Product Description
In his latest collection of death-defying exploits and far-flung travels, Outside Magazine editor Tim Cahill visits the side of an active volcano in Ecuador, the Saharan salt mines and the largest toxic waste dump in the Western Hemisphere. He also ventures to find a Caspian tiger in Turkey and giant centipedes in the Congo. Cahill is one of the last great intrepid journalists, and his thirty wildly entertaining essays display sparkling wit and unstinting curiosity. When not on the move, he debunks hoary notions of the kindness of dolphins and ruminates on religion, death and the perplexing phenomenon of yoga. Charming, incisive and absolutely fearless, Cahill is the perfect travel companion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

At His Best
I've always enjoyed Tim Cahill's books. Somehow, they're both informative, serious and funny.This one is Tim Cahill at his best.A book to share with your friends who read (rare, nowadays) or to keep and read again.

Cahill
This is as good as the other Cahill collections. Funny with lots of heart. Read them all.

Going to a Higher Consciousness
Cracking open a Tim Cahill book fills me with a delicious anticipation of worthwhile hours lerning about mind-boggling physical exertions in exotic locales.

Cahill, who made his bones writing for Outside magazine, fills the reader with an easy humor, a down to earth view of what he is trying to accomplish, and a death defying description of the task at hand.

He is careful not to interject too much of himself into his challenge, at the same time giving enough background so the reader develops an understanding of him.

In this book, most of the stories are about animals he encounters, and not about threats to his personal safety.

However, "The Caravan of White Gold" is a story about a trip through the African Sahara where his party is being trailed by marauders.

I always read Cahill wih a tinge of envy because he has what seems like the best job in the whole world.Visiting exotic locales, and writing witty, relevant thoughts on the subject.

This is not my favorite Cahill offering, but every one is worth the read.

Everyman's Guide
Let's be perfectly honest with ourselves, here, folks. Deep down, we are all Tim Cahill - slightly pudgy, kind of geeky, and always a fish out of water when we travel. Not a single one of us can go anywhere in this world and immediately blend in, feel comfortable, look natural. It's impossible and while some of like to pretend that we are jet-setters, globe-trotters, and travel afficianados, the fact of the matter is that we're usually ignorant of the cultures we visit, the places we see, and the historical importance of the lands we visit. There's nothing wrong with that and Mr. Cahill proves that our ignorance can lead to enlightenment, adventure, and humor - albeit at our own expense.
Mr. Cahill has made a career of poking fun at himself in a way that's self-depreciating but allows his readers to develop and foster an unwavering respect for this man and his persepctive on the world - which I think is a common sense approach to people and places. But more importantly, you like the author. You feel you can call him Tim, meet him at a bar in Montana, throw back a few beers, and tell each other wild stories and blatant lies. He's that engaging, friendly, and comfortable in his style.
Being an avid reader of this type of travel lit., I've read many different authors who all try to emulate Tim in one way or another. But unlike his peers (Bill Bryson, for example) his humor is light-hearted and not caustic or sarcastic. And more importantly, when he does have an opinion about an issue his touch is light and simple - there are no vitriolic diatribes against a developer or policy.
Don't think for one second, though, that he can't turn around and whip off a piece that will leave you in a blubbering mess of tears. I read 'Enlightenment' in one sitting - sure, it was a long sitting, but one single one - at a local coffee shop. I got a plethora of stares and strange looks as I guffawed my way through it. The looks doubled when I finished the book in tears and sat there drying my eyes with a coffee-stained napkin.
No exaggerations here, this book will have you in hysterics one moment and tears the next. Buy this. Read this. Treasure this.

Out Looking for Trouble
This is not a quest for enlightenment, as the title says. Tim Cahill doesn't bore you with touristy descriptions of scenery and high culture that you get from the more button-down travel writers, but diaries of everything that goes wrong with world travel. In Cahill's case this can range from the comical to the disgusting to the downright dangerous. He's not a comedy writer, as some think, but uses humor effectively at key points in his writing to drive his accumulated insights home. Otherwise he is very perceptive and even serious when the situation demands it. This is a loose collection of essays from locations ranging from remote and dangerous third-world hellholes to American commercial adventure destinations. The writings are delivered with a lot of humble pie, which is Cahill's secret weapon. A funny example is when he compares himself to a platypus: "so strange, so different from the rest, so inherently dorky as to be unclassifiable by science." I can identify with that. Some winning essays here, among many, include a trip to a town in Ecuador on the verge of demolition by a volcano, and examinations of the true personalities of gorillas and dolphins. Another winning collection from Cahill, in which he proves that enlightenment is not the travel writer's friend. [~doomsdayer520~] ... Read more

Product Description
Tim Cahill reports on the road trip to end all road trips: a journey that took him from Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in a record-breaking twenty three and a half days.Amazon.com Review
If you define "adventure travel" as anything that'smore fun to read about than to live through, then Tim Cahill's RoadFever is the adventure of a lifetime. Along with professionallong-distance driver Garry Sowerby, Cahill drove 15,000 miles from thesouthernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego to the northernmost terminus ofthe Dalton Highway in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, from one end of the worldto another, in a record-breaking 23 1/2 days. Just like the authors'camper-shelled GMC Sierra truck, the narrative bounces along at arelentless pace. Along the way Cahill and Sowerby cope with moodswings, engine trouble, Andean cliffs, obstinate bureaucracies, slickhighways, armed and uncomprehending soldiery (not to mention thechallenges of securing O.P.M., or Other People's Money--the sinequa non of adventure, Cahill observes). Author of suchoff-the-wall travelogues as Pass theButterworms and JaguarsRipped My Flesh, Cahill is equipped with the correct amalgamof chutzpah and dementia to survive what can only be called "TheRoad Trip From Hell." Readers, however, will thoroughly enjoythemselves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Mostly boring with a few laughs
I expected a lot out of this book, and maybe that is why I was slightly dissapointed.I didn't think this was a bad book per se, but it was a little painful toward the end for me b/c it felt like the same thing over and over.I have been to a few of the countries they drove through, so it was nice to read about their adventures and feel a been there done that feeling.It is not as funny for me as it was for the others.I can't say this is one I would urge a friend to read.

Serious Road Tripping
As someone who's driven between Minnesota and Fairbanks, Alaska 3 times, I'm someone who understands road trips pretty well. From my perspective, this book was an absolute blast. The coverage of their preparation for the trip and the adventures they had along the way are phenomenal.

An awesome read.

It's the type of book you'll find yourself bringing up with friends, as I still do years after reading it myself.

a great read for anyone who loves the art of travel
Of course, Cahill's art of travel is far different than most of ours, but any one who loves adventure will eat up this book. While the journey takes place in the late 80's, the day-to-day stories he tells are essentially timeless. There were parts of this book in which I was unable to contain my bursts of laughter, and other parts that were much more reflective. It's easy to get a human sense of what these two men experienced during such a short trip. Cahill interspersed hysterical personal perspective with a bit of historical perspective as well, making the book more meaningful than just a story about a road trip. It's a fast read, one I had a hard time putting down, one I am sad to have finished, only because I enjoyed it so!

A road trip through South and Central America
Cahill has a talent with words.Who else can write a book about a 23-day trip along the Pan-American highway, make it interesting, witty and educational without excessive prose?Although this trip was taken in 1987 it's still a good read.Some of the political issues boiling in the 1980s still simmer today in some of the countries.

The first half of the book is just about the planning aspect of the trip.There's plenty of behind-the-scenes information he writes about, like collecting donations and sponsors, ie the "dirty secrets of adventure travel."

The focus of this book is the time spent in South and Central America on the Pan-American Highway.Argentinia and Peru get about 30 pages, Colombia about 20, and other countries even less.Costa Rica is lavished with great praise, Nicaraguagets shafted.Some things don't change.He devotes a mere 30 pages for Mexico, US and Canada; the trip truly ends with a press conference in Dallas.

Cahill writes with enough compassion, historical perspective and canny business sense.My only complaint, should there be any, is why drive through some of the most beautiful stretches of South America in record time?!

