The Worst Case Scenario Almanac: The Great Outdoors (Paperback)

~ (Author), Melissa Wagner (Author) "On April 14, 1989, David Nyman and Jim Sweeney set out in Alaska's Denali National Park to climb the north face of a challenging peak..." (more)
Key Phrases: long log, Expert Advice, Grand Canyon, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Bears. Avalanches. Grill fi res. The great outdoors is packed with perils, so be prepared from the moment you lace up your boots. With detailed instructions on how to get out of every kind of trouble in the wild, this new, dynamic almanac format in the best-selling Worst-Case Scenario series provides maximum protection and gives you something scary to read around the campfire. Profiles of worst-case locations and intrepid explorers, charts and graphs of perilous situations, offbeat lists and facts here is all the information you need in the wilderness to feel safe and terrified at the same time.

About the Author

David Borgenicht is the author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival series.

Melissa Wagner is the co-author of The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: History.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (June 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811858278
• ISBN-13: 978-0811858274
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #323,768 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The REAL Worst-Case Scenario: Running Out of Ideas II, November 2, 2008

By	fredtownward "The Analytical Mind; Have Brain... (Palatine, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This second attempt in the almanac format represents a noticeable improvement over The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: History, because the chosen topic, the Great Outdoors, is one that (unlike History) actually needs to be survived.

Like the first almanac this book manages only a paltry 30 scenarios in its 268 pages, but at least in this book the "filler" material is often useful. Survival myths get debunked, important survival tips are set off by lines of slashes, stories of survival offer important lessons, and slightly over half of the remaining tables contain useful information. Unfortunately that still leaves a lot of useless if marginally interesting material, some of it little more than blatant environmentalist wacko-ism and some of it just snarky and asinine.

All things considered, I can recommend this book, but I am considerably more dubious about the next book in the series: The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Politics, which turns out to be an unjustified waste of what the authors clearly regard as "sacred" trees.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid advice for the out of sorts, March 8, 2008

By	John Cooper "theoldmule" (Columbia, SC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is wonderful writing, and a fun read. Entertaining to the n^th degree. Hopefully not useful.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worst Case Scenarios, June 30, 2008

By	Joseph S. Maresca "Dr. Joseph S. Maresca CPA,... (Bronxville, New York USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The book covers some classic worst case scenarios.
For instance, how does a person control a mob of
people seemingly out of control. The preferred method
is to stand above the mob and view it as a single
unit. Show no fear and stroke the ego of individuals
present. There is a section describing playground
politics and strategies to handle the phenomenon.

The author covers strategies aimed at working in a
hostile room. Plan your exit and harmonize with the
people present. There is a section which explains
how to give a toast at a formal dinner.

Occasionally, unique anecdotes are provided. For instance,
Beethoven changed the name of a musical piece from
the Bonaparte Symphony to Heroic. In 1872, a drunk man
was given a year in jail for herding cows while drunk.

The work is a bit of an oddity in a world of books
which address more mundane things. For this reason,
the presentation is interesting and challenging.
I'm not certain whether or not everyone would enjoy
this book because of the unusual content.