Surviving the Extremes: What Happens to the Body and Mind at the Limits of Human Endurance
by Kenneth Kamlerbook data
81 ratings, 4.09 average rating, 21 reviews
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published
December 28th 2004
by Penguin (Non-Classics)
binding
Paperback, 336 pages
isbn
0143034510
(isbn13: 9780143034513)
description
A true-life scientific thriller no reader will forget, Surviving the Extremes takes us to the farthest reaches of the earth as well as into the...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 105)
The author's writing is decent and he's definitely had an exciting life (He's a doctor who's gone adventuring in all sorts of extreme environments). I only read the first section, set in the Amazon jungle, and then just never picked it up again. There isn't really any connecting narrative thread to propel a reader forward. Instead, you bump from one incident to another anecdote--all reasonably interesting in themselves, but also easy to put down.
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Read in June, 2008
I wasn't sure what to expect of this book when I picked it up. I ended up being completely enthralled in the doctor's journey and found it hard to put down. The book follows Kalmer as he works as the only, or one of few, doctors on extreme expeditions up Mount Everest, in the Amazon, and under water. He also includes interesting and captivating stories of survivors of other extreme situations such as getting lost in the desert and being lost at sea. What I enjoyed was how Kalmer explained th...more
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Read in January, 2005
recommends it for:
armchair travelers and adventurers, outdoors-people, the curious, those who have a human body
Absolutely fascinating and riveting reading! Kamler has assembled here in one book so much important information about the human body and its capabilities (or not) for endurance in the harshest climates in the world. Even when you don't live in or operate in one of these climates regularly, you will still come away from this book the better for your time. Loads of knowledge to file away for an emergency or crisis situation for your body.
Or, at the least, you will have a much better understa...more
Or, at the least, you will have a much better understa...more
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Read in January, 2008
This was a decent book but it started to get a little too technical for me. The author is an orthopedic surgeon who somehow starts getting invited to be the team doctor on various adventures. The book is about the medical environments he has worked in (i.e. high altitude on Everest, deep sea diving, amazon jungle, etc.) Basically, he writes about what makes you die...how the organs start failing and how long it takes to take you down. Very interesting--and good adventure stories. But, like I...more
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Not bad. Good science, well researched, did a nice job of using his own adventures as a backdrop for some discussions of what the human body does at its very limits. Probably worth reading for anyone who really wants to test themselves, just so they can better understand what the physical limits really are.
Read in January, 2007
Good stuff, the author is a doctor who goes on expeditions to all kinds of extreme environments. He describes, with only the detail an MD could, all of the terrible things our incredible human bodies can handle as well as some which they can't.
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A look at how the human body is able to endure such extremes as high altitude, cold, desert heat, deep water, etc. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
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Read in January, 2008
The human body is amazing, particularly in the way it copes with harsh conditions. Also, remind me not to spend too much time in the Amazon....
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Read in May, 2008
Fascinating look at human adaptation and cultural factors of survival - may use as supplemental reading in class I'm teaching
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Short stories on health issues common mountaineering, diving, and trekking jungles. Really enjoyed. Read a long time ago.
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Read in January, 2005
Really interesting read. Wow, to the wealth of human experience and the ability of the human body to survive.
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Fascinating - I now know what to do if I get lost in the Amazon, at sea, on Everest, or in space. Cool!
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epic survival book on what happens to you in certain extremes...excellent for a scientist at heart.
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Read in January, 2005
recommended to Dee by:
Allison
I learned that there are certain places I do not wish to go and things I don't wish to do.
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not my favorite adventure book, but good. it gets a little repetitive.
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Good, but surprisingly dry at times. More technical than adventure.
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Read in November, 2005
recommended to Ivy by:
Ricrecommends it for: athletes, bio-lovers
I'm a biology geek and so I found this book truly fascinating.
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Fantastic book on the phisology of survival.
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