This was one of Cahill's first books. I still think it's his best.That's why it's in reprint.

One of my favorite books
Granted, I bought the book, years ago, because the cover looked like it would be a fun book. How true! A terrific ride...with tension and giggles throughout! (And a trip I'm GLAD I was only living vicariously!) One of the few books I've reread...a couple of time, in fact. ... Read more

Product Description
Cahill, the author of Buried Dreams, Road Fever, and Jaguars Ripped My Flesh takes readers on journeys to areas as remote as the rivers of Honduras and the immense grassland of Mongolia to the stunning geysers of Yellowstone and the deepest jungles of Peru. Here Cahill dares readers to follow him into his world of danger and high-spirited zaniness.Amazon.com Review
Travel writing has been popular since Herodotus first jotteddown his observations while journeying abroad. Now Tim Cahill addsPass the Butterworms to the genre, and a welcome addition itis. As in his earlier books Jaguars Ripped MyFlesh, AWolverine Is Eating My Leg, and Pecked to Death byDucks, Mr. Cahill chronicles his trips to the far-flungcorners of the world.Part of this author's charm is his resoluteEveryman persona--he is neither remarkably brave nor extraordinarilycompetent.This is a man, after all, who capsizes his sea kayak instill waters and describes his rock-climbing experience as "hangingfrom a rope affixed to a diaper, which I am wearing in the place wherediapers are most often worn. . . ."

Not all of Tim Cahill's essays in Pass the Butterworms arecomic, however. Perhaps the most memorable in the collection is "ADarkness on the River," Cahill's account of the senseless murder of afriend's son in Peru and its aftermath. And even his funniest taleshave a bittersweet quality to them--the inevitable by-product of anoutsider looking in. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

This guy is a classic adventure writer
These short stories will have you chuckling throughout the book.His self effacing approach to writing about adventure travel makes it fun to read.I have purchased about 5 of his books and they all are worth reading and very enjoyable.If anyone loves the outdoors or knows someone that does, buy Cahill's books.

always entertaining
As always, Tim Cahill does an excellent job of turning all of his adventures into a fun time for the readers!

Pass the Cahill: Remote Journeys greatly rendered
I had read 'Jaguars Ripped My Flesh' and 'Wolverines...' back in the eighties and made a note to myself to read every new offering. Time do fly. I've just read this fine collection, laughing all the way. I circled back to Mr. Cahill's books having just finished Bucky McMahon's awesome bundle of essays 'Night Diver'. Great humor here with some attendant sadness, places you'll never go brought to life as if they were in your back yard. Highly recommended.

Someone described him as bittersweet and humorous, I think thats about right
Tim Cahill is one of those lovely everyman travellers, he is an observer, a victim, a traveller, and a very good writer of it all. This, a collection of his essays for various magazines but mostly Outside, is a nice mixture of some of his journeys.

This is quite a nice way to read travel sometimes and I think it works well for Cahill - you can just read one or two bits, or miss the stuff you don't want to read. Great for travelling with a book like this, bus rides, train rides etc can be easily chapterised.

Not all of what he writes is funny, or meant to be. The thing I like most about his writing is that he is prepared to be the butt of his own humour when it is appropriate. I also like him as an observer of what is around him - for instance in Family Values in the Raw he talks about his visit to the Dani People and about the missionarys there - they grow "70 different types of potatoes, each tastier than the last" and to the Missionary opining they were going to satan, he observes that in fact they seem to have good family values, they certainly don't stand around on street corners drinking and yelling "hubba, hubba" at passing women.

This is a really mixed bag of stories and situations - from people to places to groups - even to the North Pole - "the easy way"

Anything by Tim Cahill is a definite must read in my book - and this a great place to start if you haven't read him before.

See Him, Wouldn't Wanna Be Him
Here's another winning collection from Cahill, who takes all the risks of travel to remote and dangerous places and reports his travails in a humble and good-natured style. In this book we witness Cahill coming down with recurring malaria, going numb while posing for rock-climbing photos, and taking a great many falls and spills, usually resulting in embarrassing injuries. Much of Cahill's trademark sarcastic humor is missing from this particular collection, which seems to (intentionally or unintentionally) focus on more descriptive and serious examples of Cahill's writing. Some of the essays here are unexpectedly deep and even disturbing, such as the self-explanatory "Search and Rescue" and the real winner of the book, "A Darkness on the River," in which Cahill analyzes the murder of his friend's son. This book also has several interrelated pieces on the challenges faced by indigenous peoples in Irian Jaya, and the not-so-certain benefits of ecotourism in Honduras. The collection is held back from greatness by some sketchy and fragmented short pieces that don't offer any true insights, such as "Buford's Revenge" or "Help My Pilot..." but these may be useful for Cahill's more star-crossed fans. In any case, Cahill almost always brings us along for an enjoyable ride as he gets himself into all sorts of hardship for our amusement. ... ... Read more

Product Description
“Let’s get lost together . . . ”

Lost in My Own Backyard brings acclaimed author Tim Cahill together with one of his—and America’s—favorite destinations: Yellowstone, the world’s first national park. Cahill has been “puttering around in the park” for a quarter of a century, slowly covering its vast scope and exploring its remote backwoods. So does this mean that he knows what he’s doing? Hardly. “I live fifty miles from the park,” says Cahill, “but proximity does not guarantee competence. I’ve spent entire afternoons not knowing exactly where I was, which is to say, I was lost in my own backyard.”

Cahill stumbles from glacier to geyser, encounters wildlife (some of it, like bisons, weighing in the neighborhood of a ton), muses on the microbiology of thermal pools, gets spooked in the mysterious Hoodoos, sees moonbows arcing across waterfalls at midnight, and generally has a fine old time walking several hundred miles while contemplating the concept and value of wilderness. Mostly, Cahill says, “I have resisted the urge to commit philosophy. This is difficult to do when you’re alone, twenty miles from the nearest road, and you’ve just found a grizzly bear track the size of a pizza.”

Divided into three parts—“The Trails,” which offers a variety of favorite day hikes; “In the Backcountry,” which explores three great backcountry trails very much off the beaten track; and “A Selected Yellowstone Bookshelf,” an annotated bibliography of his favorite books on the park—this is a hilarious, informative, and perfect guide for Yellowstone veterans and first-timers alike. Lost in My Own Backyard is adventure writing at its very best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

backcountry inspiration
Book was easy to read and inspires reader to get off the main road and really see and enjoy Yellowstone.
My main complaint was that much read like it was out of a guidebook (maybe because I was just there and seemed "same old stuff").But I am glad I read it and wish I'd done more off the loop.

Cahill good as usual, but too short
I totally enjoyed the book, being a big Cahill fan, but was disappointed at the shortness of it for the price.

Brilliant
This is a brilliant assessment of a precious national treasure. Those who said booooring or no substance just don't get it. Cahill has his finger on the pulse of all things Yellowstone, and shares it with those of us who care stridently for the park's past, present and future. I was especially interested in his report about fallout from the Waterfalls book. No, this is not a definitive guidebook. Yes, this is an insiders look and appraisal of the state of our oldest, biggest and best national park. I applaud Tim Cahill and his writing.

-- Joyce B. Lohse, Mammoth '73
Centennial, Colorado

lost in my own backyard
Booooooring!I got nothing out of this book, and sold it at a rummage sale for a quarter.

A great entry point for those seeking to get the most out of a Yellowstone visit...
I have been to Yellowstone. I have used numerous hiking guides. I have even, in my fascination, read some books on the history and geology of the park.

Having used the Lonely Planet Yellowstone as a primary guide for an overview, I was pleased to find that the man--Tim Cahill--who had written the delightful introduction to that book has written a small book of his own on some of his adventures in the park. More than just stories, this book is a resource on multiple levels.

This coming year, I hope to be taking a BUNCH of people with me on a road trip to our nation's great "backyard." When I think about trying to get people fired up for such an adventure, the stories and enthusiasm of this book help me to get a little more enthusiasm. It further helps me to know where to begin to describe the awesome VASTNESS of wonder to be found in Yellowstome.

