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It Worked for Me
“I haven't read all the customer reviews ... don't need to... He nailed it.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-24.
I read this when it first came out. The book jumped off the library shelf and into a self-study course of reading I'd created for myself along with some introductory aikido so I could begin to understand and teach something of value to my athletic children. (Their success was mind-blowing, but that's not the story here.)
"Deep Survival" was one of over 250 books I'd read on performance and sports psychology and a wide range of mind-body-spirit topics. Some many years later, at age 59, having not been to a doctor in too many years, I was suddenly diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosis requiring valve transplant through open=heart surgery. I'd been a professional in the emergency medical response field at high levels in response, training, and planning, and one of the first rules I taught was the importance of calling 911. But right after the diagnosis I moved to hilly WV and had a sudden onset of rapidly-increasing pleural edema; the advancing shortness of breath and pink frothy sputum told me to get into my car alone and drive immediately to the hospital four miles away. I made it just in time. I vomited and blacked out on arrival and spent the weekend in the ICU. Monday morning, during a chemical stress test, I went into cardiac arrest; they revived me and transferred me downtown where, the next morning, I underwent valve replacement with incidental bypass. When they closed me up, I continued to bleed internally and was transfused over 20 units; they opened me back up, sewed the bleed, and closed me back up. During that event, I had a multiplex dual-hemisphere stroke involving mostly the left side motor functions; when I awoke four days later, I could not move my arm more than two inches, and I could not move my leg at all. Six weeks later, in what every doctor who was familiar with the case called a miracle, I walked out of the rehab unit and, four weeks later, no longer needing the wheelchair or the walker, I walked into their offices. I am now fully ambulatory again, and danced at my daughter's wedding this past summer. I am going to purchase the book this time and enjoy the pleasure of reading it ... from the other side of my own personal abyss. ” -
Love the Stories, and the Advice is Excellent
“This was an interesting book. It dealt with the topic of survival situations that caused people to die or live. There are numerous psychological processes that take place that indicate the likelihood of someone living. The book is well written with stories explaining the principles of survival. If you are someone who explores the unknown or travels to distance places in the wilderness, this book will give you some insight in how to live. A lot of times, it is not the skill set that a person has, but the mindset the individual uses to get himself or herself through the ordeal. If you love adventure, if you take adventures, this book is for you. If you prefer the suburbs to the bears, than read something else. This is a great book for those who are "wild at heart."”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-23. -
Surving in Chaos
“Human beings are fascinated with disaster; even when we already know the outcome. That's why the remake of The Titanic was such a big hit. It was one of the world's most celebrated disasters, starring one of the world's most celebrated movie stars. It couldn't miss.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-21.
Laurence Gonzales has written an extremely engaging study into the mysterious realm of survival; why some people have what it takes to get through a crisis and some don't. This book goes hand in hand with a couple of other interesting studies of survival---The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why (Amanda Ripley) and The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life (Ben Sherwood). Not surprisingly, all three books come to the same basic conclusions for survival; and that's comforting. You'd hate to have one author telling you one thing and another telling you something entirely different; who would you trust?
Gonzales tells several fascinating stories; his writing style is eloquent and riveting. His revelations are fairly predictable; possibly since I'd read the aforementioned books before this one. Still, it's good information to digest and could prove to be life-saving, someday for one of us. That makes it highly recommended; get your own copy. It could save your hide.” -
Deep Investigation
“"Deep Survival" is not just a series of flesh-eating tales of survival, it is a deep investigation into what it takes to survive in life-threatening situations. Gonzales deftly combines factors of psychology, emotionality, spirituality, and physicality as the premier forces that determine who lives, who dies, and why.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-19. -
Eye openning, insightful and beautifully written
“This is one of the more interesting books I've read in my entire adult life. The information about the brain function is fascinating. The cases Gonzales uses are riveting, and his step-by-step break down of them is very informative. He does a good job of bringing together other peoples studies to back up his idea. The message is also very clear throughout most of the book.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-18.
In addition to all the good information, Gonzales is a very good writer. He's fluid with his thoughts and good at explaining them. He knows when to be abrupt. He knows when and how to use slang. He seamlessly bounces back and forth between different examples and the science they have in common.
There is a two and a half page sequence late in the book that may be the most beautifully written thing I've come across. It happens when he is talking about his father. When it was done I actually had to put the book down, control my heart and breathing and just think about what I had just read. I couldn't keep reading right away and I couldn't immediately put the book down to do something else. I don't like the cliche but WOWED me.”
