cheryl6of8's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of articles written by Cahill for Outdoor magazine (of which he was one of the founding editors) and covering the entire gamut: How to effectively use a survival guide when stranded in the wilderness (light it on fire for a smoke signal/warmth); the joys of diving with sharks; finding unknown ruins in the Andes; hang-gliding; skydiving; sitting on Mount St. Helen's waiting for the eruption and going back after the eruption scouting for the dead; the slaughter of sea turtles in Mexico. Some of the articles were funny, some poignant, some just interesting. However, contrary to the impression conveyed by the title, the author was not mauled by jaguars -- there were no actual jaguars in the book as written, just the discussion of a theoretical possibility when he was in the Andes.
renatasnacks's review against another edition
3.0
Perfectly enjoyable adventure-travel writing. Made me feel slightly inadequate, as Cahill keeps presenting himself as a Bill Bryson-like incompetent, while he actually seems to be a totally badass swimmer/diver/rockclimber/adventurer. I was especially interested in his essays about Mount St. Helens right before/after the eruption (yeah this book is like 30 years old, I just found it in the PC library). Anyway, it was a pretty fun, quick read, but I wouldn't really recommend seeking it out unless you have a stronger interest in rockclimbing and shit than I do.
nycsquirrel's review against another edition
4.0
Cahill has led an enviable life -- climbing up mountain faces, jumping out of planes and scrambling through Amazonian jungles in order to write about his experiences. A fun, light read that reminds you to get out and find adventure.
kittyburritoland's review against another edition
4.0
Great adventure/travel writing, the series of articles in the book really draw you to some incredible parts of the planet and make you want to renew your passport and buy a plane ticket. Really enjoyed it.
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
5.0
An absolutely outstanding book. This is a collection of pieces the author wrote for Outside and some other magazines during the late 70s and early 80s. The book far exceeds the quality of Pecked to Death by Ducks, which is the only other of his collections I have read.
The first half of the book covers experiences he had in south America, Australia, the Philippines, and Mexico. I especially liked this section because these were truly adventurous excursions to remote places most of us have never heard about. He writes intelligently and with compassion for the local people whose traditions and myths are dying out due to modernization and tourism.
The second half of the book is closer to home, involving adventures right here in the U.S. Cahill is in top form for nature writing in "Kayaking Among the Ice Children." The word pictures are so beautiful, I could really see what he was describing. I learned that orca whales will work together to lift and tip icebergs so the sunning harbor seals will fall off into the waiting mouths of other orcas!
There are two pieces about the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. They are excellent coverage not only of the events, but also of the way volcanoes work and the damage they do. The second one, "Eruption," reads like a scary movie, but it really happened! I cried at the end. :(
Having done some nonfiction writing myself, I'm impressed by the quality and depth of information Cahill provides in these articles. He doesn't just tell about his experience. He includes a lot of science and history (never boring) which shows he has done much thoughtful research about the topics and places both before and after visiting them. I hadn't expected to learn so much from this book, so that was a nice bonus.
The first half of the book covers experiences he had in south America, Australia, the Philippines, and Mexico. I especially liked this section because these were truly adventurous excursions to remote places most of us have never heard about. He writes intelligently and with compassion for the local people whose traditions and myths are dying out due to modernization and tourism.
The second half of the book is closer to home, involving adventures right here in the U.S. Cahill is in top form for nature writing in "Kayaking Among the Ice Children." The word pictures are so beautiful, I could really see what he was describing. I learned that orca whales will work together to lift and tip icebergs so the sunning harbor seals will fall off into the waiting mouths of other orcas!
There are two pieces about the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980. They are excellent coverage not only of the events, but also of the way volcanoes work and the damage they do. The second one, "Eruption," reads like a scary movie, but it really happened! I cried at the end. :(
Having done some nonfiction writing myself, I'm impressed by the quality and depth of information Cahill provides in these articles. He doesn't just tell about his experience. He includes a lot of science and history (never boring) which shows he has done much thoughtful research about the topics and places both before and after visiting them. I hadn't expected to learn so much from this book, so that was a nice bonus.
innatejames's review
3.0
Some touching and poignant writing about humans impact on Earth here. The article where he describes his first jump out of an airplane was particularly memorable.
satyridae's review
4.0
Rollicking adventure travel, collected from various magazines which Cahill wrote for. Written in the 80's, some of his insights regarding Rwanda and what was about to happen there make me wonder why, exactly, no one was listening. Very well-written and hardly dated at all.
gengelcox's review
3.0
This is a well-written collection of essays by Cahill, subtitled “Adventure is a Risky Business,” that succeeds best when Cahill is trying to make due with human nature rather than mother nature. Or, possibly, that’s just where my interests lie. Even arm-chair tourists whose idea of “getting back to nature” is a stroll down the block can’t help but envy Cahill as he is pushed in assignment after assignment in which he looks danger in the face and blows it a raspberry, and then falling on his face. Woah, that extended one metaphor to the breaking point, which Cahill tends to do at times as well. But don’t think all is just chills and thrills here. There’s some social commentary (some biting, some toothless), vivid description, outlandish occurrences, and breathtaking wonder. It may seem at times that you’re reading a transcript for “NOVA,” but is that so bad? Cahill’s written two other volumes like this–[b: A Wolverine is Eating My Leg|344178|A Wolverine Is Eating My Leg|Tim Cahill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1173911290s/344178.jpg|902940] and [b: Pecked to Death by Ducks|91803|Pecked To Death By Ducks|Tim Cahill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347584353s/91803.jpg|902941]–which I plan to find and read, and that’s probably recommendation enough for this volume.
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