More than that, this book, with its list of further Yellowstone resources in the back, is a gold mine for those looking for Yellowstone resources. When Christmas rolls around, I will be sorely tempted to give this book as a gift to many who are thinking of going on the trip next year.

Until then, you should check this book out. And more than that, you should REALLY check Yellowstone out. Theres is no place like it on earth! ... Read more

Product Description

Foreword by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Customer Reviews (6)

Big Hit with Our Granddaughter
This was a big hit as a gift for our granddaughter, who is really "info" dolphins.

Dolphins as they truly are.
This is a fantastic book. This book seeks to portray dolphins as they really are. They do not avoid bringing up the facts of dolphins such as Bottlenose dolphin infanticide, porpoise killing, aggressive male behavior towards humans and female dolphins and the fact that dolphins eat dolphins. You would never find this information in a 'new age' style book that present dolphins as 'angelic' and 'more intelligent than humans' with no solid evidence to back it up. This book also sorts out a lot of the myths regarding dolphin intelligence and is accompanied by beautiful photography.
I truly believe that to be objective and scientific, people should try to see dolphins as they are...amazing, yes, but also capable of aggression. Intelligent? Yes, but no more so than elephants or apes.

Tim Cahill's newest book, Dolphins -- a must!
This high quality hardbound book is a tome of sorts to state-of-the art wild dolphin scientific research and the personalities of some of their researchers. Spellbinding, graphic text replete with dozens of large formatfull color portraits -- captured primarily for its sister IMAX film --Dolphins contains a pirate's treasure of newly-found knowledge to permeatethe casual reader's grey matter. Intended primarily for lay audiences; but,with enough quantitative analysis to keep the most discerning scientistinterested, Dolphins saturates the reader with a feeling that he's watchingand researching the dolphins alongside the real scientists. Conservative inthe Aldo Leopold sense of the word, Cahill provides the facts and lets thereader reach his/her own conclusions regarding the impacts of man on somedwindling dolphin populations.

A Keeper!
I found, after seeing MacGillivray Freeman's IMAX film Dolphins, that I wanted to know more. The book follows the basis of the film, but goes intomuch more detail. This book is a superb account of what it is like to studyand be around dolphins in the WILD.Cahill's style of writing makes youfeel as if you are with him each night as he recounts a day of activity andresearch.He doesn't "write down" to the reader, i.e., you feelas if you're right there with him, learning along the way.He conveys atrue sense of real-life scientific adventure that is fun and intriguing. The incredible pictures alone, many from the IMAX film, are worth buyingthe book for.I'm a conservative and will not tolerate"tree-hugger" political agendas.This book, like the film, isfar from being one that attempts to drill dolphin conservation into yourhead.Instead, it offers a refreshing angle that provides the reader theknowledge to draw his/her own conclusions about these fascinating animals. Even the lovely scientist, Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, who Cahill makes themain subject of the book, lets the dolphins "sell themselves" vs.her preaching conservation.It is quite enlightening and is certainly oneto keep on the coffee table.

Beautiful book about beautiful animals
If you're a dolphin freak or a Tim Cahill freak (both of which I am),you're going to like this book.The photographs are just incredible, and as always, Cahill's breezy, sardonic style makes for enjoyable reading.

The book does a good job of not romanticizing the dolphins (If Isee one more New Age painting of noble dolphins swimming among a sea ofstars, I'll get nauseous) but still conveys an appreciation of theseimpressive creatures.

Cahill also does a good job of profiling a team ofcetologists studying the dolphins.

This isn't hard biology, but there aresome interesting sections authored by dolphin investigators, and referencesfor more technical readings in the notes. ... Read more

Product Description
The author of A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg and Pecked to Death by Ducks gives new meaning to the words "going to extremes" in this exhilarating--and frequently hilarious--collection of adventure travel writing. "Cahill . . . (writes) with the precision ofJohn McPhee and Joan Didion tempered by a Monty Pythonesque sense of the absurd."--San Diego Union-Tribune. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Not as happy when finished
I have read another book by Cahill; Pecked to death by ducks, wich I found funnier and more positive, more upbeat. The stories in this particular book are longer and not as happy. There's more doom (the turtles, it's heartbreaking!). Although Cahill is a happy madman as ever and a good writer of stories like this, my own goal with reading this book was to have a few good laughs and a smile on my face when finished. But I wasn't smiling to much, after all those grim stories of what people are doing to their own environment. This is of course the hard thruth, but it was not what I was hoping for when bying this copy...

"Cahill has perfected the art of the short travel essay"
One of my favorites. Author of Pecked to Death By Ducks and A Wolverine is Eating My Leg, Cahill, a founder of Outside Magazine, has perfected the art of the short travel essay. There are man-eating sharks, dangerous cave diving, eating cheese in a yurt in Mongolia and all sorts of ridiculous first hand escapades all over the globe. He is brilliant and brilliantly funny. Perfect travel book to take along on a trip. If you want to learn how to write, read Cahill and pay close attention to his introductions and conclusions.

For the Vicarious Adventurer
Cahill's writing is somewhat of an acquired taste. This is a compilation of outdoor stories which do not always seem self contained - some missing context, some missing closure. And they are not necessarily adventures in the conventional sense, as stories may focus on nature, archaeology, sociology, etc. While the book cannot be construed as an outdoor reference, there is good information (ex. "wisdom" of cave diving). Some stories hit the vicarious adventurer's sweet spot. The author is at his best in this book when relating his experience caving in Kentucky, engaging the reader with educational content (ex. barometric effect on air flow), spectacular descriptions(ex. lightening igniting bat guano), and hair raising suspense (ex. getting lost in a maze of passages). Not all of the stories held an equal level of interest for me, but they are short enough to peruse and ponder as time permits.

Not just chills and thrills, but something to say as well
This is a well-written collection of essays by Cahill, subtitled "Adventure is a Risky Business," that succeeds best when Cahill is trying to make due with human nature rather than mother nature. Or, possibly, that's just where my interests lie. Even arm-chair tourists whose idea of "getting back to nature" is a stroll down the block can't help but envy Cahill as he is pushed in assignment after assignment in which he looks danger in the face and blows it a raspberry, and then falling on his face. Woah, that extended one metaphor to the breaking point, which Cahill tends to do at times as well. But don't think all is just chills and thrills here. There's some social commentary (some biting, some toothless), vivid description, outlandish occurrences, and breathtaking wonder. It may seem at times that you're reading a transcript for "NOVA," but is that so bad? Cahill's written two other volumes like this--A Wolverine is Eating My Leg and Pecked to Death by Ducks--which I plan to find and read, and that's probably recommendation enough for this volume.

Not as good as some of his others...
I felt that there were too many essays on Cahill's travels to a particular part of South America in this collection and these essays seemed to all blend together; they just weren't as funny or entertaining as previous collections of his work.For the first time, I found myself bored reading a Cahill collection.PECKED TO DEATH BY DUCKS or ROAD FEVER are far superior works because they contain essays that are much funnier and less redundant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Good read for short periods
This is a great travel book for those of us who like to read others' adventures while we sit in comfort. I love the humor, empathy, and descriptions of this book.It's a compilation of articles,however, and if you read too many chapters at once, they start to run together.It's best to read them one at a time then ponder or share them.We keep it in the guest bathroom.

brain candy
Each story is interesting and some of them are quite funny...buy it used...wouldn't pay full price for it!

Pecked to death by ducks
I was quite disappointed in this book.Cahill has written outstanding material but this collection seems to be a gathering of miscellaneous leftovers.I was led to this book after reading A Walk in the Woods by Bryson - and it was a false lead. The quality is not there.

Fascinating Journeys
I was recommended to read Tim Cahill's books as a huge fan of Bill Bryson.While both writers discuss their adventures in traveling, their styles are very different.Bryson's books tend to be coherent pieces about one specific trip or expedition (Australia, the Appalachian trail), while Pecked to Death is a collection of short works written by Cahill, sometimes for other magazines.I find Bryson funnier; however Cahill's writing seems to be more evocative of the natural wonders he is writing about.

