By Sam Sheridan
Penguin Press, 2013. 324 pgs. Nonfiction.
In his younger years, Sam Sheridan was something of an adventurer. At different times he worked as a martial arts fighter, an EMT, a cowboy, a sailor, a wilderness firefighter, and even a South Pole construction worker. He’d seen and survived harsh conditions and loved every minute of it. Then his son was born. Almost overnight, he became obsessed with the thought that he was not prepared to assure the survival of his family if the world as we know it came to an end. The Disaster Diaries follows Sheridan has he gains the skills and knowledge he feels will be necessary when the zombies, aliens, earthquakes, volcanoes, ice ages, and/or deadly viruses wreak havoc on our civilization. From carjacking to rope making, fire starting to igloo construction, Sheridan travels the world to find experts and instructors willing to teach him.
This book is a lot more fun than it sounds! Each chapter begins with the author’s imagined story of death and destruction caused by a number of apocalyptic villains including giant alien spiders. Next, he describes his quest to prepare himself for those possible challenges or crises. This is not a survivalist how-to manual. It is more a memoir of the author’s journey toward his own preparedness. But it’s a great journey and sure to inspire readers to evaluate and maybe even improve their own chances of surviving the end of the world as we know it.
CZ
1 comment:
I agree with CZ. I really enjoyed this book and found it both informative and funny. I listened to the audiobook so I'm going to add the tag "Audio Pick" because the narrator, Donald Corren, really brought the text to life. Corren's (a Broadway and film actor and screenwriter) talent is clear, with emphasis and pauses at just the right moments for comedic or dramatic effect. Corren's voice with Sheridan's prose make quite an engaging experience. One that had me laughing out loud several times over.
ACS
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