"Danger is entirely about mortality."

It was quite intriguing to learn that when the publisher of the book entitled DANGER! TRUE STORIES OF TROUBLE AND SURVIVAL attempted to mail me a copy of their book it was returned to them due to "heightened security reasons." Furthermore, the US Postal Services insisted that the book be delivered in person to the post office before they would even consider permitting it to be mailed to Canada! After reading the 28 episodes, each narrated by 28 different authors and edited by James O'Reilly, Larry Hebegger,Sean O'Reilly, I can well appreciate their concern.

All of the essays support Tim Cahill's assertion in the introduction to the book: "danger is entirely about mortality. It is an elucidation and illumination of the final mystery of human experience, a matter, if you will, of life and death."

The essays divide themselves into four sections each of which emphasize different situations. The protagonists either willingly place themselves into dangerous situations or involuntarily are faced with daunting encounters. In the first section entitled "dangerous territory" the emphasis is on the geographical location where a possible disaster is averted. We read about such encounters as a war correspondent in Bosnia who, if he makes one wrong move, is a "goner," A couple living in Zambia who are attacked by some local thugs, a Python wrapping itself around someone's body, a face-to-face meeting with a bear in Alaska.

The second and third sections, which are called "going to the edge" and "heart of darkness," recount adventure tales where the principal characters actually seek out dangerous situations or are exposed to the darker side of man's behaviour towards his fellow human being. Mountain climbers who endeavour to climb the highest peak in the former Soviet Union, Mt. Communism, are faced with an avalanche as well as the falling into a coma of one of their co-climbers; a medical doctor treating the casualties resulting from the savage war being waged between the "Hutu"-and the "rebels"- Tutsi;

The final section entitled "crossing to safety" is a philosophical essay that addresses when something inside of us says, "it is time to quit" or as the author states, "get down, there is danger here, and it does not serve."

Each one of these stories is written in a different style, yet they all have the same underlining theme. The reader is constantly shaking his head and saying to himself "oh no!" After reading all of the 28 tales, we are left with the impression that it certainly takes a very special individual to withstand some of the various experiences that are exposed in the book. It also makes you ask the question why seek out danger! What is it that seduces a traveller to go out of his way to experience terrifying encounters?

"Copyright 2002, Bookideas.com. Orginally published at Bookideas.com"

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookideas
Posted June 1, 2002