This distinction mentioned; Pecked to Death by Ducks is a very worthwhile read.Cahill has traveled to some of the most amazing places in the world, with some of the most interesting companions, and these adventures are marvelously rendered in this book.In addition, since each chapter stands alone, it's quite easy to stop and start again.Definately recommended for anyone with an interest in adventure or eco-travel!

Great stocking stuffer for real or armchair outdoorsmen
You don't have to be a travel and outdoors enthusiast to enjoy this book; consisting of Truth McNuggets ranging in length from a few pages to a few tens of pages, it's as appropriate in the bathroom or next to the bedlamp as in a hard-used backpack or on the shotgun side of the car.You'll laugh, you'll cry, and now and then you'll probably wonder why on earth anybody would want to do such a thing -- but you'll be glad that he did and wrote about it. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

disappointing on several levels
The stories are OK, but OK is not really very good--especially considering the high hopes that I had based on the quite good idea that the book is. Frankly, I overstate the matter when I say that the stories are OK. Not only did I not read them all--I could not. Pages 35-82 were left out of my book! OK, so I got two copies of pages 83-130. That is little consolation. Be sure to check your book, but these errors tend to be isolated. I am sorry to have to be so negative. I have not been this disappointed in a long time. Frankly, I have low standards! I am easily amused, but this anthology disappointed.

Reall:, NOT so funny.
I'm a fan of Cahill, and of Traveler's Tales...but, really:
The stories in this book are not interesting, not unique, not good, and not that much about "travel." Nor are they the least bit outstanding, nor humorous...The book is a bust.
I don't think it's just that I have worked and traveled in Asia, Europe, Central America, and even
Mississippi; funny, unusual, surprising stories are out there. They just didn't bother to find the good ones.

Not So Great, But...
The content was too fragmented and uneven; it should have "flowed" a bit better. I felt as a reader (and writer), I was being jerked from one story to another. Some did make me laugh, however.

Made me laugh...
My husband and I have done some traveling and, with our upcoming move to Europe, plan on doing a lot more so this book caught my eye. I've never read any travel humor books but I really liked this one. Most of the stories were at least funny, if not hilarious, and a few of them I finished and never looked back. Several people have mentioned that some of these stories are found in other books so I'm sure I'll come across them again since this book has me hooked on travel humor.

Either travel fans or those who enjoy humor will love this 'best of' travel writing collection
Many of the best travel stories have their origins in mishaps, and here to offer up a satisfying dish of events is Not So Funny When It Happened, a survey of the best tales from travelers around the world. These come from Dave Barry, Bill Bryson, Anne Lamott and others: familiar authors whose funny encounters are not to be missed. Either travel fans or those who enjoy humor will love this 'best of' travel writing collection which takes an unusual approach to the normally-serious topic of travel experiences. Highly recommended.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
Mountain Gazette offered proof that "outdoor literature" need not be an oxymoron. Running a scant eight years, from 1972 to 1979, the magazine featured material by major writers and artists on outdoor and adventure subjects. This volume collects the best material ? nonfiction, fiction, photography, cartoons, and illustrations ? from the old and new Mountain Gazette. Selections include singer-songwriter Katie Lee?s "The Ride," a meditation on biking through town naked; "The Monkey Wrench Gang: A Review," by George Sibley; and Karen Recknagel's "Climbing the Walls in Berkeley." Other contributors include Edward Abbey, Galen Rowell, Steve Wishart, and Cindy Kleh. ... Read more

Product Description
Cahill is great!He is the P.J. O'Rourke of the outdoors!Fearless and hell-bent on overcoming all obstacles in his path, Cahill takes us to the oddest and scariest adventures nature has to offer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg
A Wolverine is Eating My Leg is a collection of the adventures of Tim Cahill, mostly from the early 1980's.They range from true travel adventure stories such as getting stranded in the Marquesas to darker stories, such as traveling to Guyana to report on the Jonestown massacre (the most interesting of all the articles).

The stories are varied enough that there will be something for everyone in this collection, but since they are so different from one another, all readers may not enjoy all of the stories.Cahill's cockiness about his adventures felt a bit condescending at times, but this is offset by his great sense of humour and the fact that he is not afraid to poke fun at himself.

An enjoyable read that had me googling a few of the articles for more information on the subjects.

Let's talk about the Jungles of the Mind!
The only section that peaked my interest was the "Jungles of the Mind" which featured the author talking about how he infiltrated the Tony and Sue Alamo Christian Foundation in the 1970s where cults in California like Manson and Jones were still in popularity. I felt that the Alamo situation had gone flat with some retrospective views. I felt that he was just experimenting or trying to understand the followers but never did quite fit in. Of course, Tony Alamo is a cult leader and the members became indoctrinated into his church in an isolated area.
The Jonestown Massacre on November 18, 1978 was visited and the images were somewhat clear but vague at times as well upon the discovery of hundreds of rotting, bloated corpses. If the author had investigated, he would understand that everybody was pretty much held by gunpoint and had little choice. Only a few survived at all. He doesn't mention that the only follower outside Jonestown murdered her three children and herself in the Georgetown headquarters of the People's Temple.
Agan, I felt that the author doesn't offer much retrospective but I did appreciate his interviews with Odell Rhodes, Tim Carter, and others who survived the horrible ordeal.
I really felt that pictures could say a thousand words especially with Jonestown and the survivors.

Give and Take
Tim Cahill's adventure travelogue, "A Wolverine is Eating my Leg", is a book of give and take as applies to the numerous subject matters he experienced and collects into this work.
For me, overall, I enjoyed they book but I will probably not read the book in its entirety again. I will read sections of it just not all of it. Keep in mind, these are works that were written for various magazines over a period of 15 years. There is no smooth flow from one adventure to the next but rather sudden large leaps. It is almost better to rate this book by its sections rather than the book on the whole. Some parts were just more interesting than the others. Here's my run down:
1. Treasure seeking in South America... lackluster - 2 stars
2. Gorilla Country... interest is rising - 3 stars
3. Tony & Susan Alamo Cult infiltration - even better, showing some interesting events that Cahill actually looked into, showing this "cult religion" to be much more voluntary and more of being duped than brainwashing - 4 stars
4. Jonestown, Guyana - this is the peak of the book, very interesting and after seeing the pictures of the mass 'suicide' it has an even bigger impact. This is the best piece in this book - 5 stars
5. The 'Terror of the Heart' section - Cahill covers things from public nudity, eclipse addicition, getting stuck on Marquesas islands, scuba diving around sharks, snakes, and sea lions. Nothing great here, meandering thoughts, kind of uninspiring - 1 star
6. 'Monsters' - Cahill talks about bigfoot and ice fishing for giant pike. I liked the bigfoot section but the ice pike fishing did nothing and is slow moving - 3 stars
7. 'Raggedy Edge' - Cahill covers surviving a walk in Death Valley, cave exploring, cliff skiing, and white water rafting in India. This was mildly interesting but was nothing spectacular - 3 stars.

Cahill relates the stories in varying degrees of interest and enthusiasm, possibly changing of his writing styles over the 15 years and the various magazines formats may influence this also. Overall, mediocre, there's better travelogues. Maybe if Cahill did all this in 1-2 years continuously it would have had a better reception from me. The Jonestown coverage is well worth the read though.

wolverine is eating my leg
Terrible writting,This was the first time i bought a book written by mr Cahill.I recommend renting his book if you want to sample his writting but he is very hard to follow with stories that never seem to go anywhere.The book is compose of many short stories and I would have to say that less then 40% of the stories are worth reading.

