The Wedge

Evolution, Consciousness, Stress, and the Key to Human Resilience

By: Scott Carney

Narrated by: Scott Carney

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author of What Doesn't Kill Us

"Crazy good writing." (Wim Hof, "The Iceman", Dutch extreme athlete)

Thrive or die: That's the rule of evolution. Despite this brutal logic, some species have learned to survive in even the most hostile conditions. Others couldn't - and perished. While incremental genetic adaptations hone the physiology of nearly every creature on this planet, there's another evolutionary force that is just as important: the power of choice. In this explosive investigation into the limits of endurance, journalist Scott Carney discovers how humans can wedge control over automatic physiological responses into the breaking point between stress and biology. We can reclaim our evolutionary destiny.

In his New York Times best seller, What Doesn't Kill Us, Carney submerged himself in ice water and learned breathing techniques from daredevil fitness guru Wim Hof. It gave him superhuman levels of endurance and quieted a persistent autoimmune illness. At the core of those methods is a technique called The Wedge that can give a person an edge in just about any situation.

In this thrilling exploration of the limits and potential of the human body, Carney searches the globe for people who understand the subtle language of how the body responds to its environment. He confronts fear at a cutting-edge neuroscience laboratory at Stanford, and learns about flow states by tossing heavy weights with partners. He meets masters of mental misdirection in the heat of a Latvian sauna, experiments with breathing routines that bring him to the cusp of transcendence, searches his mind in sensory deprivation tanks, and ultimately ends up in the Amazon jungle with a shaman who promises either madness or universal truth. All of this in service of trying to understand what we're really capable of. What can we accomplish when we there are no true human limits?

©2020 Scott Carney (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Good book

Lots of information and he does a great job explaining. Also even though he is the author, he is a very good narrator.
His discussion at the end of the book about drug use was interesting to hear. I would never use them but I am glad they are showing promise for PTSD patients. I had not heard of that

Wanted more

Scott Carney's first book changed my life. I even trained with Wim Hof because of his book. I guess that's a high bar to meet again. I wished this one was even half of that. I think we all want more as far as unlocking potential or even understanding ourselves, the universe on a deeper level. This book is still interesting but I wanted more than drug use as windows into this understanding.

Great inspiration

I love this idea of something you can take, a stressor, which change you in whoever you want to be. Life is a choice, and your choices matters. I want more of this stuff!

Binged it!

I love this author and each book gets better and better. Highly recommend, especially during this uncertain times of distance.

Scott, not sure if you see these

your books are life changing... I have been practicing aspects of The Wedge and Wim Hof's method for years now... and I've never felt better... This book reinforces things I've learned along the way particularly the meaning of life determination you came up with was the exact same determination I have made. thank you for a truly life changing experience.

Even better on Audible

I read this book when it came out and have gone back to read chapters and sections. When I decided to try Audible, this was the first book I bought. I feel like I have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the material. Honestly, I enjoyed it more than the initial read of one of my favorite books.

Entertaining and interesting journey.

Comprehensibly writen and included philosophical matters are well put (at least in my eyes).

A wedge of cheese and a tossed salad

Maybe I should have read his first book prior to this one. The first half has some interesting perspectives about the benefits of experiencing physiological extremes, and how most 1st world people don't know the many super powers we have inherited thru evolution. But the book drifts off into holistic medicine and hallucinogens, and the author's thesis got more scientifically diffuse as he wedged more anecdotes into this salad.

Great follow up.

Great read and follow up to his previous book. Amazing how Scott makes this material so interesting.

Well written book on a topic tough to explain.

The author has great story telling ability that tackles a tough topic as the wedge. The wedge, that area between stimulus and response is a powerful area to understand and be able to access. The author is explains it very eloquently so you can develop yourself the ability to access it.