Over the Edge: A Regular Guy's Odyssey in Extreme Sports [Paperback]

Michael Bane (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2000

In this personal narrative, former couch potato Michael Bane begins an incredible journey that takes him from the abyss to the highest, storm-swept mountains and, ultimately, changes his life forever. Bane's insights have come from participating in such high-risk sports as mountaineering and cave diving.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Everyone makes lists, but the baker's dozen of personal challenges that Michael Bane came up with to test the breaking points of body and soul are literally breathtaking. The adventures he exuberantly narrates are the extreme of the extreme, like swimming from Alcatraz Island, running through Death Valley, bicycling the Rocky Mountains, and climbing Mt. Denali. Along the route of his audacious odyssey, he meets his share of fascinating fellow extremists, one of whom describes the author as a kind of "George Plimpton from Hell," an apt depiction, to be sure, of man intent on journeying to a daringly engaging version of hell and back. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Wilderness Press; 1 edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899972659
• ISBN-13: 978-0899972657
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bane is either driven or crazy, September 5, 2000

By 

Gary L Scott (Beaverton, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Over the Edge: A Regular Guy's Odyssey in Extreme Sports (Paperback)

I started reading "Over the Edge" the Saturday of Labor day weekend thinking that I would read it around the weekend activities and ended up not being able to put it down to the detriment of some activities. Bane draws you in and you become as obsessed with the LIST as he was.

From cave diving to climbing Mt Mckinley Bane weaves an autobiography that only someone that is partly crazy could write. But the more that I read the more I started to reevaluate my life. At 51 I am no longer young enough to punish my body like he did but he has motivated me to make my own list of things that I have wanted to do in the past and always found an excuse not to do.

Banes' book shows you that your only limited by your own limitations and that risk is relative to reward.

"Over the Edge" gives desk jockeys like myself a new insight into the meaning of Risk. After reading Banes' book you will look at risk with a whole new perspective.

A cross between story and philosophy "Over the Edge" should be read by anyone that wants to make a profound change in their life, be it loosing weight or starting the next billion dollar dotcom company.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Discover your own undiscovered, May 24, 2000

By 

AJ MUNRO (South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Over the Edge: A Regular Guy's Odyssey in Extreme Sports (Paperback)

Have you ever felt that there must be more out there than the rut or routine you are in? Ever wonder what it is like to complete something which really looks cool and exciting?

This book is the story of a "middle aged" man who decided to push himself over the edge, and to see what it was like out there. In a pizza den or a bar, Michael Bane scribbled a list of 13 extreme activities that he knew nothing about, but which he was determined to do.

Michael Bane takes the reader through THE LIST, through the emotions and feelings he encountered, through the sweat, the pain and the failure of achievment.

If you need some additional motivation or some get-up-an-go this would be the hassle free way of starting the discovery of what you, normal person, can achieve if you really want to.

On the other hand, for the couch potatoes, this would be a great way to experience a part of the Extreme Lifestyle, which you sometimes hear about, or see on TV!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I laughed out loud -- and then went to run my first marathon, January 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Over the Edge: A Regular Guy's Odyssey in Extreme Sports (Hardcover)

Being your average, near-40, near-couch potato, I loved this book. I didn't know squat about any of the sports, so I enjoyed his descriptions of what they require and some of the main events.

Best of all, his writing style is seriously funny. I laughed out loud so many times that my wife wanted to read a few chapters just to see what was entertaining me so.

Once I was done reading the book I decided that it really was time for me to run that marathon I'd been talking about for the last 25 years. And you know what? I did it. Thanks Michael Bane.