A great collection of near travel disasters
This is an excellent collection of thoughts and comments on the sheer edge of adventure. Cahill knows exactly how to describe the amazing stupidity of some of these adventure sports in a way that still leaves you interested in participating. Like his previous collection, Jaquars Ripped My Flesh, this book covers the gamut in place and sport, from extreme skiing in Montana to whitewater rafting in India. And while Cahill is a master at adventure writing, when he turns his pen to describing the cultures of some of the more exotic places that he has visited and the difference between their culture and our's, he's both hilarious and profound. This book is a selection of the Vintage Departures series, a group of books that I have found to be uniformly excellent. ... Read more

Product Description
Cahill takes us to the steppes of Mongolia, where he spends weeks on horseback alongside the descendants of Genghis Khan and masters the Mongolian death trot; to the North Pole, where he goes for a pleasure dip in 36-degree water; to Irian Jaya New Guinea, where he spends an evening with members of one of the last head-hunting tribes. ... Read more

Product Description
Begin a journey. Explore a special place, a hidden coast. Enjoy the wet, sunny world of the Pacific Coast, from Alaska's Prince William Sound to Mexico's La Manzanilla, all from the intimate perspective of the kayaker. THE HIDDEN COAST provides an enticing introduction to the past and present of seldom-seen, rugged Pacific Coastal spaces. Compelling writing and breathtaking photography take you to abandoned Indian villages, killer whale pods, and mangrove swamps-compelling fare for the adventure-travel reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great coastal kayaking book by a great photographer
Joel Rogers is well known in the Pacific Northwest for being an excellent photographer, with a strong interest in sea kayaking.Many kayaking calendars and rowing calendars are photographed by Rogers.He's also a decent writer.This book is quite a beautiful description, in words and Roger's excellent photos, of kayaking trips from the Seattle/Tacoma area all the way up into Western Canada, including stops at locations not usually seen by man.Quite an interesting, quintessentially Pacific Northwest travel book -- provided that travel is on the water.

Paddling review
Just a counter-review to the latest.The first edition was chocked full of page-sized award winning pics.This is NOT a how-to or narrative.It is essentially a picture book including some words by the author introducing and explaining the pics and area.If you want to be inspired to paddle the west coast of Canada and North West US....pick it up, fantastic look/read.

Disappointing
I would have liked to write a favorable review of this book because I enjoy kayaking and being out in nature. Unfortunately it fails to convey the sense of high adventure, wonder, and splendor that are a part of every kayak outing in such remote and pristine locations. Instead, it laments the loss of ancient ways and cultures, and scolds modern man for his intrusions.

I'm all in favor of no-impact camping and preserving pristine shorelines. As I started each chapter I hoped this would be where the book got interesting! But alas it disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
This in-depth guide provides a detailed history and description of each of the Berkshires' prominent cultural venues, including its mission and practical information. ... Read more

Product Description
From the safety of a deep leather chair, several stories of danger and survival by such notable authors, such as Sebastian Junger and Claire Tristram, tell of struggling with life, death, and their sanity.Amazon.com Review
Risk lurks on every journey, and the 28 churning stories inDanger! True Stories of Trouble and Survival begin when perillifts its head, fixes its gaze, and strikes. For this suspense-packedanthology, Traveler's Tales' editors have selected the likes of BillBuford, Sebastian Junger, Janine Jones, Andrew Todhunter, Peter Maas,and others to write of wrecked villages, rot, injury, ghettos, andglaciers. This is some of the finest writing of its kind, as eachstory reveals the depths of capacity and incapacity, tolerance, andthe struggle to keep a level head.

Just reading the contents tellswhat's in store: "Ditching at Sea," "Python!" "Just Desert," "Capitalof Chaos," "Buried..." Likewise, the tone of this book is evident onevery skillfully crafted page. From "Chimney Rock" by PeterPotterfield: "My left arm hung at a bizarre angle.My left leg wastwisted outward and throbbing." From "Baja Bites Back" by GrahamMackintosh: "I began psyching myself up to use the Radio DistressBeacon. Would anyone pick it up?" From "Hyena" by Joanna Greenfield:"No sterilization? Who cares? I was alive." From "The Killing of theCatsiburere" by Leonard Clark: "The closest savages drew backtheir right arms, but did not throw their saw-edged spears...."

Abook to be encountered in small doses, Danger! is an armchairguide to pain, suffering, and anguish. A thrilling read from thecomfort of a well-heated home. --Byron Ricks ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good Book
I agree with Munawar Ali above.That being said, people who travel extensively for adventure and then end up almost dying, like most of these folks, are asking for trouble.The gal who traveled over 4 continents on a bicycle and, who would never drive a car due to a childhood traumatic auto accident, had to expect running into a crazy man who beat her up in his apartment when she trusted him and his attempted rape on her.The way she escaped however was very very brave.I personally think in today's world, one has to be crazy to go out traveling all by themselves, running out of money, depending on the goodness of foreigners, etc.Also, my personal opinion only, one is a little off their rocker to try to climb a dangerous mountain where deadly snowstorms come along.It's almost as if they feel they've accomplished something great by suffering to get through their traveling abroad.That aside, the book was a good one.I admit though, I skimmed over the war stories as I am so tired of hearing about war.The story about the hyena attacking its care-taker in my opinion was the best one.For the most part, an excellent read.

Contains some fine selections, but not one of the best in the series
The Travelers' Tales franchise faces a challenge that is a result of its own success.They've put out some truly splendid collections of travel literature, creating a resulting demand for more.And it's tough to keep finding great travel pieces up to the standards of the best work they've released.

The pieces in this collection are united by a theme of "danger."If you travel long enough, especially in the developing world, you'll likely ultimately have a few close shaves, experiences that threatened your security and which taught you valuable lessons.

This subject is tailor-made for good reading, the type that gets your blood pressure up, palpably sensing the threat and the fear as you read.

There are several very fine selections in this volume.I particularly liked "Just Desert," wherein the author is lost in the Sinai and finds himself alone in a room with some locals making ominous gestures, far from any aid."Shaking in the Congo" is also good, a piece in which the author falls ill on the road in the Congo and must lie down unprotected in an out-of-the-way village.

"A Zambian Nightmare" is truly that, in which a young couple is besieged by a gang of thieves in the house they are renting.I also appreciated "Dangerous Liaisons," about a mountain expedition in Pakistan with a nasty, corrupt military officer running the show."The Season of Fear" captures some of the wild, exotic beauty of the Borneo forest and the people who live within it.

But for every fine piece like these, there is one that doesn't have much to do with travel at all."The War" is about gang activity in LA."Flying Blind" is about military flight training sessions in Utah."Ditching at Sea" is terrifying but is about a helicopter rescue mission going wrong, and is not the sort of story most readers are looking for from Travelers' Tales.

The one piece that really tried my patience was "When it Goes Off," an excerpt from "Among the Thugs." "Among the Thugs" is a book about soccer hooligans, and this isn't the first time I've come upon a similar excerpt from that book in a Travelers' Tales collection.I don't fully understand the fascination that these authors have with soccer riots, but there is no apparent reason to keep recycling these stories in their travel collections.

It's not that these pieces are bad so much as they don't really belong.Presumably the person who picks up a travelers' tales series book is looking for something that captures the adventure of travel in all of its aspects, not just looking for a collection of disparate pieces that interest the compilator.

The best of this and other collections do take you away into that wondrous frame of mind that does the best travel; it's just that this volume doesn't consistently deliver that.

An enjoyable read with lessons to be learned
I picked this book up after reading RYP's The Worlds Most Dangerous Places. My brother was in Iraq, my best friend in afghanistan, and I had recently returned from Eastern China. I was looking for info on other countries as well as a good read.

This book is filled with stories from different travelers, and all pertain to near death, near rape, or near something else and how they managed to survive. The book is gripping, and as much as I enjoyed and learned from it, I hope never to be able to share a story like any of them.

I recommend this book. It's easy to read and shares lessons learned, and adventures had.

"Danger is entirely about mortality."
It was quite intriguing to learn that when the publisher of the book entitled DANGER! TRUE STORIES OF TROUBLE AND SURVIVAL attempted to mail me a copy of their book it was returned to them due to "heightened security reasons." Furthermore, the US Postal Services insisted that the book be delivered in person to the post office before they would even consider permitting it to be mailed to Canada! After reading the 28 episodes, each narrated by 28 different authors and edited by James O'Reilly, Larry Hebegger,Sean O'Reilly, I can well appreciate their concern.

