7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What? No impalement on pungi sticks?, December 5, 2002
This review is from: Extreme Encounters: How It Feels to Be Drowned in Quicksand, Shredded by Piranhas, Swept Up in a Tornado, and Dozens of Other Unpleasant Experiences... (Paperback)
In the forward of EXTREME ENCOUNTERS, author Greg Emmanuel indicates that the muse for his book came knocking after his own near death experience in a rollover auto accident on a New York parkway. Happily, my second-string Review Muse doesn't need such a drastic kick start.
EXTREME ENCOUNTERS is all about situations and events that result in dire physical or mental injury, often ending in death. Its 40 chapters are divided into six sections: attacks by other species, outdoor misadventures, medical emergencies, crime and punishment, ordinary daily accidents, and in-harm's-way by choice. My favorite from each section was respectively: death by fire ants, abduction by tornado, death by Ebola, interrogation by "Chinese water torture", pain by hydrofluoric acid, and over Niagara Falls via barrel.
The author can describe these vicarious thrills after having interviewed survivors and those otherwise knowledgeable about such things. He spices each chapter with relevant facts. (Did you know that the Philippines is the only country besides the U.S. to have executed with the electric chair, or that 30,000 wounded limbs were amputated in the Union Army during the Civil War?) He brings the immediacy of the experience home to the reader by use of the second person. So, it's:
"You land face first in the shallow water, putting more of your flesh into the feeding zone." (Piranha buffet)
Or, "You try to angle your body so you can kick at the lid." (Buried alive)
And, "Your foot kicks against the metal faucet, completing the circuit, and the current goes straight through your body." (Blow dryer into the tub)
I'm giving EXTREME ENCOUNTERS 4 stars because of the novelty of the theme and the examples chosen to illustrate it. Otherwise, at 173 pages, it's simply a fast and absorbing read that allows one to move quickly on to the next book on the shelf.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So what DOES it feel to die?, June 1, 2005
This review is from: Extreme Encounters: How It Feels to Be Drowned in Quicksand, Shredded by Piranhas, Swept Up in a Tornado, and Dozens of Other Unpleasant Experiences... (Paperback)
So what does it feel like to die? According to author Greg Emmanuel, it all depends on how you go. 39 separate, horrible fates are chronicled in this book, and though not all of them end in death, they do all make your skin crawl. The categories include When Animals Attack, The Great Outdoors, Somebody Get a Doctor, Crime and Punishment, Everyday Mishaps, and Going to Extremes. Most of the scenarios only last for 2-3 pages which makes this a great book to pull out at parties and read aloud from, or take with you on vacation. The story style is conversational and informal, and the book length is a scant 175 pages, so it's a quick read all around.
Yes, the stories are creepy and gross, and at times they'll make you laugh though you might feel a little guilty for doing so. This is a novel and fun book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I laughed, I cringed, I got a bit nauseous -- a fun read, December 17, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Extreme Encounters: How It Feels to Be Drowned in Quicksand, Shredded by Piranhas, Swept Up in a Tornado, and Dozens of Other Unpleasant Experiences... (Paperback)
It's weird to say that it was enjoyable to read a lighthearted book about terrible ways that people have gone through pain, but it was. Beyond doing a lot of research, the author has a good sense of humor. I read it pretty quickly, but it also seems like it could be a good book to keep next to the toilet: you can read one or two of the descriptive vignettes when you go.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
