Deep Survival

True Stories of Miraculous Endurance and Sudden Death

By: Laurence Gonzales

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

After her plane crashes, a 17-year-old girl spends 11 days walking through the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out. A better equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What makes the difference?

Examining such stories of miraculous endurance and tragic death, Deep Survival takes us from the tops of snowy mountains and the depths of oceans to the workings of the brain that control our behavior. Through close analysis of case studies, Laurence Gonzales describes the essence of a survivor and offers 12 "Rules of Survival".

In the end, he finds, it is what's in your heart, not what's in your pack, that separates the living from the dead. This audiobook will change the way we understand ourselves and the great outdoors.

©2003 Laurence Gonzales (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"The study of survival offers an illuminating portal into the human psyche, and Gonzales, knowledgeable and passionate, is a compelling and trustworthy guide." (Booklist)
"A superb, entertaining addition to a nature buff's library, or for anyone not tucked safely away in a bunker." (Kirkus Reviews)

Deep Thinking

This book inspires deep thought into your own mannerisms and perspective when placed up against those who have gone through such harrowing misadventure.

I took enough away from this book to know that I need to listen to it again to catch the tidbits I missed while pondering the information I gained.

Excellent. First class writing and deep thinking ahead

Thought this would be a quick listen while stuck in traffic. Instead of leaving us with some interesting survival stories and signing off, Gonzales uses the stories as a springboard to discuss the nature of life itself. Science, philosophy, self-examination, and tons of survival stories with lessons learned from his own deep research and interviews with the survivors all interconnected and moving seamlessly through the subject of survival. Rudnicki was a great choice for narration.

Just as good on the second listen

I’ve listened to this book on two occasions. I was impressed by the over arching philosophy that is present throughout all of the tales. Also, the narration seemed to me, to be perfectly coupled with this book. I give 5 stars for all categories.

Life is precious and unpredictable. GO FOR IT!! 

GREAT book. When dodging death, we truly learn how to live and genuinely appreciate life!! Cheers to the author and his old school father!! Semper Fi, Joe Leon

Amazing book

A good companion book to Beyond Biocentrism. Perspective of what it means to be alive is examined and many people should understand that they go through life surviving an easy way because of the efforts of others. When we are responsible for our own survival the true character of a person emerges. Having survived two near death experiences I agree with many things said in this book. I believe further research should be done to link the discoveries of quantum science to this perspective because we all share the fate of death in the end but what this life is about and how we pass through it is important to grasp outside of our daily self made struggles.

Circumstances

Very engaging stories of survival in the worst of circumstances and the analysis of the reasons. As a wilderness hiker, I personally related to the crux of book... sometimes bad stuff happens, how does one deal with the unexpected!

all people guide

Great book applicable to all people from all walks of life. Great lessons to be learned from a vast variety of well collected stories.

Must listen!

A terrific audio book. 10+ hours, but wish there was more. The true account storytelling dovetailed with the explaination and analysis exposes the roots of survival.
Exciting, frightening, and educational, with lessons applicable not only in survival circumstances but everyday life.

Beyond Wonderfull

This book is all about survival, life, the universe, and everything (with profound apologies to Douglas Adams). It is a moving meditation on what it is to be human and applies to all of our existence even though we usually ignore our mortality and the functioning of our minds. The adventures and misadventures Laurence Gonzales chronicles reveal our human condition better than anything I have ever read. This is not a simple adventure book so some may be disappointed. It is so much more. I understand Gonzales has another book along similar lines due out in September of 2008. I hope it come to Audible and I hope that Stefan Rudnicki narrates that one as well. He is brilliant. His narration of "On Intelligence" was excellent - his intelligent speech highlighted that book as well as this.

Bravo Gonzales, Rudnicki and Audible - well done. Thank you!

Provacative Implications

I can't remember reading a book that affected me more profoundly. Sure, it is a book about people who are living in survival situations and the reasons why some live to tell the story while others don't. But the in-depth analysis has far-reaching implications that go well beyond the subject matter.
Gonzalez is extremely well read and an accomplished writer. His style is breezy and an easy listen even when the subject matter is rather dark. Add to this the fact that many passages are gripping, edge-of-the-seat nail biters, and you have a book difficult to put down and impossible to forget.
Take for instance the description, early in the book, of landing a plane on an aircraft carrier. At first it is difficult to understand all of the "pilot-speak" but as the story unfolds and each piece of jargon is explained, you begin to understand just how hair-raising such a feat is, and the internal battle each pilot wrestles with as he obeys his training in spite of the overpowering instincts to do otherwise. Unfortunately, as the author points out, instinct occasionally wins...with tragic results.
There are, of course, many other situations examined, each with its own lessons to be learned and its own provacative implications.