All of the essays support Tim Cahill's assertion in the introduction to the book: "danger is entirely about mortality. It is an elucidation and illumination of the final mystery of human experience, a matter, if you will, of life and death."

The essays divide themselves into four sections each of which emphasize different situations. The protagonists either willingly place themselves into dangerous situations or involuntarily are faced with daunting encounters. In the first section entitled "dangerous territory" the emphasis is on the geographical location where a possible disaster is averted. We read about such encounters as a war correspondent in Bosnia who, if he makes one wrong move, is a "goner," A couple living in Zambia who are attacked by some local thugs, a Python wrapping itself around someone's body, a face-to-face meeting with a bear in Alaska.

The second and third sections, which are called "going to the edge" and "heart of darkness," recount adventure tales where the principal characters actually seek out dangerous situations or are exposed to the darker side of man's behaviour towards his fellow human being. Mountain climbers who endeavour to climb the highest peak in the former Soviet Union, Mt. Communism, are faced with an avalanche as well as the falling into a coma of one of their co-climbers; a medical doctor treating the casualties resulting from the savage war being waged between the "Hutu"-and the "rebels"- Tutsi;

The final section entitled "crossing to safety" is a philosophical essay that addresses when something inside of us says, "it is time to quit" or as the author states, "get down, there is danger here, and it does not serve."

Each one of these stories is written in a different style, yet they all have the same underlining theme. The reader is constantly shaking his head and saying to himself "oh no!" After reading all of the 28 tales, we are left with the impression that it certainly takes a very special individual to withstand some of the various experiences that are exposed in the book. It also makes you ask the question why seek out danger! What is it that seduces a traveller to go out of his way to experience terrifying encounters?

Norm Goldman Editor of Bookpleasures.com

Suprisingly Gripping
I try to stay away from cheap thrills, and quick fixes.So when I picked this book up, I told myself that I would only read two pages, and if I got bored, it was going back.It took 2 paragraphs and I was hooked.

Each short story is a true account of harrowing danger.The writing is excellent. You don't expect professional adventurers to write well, but they do; And they keep you in it.Each story starts climaxing within 3 pages, so you're on literal adrenalin high almost all the way through the book.I really enjoyed the book and will keep on the lookout for others in the series.

Recommended when you need to kill an hour. ... Read more

Product Description

Wild, spectacular Yellowstone thrills visitors with gushing geysers and free-roaming wildlife. Grand Teton entices with jagged peaks and glacial lakes. Packed with information for everyone from families with small children to hardcore outdoor adventurers, this guide takes you there.

• Thermal Wonders: From world-famous Old Faithful to gem-colored hot springs, Yellowstone's wild thermal features.
• Wildlife: Bison, elk, bears, moose, wolves, bald eagles - this guide tells you where to spot them.
• Outdoor Fun: The best spots for hiking, camping, rock-climbing, skiing, fishing, boating, and more.
• Insider Tips: Hundreds of places to stay, eat, and play, as well as how to find a wealth of hidden treasures.
• Beyond the Parks: From the Wild West bluster of Cody to the exhilarating ski slopes of Jackson Hole.

Customer Reviews (10)

I had no problems, but I sent the book as a gift and really don't know what it looks like.
I had no problems, but I sent the book as a gift and really don't know what it looks like.

Most helpful guidebook
Before my Yellowstone trip, I had purchased many books and maps and visited websites-you know the drill.This book helped with many insider tips-when talking with other visitors, they had consistently asked me how I knew these things, and I told them-the Lonely Planet guide.Even two park rangers wanted to know how I knew these lesser known tips-and they were impressed with the information.My favorites:how to get the best view of the Grand Prismatic pool (I'm not going to give that one away) and how to avoid bears on trails-which I'll let out of the bag-sing show tunes!Yes that sounds ridiculous-but when I saw a bear about 150 ft ahead of me on a trail and started singing Ethel Merman, well, bears are smart enough not to stick around for the encore!

Not The Lonely Planet I've Come to Expect!
Maybe it's because the author admits that he ventured off to complete this project only a couple days after getting married, leaving his bride behind.Perhaps a publishing deadline loomed large.I'm not sure what Lonely Planet's excuse is, but this book is the most thrown together, unhelpful guide I've ever seen in their repertoire! I've appreciated their "secret" tips and organized guides for many of my world adventures, and this one is just way below par. Abyssmal on any scale.

I did tons better researching on the internet on my own, which might be the best approach to these parks anyway, so that you're sure to get up to date information.This guide doesn't even mention the great guest ranch outside the park at which I snagged six nights a few months before my visit, how to make sure that you get tickets for special ranger-led, half-day back-country adventure hikes with 15 person limits, or that there are boat and kayak rentals/tours in Yellowstone from concessionaires.

The book literally gives you a headache, trying to figure out how to make sense of the vast amount of listings presented. A menage of maps and thrown-together tidbits are pretty meaningless without the necessary organization to figure out an orderly travel plan.It would have been a lot better if the book took you around each of Yellowstone's loops and through Grand Teton in a more logical format.

I alos found much of the information to be grossly outdated and inaccurate, and so many basic outdoor activities weren't explored in depth, and no real useful information or how-tos were given.I was thoroughly disappointed with my selection. With the vast amount of knowledge that I've accumulated through my own research, I could certainly re-write this guide myself!

You'll be lost without it!
If it's your first time in Yellow Stone or the Grand Tetons this'll be your bible .. the hikes listed in both places are well presented and with the maps included will help you plan you time in this wonderful part of the world .. The information on where you are likely to spot animals is really useful - Elk, Bison, Moose and Bear ... all accurate! The highlights and intineraries suggested helped with planning the trip.. but in addition to the traditional 'must sees' the book also suggests some wonderful off the beaten track experiences as well. Has info on where to stay and eat ..I stayed outside the park and would recommend either Teton Village or Jackson Hole as a good base with lots of top class accomodation. For European travellers Jackson Hole was the only place that I could get a mobile phone signal!

A Guide To the Tetons and Yellowstone
For one contemplating a trip to Yellowstone and the Tetons this book will be a fine handbook and guide.It is very detailed in regards to information about the parks and offers the reader a fine source of information for things to do on your visit. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

South- Sir Ernest Shackleton- A Remarkable man, An Epic Journey
In "South", Sir Ernest Shackleton takes us on an exciting adventure to explore the South Pole- one of the most remote and harsh environments on Earth. His expeditionary team was made up of tough, seasoned explorers, climbers and boatsmen- and they met up with disaster more than once with ice storms, blizzards, sub-zero temperatures and "white outs" where they couldn't even see their feet. It is a stunning achievement that any of these men survived- much less charted new territory. Shackleton did survive- but failed in his ultimate quest to map the entire area around the South Pole and its adjacent ice cap- yet his exploits became legendary among the world's explorers.

The Shackleton expedition around the turn of the 20th century set out to explore and map the South Pole- and they knew in advance it would be tough- with sea ice jamming sailing routes and hazardous weather almost certain to slow them down. They made several attempts- and succumbed to the weather and lack of supplies with splitting up the team- and almost met total disaster. However, rowing in an open boat in bone-chilling winds and high seas, they managed to survive and get back to civilization- despite not achieving thei goals. Shackleton tells the story in sharp, crisp language- the "stiff upper lip" style of late 19th century British gentlemen. His prose is inspiring- one section even mystical, when he describes touching "the face of God" after one particularly harrowing stretch of mishaps.

"South" is a wonderful adventure book, a history book and a motivational book- all in one. I highly recommend that those who enjoy these genres read this great story- and take from it many lessons which Shackleton wanted to share with the world.

