shows on TV, where you can learn and be entertained at the same time (sometimes without realizing it). I also like how he (and the producers) will present the occasional crackpot theory (I admit I did cringe a bit with the Edgar Cayce connection to the pyramids) but almost always sound science (archaeological and otherwise) seems to win out. Keep up the good work!!!

Josh Bernstein did a great job with this book! He tells of all sorts of 'behind the camera' happenings. With his wonderful sense of humor this book is a quite an enjoyable read for everyone.