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179th out of 382 books
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Surviving the Extremes: What Happens to the Body and Mind at the Limits of Human Endurance
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 uncharted territory within the human body, spirit, and brain. A vice president of the legendary Explorers Club, as well as surgeon, explorer, and masterful storyteller, Dr. Kenneth Kamler has spent years discovering what happens to...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
December 28th 2004
by Penguin (Non-Classics)
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The opening scene of the book is a man who should be dead on Mount Everest being kept alive by the Buddhist chanting of the Tibetans, which was, perhaps, vibrating at the same resonance as the electric impulses that kept his heart beating. And, perhaps, in the same way that vibrations are multipled when that happens to a glass and it shatters, the heart muscle in strengthened to keep going.* Reading this and the explanations of why things happen when man adventures to extreme zones, is so intere...more
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Kenneth Kamler is a hand surgeon who also managed to fall into the field of extreme medicine. In this book, he takes a look at some of the most extreme environments in the world (i.e. the jungle, the desert, underwater) and explains in great detail what happens to the human body in such extreme conditions. He also includes stories in each of these chapters - both personal stories of his own cases, and stories of others who've faced extreme conditions (some of whom survived, some who didn't). The...more
Kamler is very approachable, seeming to possess the requisite character for a doctor on tightly knit teams, including a sort of humility before greater forces and even (subtly) God. His trace of humor grew more obvious toward the very end. I was willing to put up with extensive (and unexpected) technical details for the overall surprisingly good literary style, to say nothing of the fact that one shouldn't complain about learning, or having to think, more than one had bargained on!
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As a collection of snapshots about the limits of human endurance, this isn't bad, though the film-like approach to the narrative (Dramatic moment... cut! Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, in a completely different time... Dramatic moment... cut!) means historical context is lacking at times. Some reviewers thoughts there should've been less science; the scientific interludes were part of the pay-off for me, and though I wanted more depth I think it strikes a reasonable balance between ...more
Deeply fascinating book. Besides the case histories (many taken from his own experiences) he gives clinical descriptions of what *exactly* is happening inside your body as you survive (or fail to survive) extreme environments.
Of course, many of these stories put me in a froth of annoyance, wondering why some people are so consumed with the desire to put themselves in these extremes. It's nearly impossible for me to feel any kind of sympathy for people like the guy who dies on Mt E...more
Of course, many of these stories put me in a froth of annoyance, wondering why some people are so consumed with the desire to put themselves in these extremes. It's nearly impossible for me to feel any kind of sympathy for people like the guy who dies on Mt E...more
I really enjoyed this book. It may be because this is the perfect merging of two of my favorite interests - the science of the human body and stories of extreme adventure. Written by a surgeon who has explored and experienced many interesting adventures himself, this book deals with the frailty of the human body and the various ways we can perish in extreme environments. Traveling through the Amazon, to climbing above the death zone at Everest, to free diving, and traveling in space, the author ...more
Really loved this. More than a book about what goes wrong with the human body when faced with an environment that heaps on insults, it also is a number of adventure stories from Dr. Kamler - he has seen and treated almost all of this firsthand. I learned that LASIK will not function at extreme altitudes, which is a super bummer for me. I found it a super entertaining read though. If Dr. Kamler were a better writer and not so egotistical about his own non-medical views I would give it 5 stars
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.
This very interesting book is written by a doctor. He was the doctor on some very extreme expeditions and explains what happens to the body in those conditions and why. The sections on climbing Mt. Everest was very interesting - and why would anyone want to subject their body to that! The jungle section is also very memorable. I would have a hard time with the bugs, mud, heat and sweat.
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
Loved it, but may not be for everyone. I like straight facts, non-fiction and I'm fascinated by medicine and the human body, so its no wonder I loved this book. The author goes into amazing detail about the processes in the human body and how they react to various 'insults' such as being lost in the desert, at high atmospheres, even space travel. Fascinating stuff and a fun read.
Science is acceptable for a mass market without being either too watered down or too complicated. DId not learn much science or medicine from the text, but it is an enjoyable collection of stories and experiences.
Liked this a lot. Good writing,so although lots of medical stuff, it was still interesting. A big draw for me was the descriptions of the extremes in the jungle,climbing, under water, etc. These were described well, and he made all the people involved very real and human. I suppose book could have been a bit shorter.
This book is very heavy on the science so I skimmed a lot of it. I still found the chapters on Everest, the dessert and the rainforest fascinating though. Interesting read for adventurers.
great book to hear what happens to the body when pushed to extremes of nature. could barely put it down.
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
interesting details about how our bodies go to extemes to survive
How to get scared in your armchair...
Thomas
added it
fantastic book. easy, enjoyable.
Dr. Kamler has climbed Everest and explored the Amazon. He uses his own experiences to explain how the human body interacts with its environment. He details the bends, seasickness, hypothermia, a truly disturbing array of jungle organisms, and even what happens to humans in space. His writing style is pedestrian, but his material is fantastic. Read this if you're unsure whether you could survive two months at sea with nothing but a life raft, or two days in the desert without water.
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.
i would rate it 6.
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.
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.
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....
Fascinating look at human adaptation and cultural factors of survival - may use as supplemental reading in class I'm teaching
Short stories on health issues common mountaineering, diving, and trekking jungles. Really enjoyed. Read a long time ago.
very good, entertaining, educational. entertaining. did i say that ? definitely worth the read. a quick read too.
Really interesting read. Wow, to the wealth of human experience and the ability of the human body to survive.
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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