-Gene Pisasale
Author, "Lafayette's Gold- The Lost Brandywine Treasure" and
"Vineyard Days"

South: The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance (The Explorers Club Classic)
The journal format in which the book was written was difficult to read and enjoy.
I did finish reading it but it was an effort.

read this
i first read this book after national geographic did a story on shackleton years ago.the article itself was an amazing read and prompted me to want to know more.

this tale is absolutely incredible!shackleton did everything against the social and known norms in putting together his team, this journey and, quite frankly, his life.shackleton, apparently, was a misfit of a man who was scoffed at in social and science circles because he was half irish and had a brother being investigated for the robbery of some magnitude at the time.

with all of our advances in technology today antartica, for the most part, still remains a no man's land.yet, shackleton and his crew (every single one of them) survived with just wool socks, sweaters, pea coats and the like.

it is such a compelling story and certainly not one to ever be forgotten. this is a must read not only for the amazing story within, but, if anything, for the reassurance that man alone can survive anything.

Extraordinary. Heroic. Awe-Inspiring. Historical.
SOUTH (The Last Antarctic Expedition of Shackleton and the Endurance) is Shackleton's personal account of the extraordinary endeavor to discover the South Pole from 1914 to 1916.

World War I was just breaking out as Shackleton and the crew of twenty-eight aboard the Endurance sailed to discover the unexplored regions of Antarctica. Little did they know that they would be facing one of the most daunting challenges to human survival ever chronicled.

The Endurance would be caught in early ice floes before she reached her intended port and imprison her crew in what would have been a wintry grave. With temperatures well below freezing, this hardy group of explorers would bravely face survival for a year and half. Amazingly, all twenty-eight would survive in the most incredible example of leadership, courage, and gritty endurance of the 20th century.

As the leader of the expedition, Shackleton's account of the journey and rescue is fascinating. Revered by his men, he was simply known as the "Boss". His leadership kept those men alive and in hope of rescue when all reason and sanity would have given up. I was interested to read of his quiet faith and reliance upon divine "Providence" for his hope and strength.

"We had suffered, starved, and triumphed, grovelled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole. We had seen God in his splendors, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man."

While not a spell-binding story-teller, Shackleton's account is matter-of-fact and occasionally poignant; an interesting insight into an extraordinary leader.

British Stoicism
SOUTH: THE LAST ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Here is a list of equipment that Sir Ernest Shackleton did NOT have for his memorable Endurance expedition:GPS location finders; radio ; RADAR, SONAR; computerized navigation; professional medical care; thermal clothes; MRE'S (Meals Ready To Eat), double steel hull; air and logistical support, public relations agents; marketing proposals; lawyers.
Shacketon's crew navigated with a sextant; traversed the icecap with dog sleds instead of ski-doos, and ate canned herring, tinned meat, pemmican, biscuits and occasional seals.

What he did have was an old ship, a strong crew, an incredible work ethic, classic British stoicism and unerring sense of the right thing to do.

His book reads like a Robert Louis Stevenson or H.G. Welles story, but it is the unvarnished truth.His matter -of -fact account is brilliantly illustrated by Frank Hurley's dramatic black & white photos of The Endurance encapsulated in ice, its masts and spars dripping frozen water like the maritime apparition in Melville's "Benito Cereno."
I seriously doubt whether a modern expedition equipped with all the bells and whistles and sponsored with corporate money could duplicate what Shackleton's Endurance accomplished under the most adverse circumstances imaginable.
Because the Endurance expedition occurred in 1914-15 at the start of World World War I
Shackleton's accomplishment was largely overshadowed, and the Antarctic was all but forgotten until the `fifties and `sixties when its scientific and strategic value was rediscovered.
Now, as the Antarctic ice cap melts from global warming, one wonders at Shackleton's accomplishment.


... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Buried Dreams vrs Killer Clown
Reading these reviews that sound conflicting, I will try to sum up the difference between Killer Clown and Buried Dreams and it is simply this: Cahill is a writer, Sullivan is not. And although Sullivan had help, his book is still almost coldly factual, even as it flows well, but you will not get much out of it that can't be found on a hundred crime sites, besides his own frustration and dedication during the investigation. I'm not condemning this in any way, and if that is what you want as a reader, then Killer Clown will satisfy your cravings for facts and justice.

Cahill, on the other hand, has the same facts of course, but what he does with them is something you won't find anywhere else, something unique. He tells the tale almost from Gacy's point of view, piecing his sick-mindedness and subsequent murders together in a remarkably cohesive and insightful way. Right from the beginning. Some--probably most-- serial killers talk and 'fess up before their executions. Gacy did his confessing early, and then later went for the long shot that somehow he would place doubts in people's minds and save himself from death, by denying what he did. Definitely, he had no remorse. Except for a few slip-ups here and there, he gave no further information on his motivation or how his victims died. Using the facts he had, Cahill filled in these blanks, and answered the tough questions that Sullivan couldn't or wouldn't.

Buried Dreams is not just facts. It is not a text-book blanket profiling of collective criminal minds. It is not the investigation, trial and conviction from the detectives and lawyers points of views. It is as close as Cahill could get to showing us Gacy, personally, from the inside and I doubt it's far off the mark. It's consistent with Gacy's personality right up to his lethal injection. Yes, chilling. As it should be.

Rather generic, but serviceable
This is a true crime book that attempts to capitalize on the gory nature of the subject to elicit the strongest possible emotional reaction from the reader. Forays "inside the mind" of Gacy are basically subjective, and may be more concerned with generating outrage than with getting at any larger truth.

That being said, it also does a serviceable job of laying out the facts of the case, and anyone who wants to learn about the horrifying details will get their fill here.

Balancing sensationalism and facts is the basic task of the true crime reporter-- this author has chosen to be as sensationalistic as possible, but also has included far more information than is necessary. This means that the book has passages which are a little boring, and passages that are very, very disturbing.

If you want to learn about Gacy, then I suppose that this book is as good a read as any, although something about the fact of the book itself seems sleazy-- for all his condemnation, Cahill is basking in the reflected glow of an obscene act, and that is a little unsettling.

Slow Moving
Some of this book was interesting, but most was very slow moving.It just didn't captivate.I believe it could have been better written.I don't feel that I or the author ever got "into the mind" of John Wayne Gacy.Then again, to the author's credit, after reading the book, I'm not sure if anyone could accomplish this feat.I came away feeling that on the surface, Gacy seemed calm and even rational almost all of the time, but was totally the opposite while committing the murders.Either way, the book didn't flow well and is lacking.It wasn't as "meaty" as expected... no pun intended.

true crime at it's very best
I first read this book in 1988 and recently read it again. It still gave me the creeps. In the same league as Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and The Boston Strangler by Gerald Frank. I highly recommend it.

... How Well Do You Know This Guy, Anyway?
Chilling. I could not put this one down. This book is a dramatized cover of the life and crimes of John Wayne Gacy which reads like a fiction novel (read: not boring or heavy with Dr. Bob said this) yet provides clear, factual, and consistent information in with some of the author's speculation as to what went on in the mind of Mr. Gacy.
The end result is a story which will make the hair on your arms stand on end - not only with possibilities and facts, but the feasible likeness of Mr. Gacy's mindset through his actions. ... Read more

Product Description
Fifth in a series of award-winning humor books from Travelers' Tales, Hyenas Laughed at Me and Now I Know Why gathers wide-ranging tales from hardy, hilarious, outrageous — and even reluctant — voyagers. For armchair travelers and globetrotters alike, these stories of laugh-out-loud adventures and misadventures from around the world show how ghastly faux pas, missed connections, god-awful meals, and dumb (bad) luck can provide plenty of fodder for the amusement of others. Contributors include Dave Barry, Calvin Trillin, Doug Lansky, Anne Lamott, and Elliott Hester. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Mean-spirited mockeries
At the beginning, I laughed out loud, and then, reading on, grew more and more dismayed.This is not a book about funny incidents. It is a book often filled with people being humiliated at best and beaten at worst.Hidden within this book are messages of how each culture mocks the other.I found the story about the Egypt border, with the snide Italian boasting, "You Americans think that youare individuals. In fact, you are not and that is why youcannot understand that someone might hate you for beingan American," juxtaposed with the crazed American guard on the Canadian border, as more horrifying than funny, and more full of warning that the world is a dangerous place.Okay, this is a political message and if you want to debate them, fine.But don't confuse it with comedy.

If you want to keep someone at home, never to set foot on foreign soil, give them this book.

Nice title - That's about it
I picked this book up, because I loved what the editor "Sean O'reilly" did with the Danger! Series.

But this book was a bust.The stories were not entertaining, some poorly written, and boring to a T.

Needs funnier hyenas
A collection of 25+ "amusing and hilarious" stories from various travel writers. Okay, there a some slightly amusing stories in this compendium of travel and the best story is "The Snake Charmer". For a best of humor moments, this collection is sadly void of the humor. Not to say the stories for the most part weren't nice little snippets of their travels, but overall it falls far short of being outright boisterious. The high points of interest are Snake Charmer, Monstrous Dildo, and the explosive release while attending a mass gathering of India peoples for a religious observance. Many of the stories range in length of 4-7 pages, hardly enough to get you interested and then they end abruptly. The book is worth reading, certainly, but not one I'm likely to reread. For me, the first half of the book was much better than the second half.

Hyenas Laughed at Me for Buying this Book
I'm a big fan of the Traveler's Tales Series, having read The Best Travelers' Tales, Spain, Greece, Australia, etc.After reading the VERY FUNNY "Snake Charmer of Guanacaste", a short story that is also in the Best Travelers' Tales, I was expecting more of the same humorous situations in travel.This book, however, sorely underdelivers.It is hard for me to recall a single other funny story in this book, with the possible exception of the Monster Dildo.Which isn't even as funny as it sounds.Now I'm not one for forced humor, but there are obviously funnier stories about traveling than those listed here (I know I have several of my own).

The biggest disappointment, however, is this book's contrast with the vastly superior Best of and individual country books.I feel shortchanged and as if the hyenas are laughing at ME.

Hyenas Laughed at Me and Now I Know Why
Hyenas Laughed at me and Now I Know Why is a collection of twenty-eight humorous travel stories written by various travel writers.These stories educate, terrify, and entertain readers with cultural miscommunications and misadventures in various exotic locations.

These tales vary from quirky ironic situations such as William Dalrymple's I am an Englishman where the author must translate English with a heavy Indian accent to English to downright dangerous, funnier after the fact, stories such as Patrick Fitzhugh's The Snake Charmer of Guanacaste in which the author must convince another man that a snake is indeed dangerous. Many of the situations are funny after the fact or because they didn't happen to you. Some of the stories will even make you grimace and shake your head but ten minutes later you will find yourself relaying the story to your best friend or your spouse.

It is difficult to choose a single favorite story as all of the stories were enjoyable. I enjoyed Elliott Hester's When Fists Flew on the San Juan Special at the shear idiocy of the entire chaotic flight. I was enthralled and appalled throughout Jono Marcus' It's Dar es Salaam and I Am Not Dead as the author described his ordeals with criminals, police corruption., and border crossings. I think I even learned a lesson or two during that story. I felt a sense of ironic kinship with both Rikke Jorgensen's Ravioli, French Style with unwanted extras in her lunch and Bradley Charbonneau's Hungry? Where that author just wants some chicken.

This book is intended to entertain. Some of the stories contain some potty humor or rather underpants from hell humor. Thus, this book is intended for a somewhat mature audience. Furthermore, some of the stories could scare younger readers into never setting foot outside their own home town. Nonetheless, this is a hilarious book to read while you're on a plane, sitting on the beach, or lounging on your couch. I think this book would even be suitable for one of those days when you need to be reminded that someone somewhere is having a worse day than you.
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Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Good book
I have read two stories in this book so far and they are both intriguing. This book is filled with various stories by multiple writers who are all talented. I bought the book for an internet course that I am enrolled in but I will keep the book after the semester is through because it is entertaining. I can't afford to travel right now but some of the stories in this book will take me around the world in the comfort of my own home. PlusI got a really great deal with the purchase from Amazon dot com. Wish that I had known about this site sooner, I could have saved even more money with the previous books that I bought for classes.

Best of the Best
I bought this anthology based on the strength of its user reviews on Amazon and LibraryThing, plus my positive experiences with another title in the series The Best American Science and Nature Writing. However I had serious trepidations, after all isn't modern travel writing mostly just light touristic pieces found in `Reader's Digest` or the local newspaper, barely hidden attempts at selling us packaged vacations? Was I ever wrong and pleasantly surprised, the 2006 collection turns out to be one of the best books I've read this year. There are 26 essays and not one is bad, they are all fantastic and at least 4 of them are classics. Normally in anthologies like this I'm happy when a third are favorited enough to mark the page for re-reading later, but here it's almost 100%; marking the pages is superfluous.

The guest editor for 2006 is Tim Cahill, founder and editor of `Outside` magazine, so it is perhaps not surprising that, as a professional editor of a magazine that caters to travel writing, he was like a Saudi Sheik with unlimited funds on a shopping spree in Paris, able to pick and choose from the best the world has to offer, the only limit being 320 pages. But how does he pick the "best"? "In choosing pieces for this anthology", he says, "I've looked for the best *stories* I could find", [emphasis added] - clarifying what he means by story, "if I can't find a story, I often feel I'm being beaten over the head with an encyclopedia. Stories are the sole written instrument that can bring tears to our eyes, or make us laugh.. and they are more fun to read. Story is of the essence. " This collection then is a testament to Cahill's ideal of travel writing as story, and it succeeds brilliantly. Cahill also posits that America is currently in a "Golden Age" of travel writing and after reading this collection I might agree.

If you read only one travel writing anthology this would be an ideal place to start. Even if your not interested in travel writing as a genre, most of these pieces were not written as strictly travel writing, or for traditional travel magazines. The articles are mostly by well established and known journalists and novelists and non-fiction authors in top-tier magazines like `National Geographic`, `The New Yorker`, `GQ` and others. I look forward to reading more from this series, but based on admittedly shallow investigations of user reviews, none of the other volumes in the series look as good as this one. Perhaps 2005 was just a very good year for travel writing, perhaps Cahill has an unusually good talent for picking the best articles, or perhaps since this is my first experience with the series, and my initial low expectations - whatever the case this volume will be revisted in later years and has earned a satisfying place on my bookshelf.

So good I passed it on to others
The David Sedaris selection about flying makes this book worth buying. I was on an airplane while reading his chapter and was laughing so hard that my seatmate kept giving me weird looks.

Loved it, as usual!
Enjoyed getting to experience other cultures through the eyes of the traveler while myself being the armchair traveler.

Literary Travels
I wasn't able to travel this summer, so I was more or less stuck in my small town in the middle of Oklahoma.Luckily, a handful of well-chosen books escorted me to exotic--and some very familiar--ports of call, this book, 2006's Best American Travel Writing being one of the most memorable.This is a wonderfully diverse collection of writings, featuring what many of us think of as "exotic" travel narratives, as well as my favorite kind of travel writing, essays that question the nature of travel and what we learn in the process of leaving the familiar behind.

One of the gems of this collection is Alain de Botton's piece, "The Discreet Charm of the Zurich Bourgeoise."I, too, am fascinated by the comfortable, efficient towns and cities in the world, ones that are rarely tourist destinations, but are fascinating in their own, discreet way.This piece is very similar to his book, The Art of Travel, as he juxtaposes Pieter de Hooch's paintings and their seemingly unremarkable domestic world with his love for the sedate charms of Zurich.It won't appeal to the National Geographic type of tourist, but this is what makes travel writing such a vital genre to me--and why I buy books like this.

Other high points include Sean Flynn's portrayal of American sex tourists in Puerto Rico, Ian Frazier's beautiful memoir of small town Ohio, Michael Paterniti's remarkable piece about befriending a Ukranian giant, Kira Salak's tour of modern-day Libya, George Saunder's enthusiastic (and humorous) account of Dubai, and by far the most laugh-out loud selection of all, Christopher Solomon's "Let's Ski Korea," which is everything you expect and more.

I always delight in these Best American... volumes, and the Travel Writing remains my favorite to read and re-read.Tim Cahill did an amazing job in selecting these works, and I look forward to "traveling" in them whenever the simple pleasures of Ada, Oklahoma become rather less poetic. ... Read more