Worst-Case Scenario Handbook,
May 16, 2008 by Andrew
There are two ‘first lines’ that will always capture my attention: “In a bunker deep beneath Wolf’s Lair…” and “Do not attempt to undertake any of the activities described in this book yourself!”
That’s exactly the way The Worst-Case Scenario Handbook begins. The requisite next line - “The publishers, authors and experts disclaim any liability” sends a thrill up my spine, but when it is followed by “…we urge you to obey all laws and respect all rights,” I’m hooked.
I’ll never encounter most (any?) of the scenarios outlined in the book, but thanks to Piven and Borgenicht, I at least have an idea how to ram another car (page 34), deal with a charging bull (page 64), identify a bomb (page 94), and survive if my parachute fails to open (page 137). That last is actually plausible, since I hope to treat myself to a jump every ten years, but I’ll have the problem of wrestling the tandem instructor to cushion the impact.
These are short pieces, nicely illustrated with line drawings and diagrams, and brief enough to consult if and when you encounter the named situation. The downside is that you have to keep the book with you at all times and be prepared to ask the charging bull to wait a moment while you refresh your memory. Do you a) stand still b) lie down, or c) wave a piece of cloth and toss it away from yourself? (In case you don’t have time to run to the library and check the book out with the bull on your heels, the answer is c.)
Piven and Borgenicht followed this book with survival books on travel, golf, holidays, and dating & sex. We’ve got them classified as humor, and spread out into the various Dewey classifications, so there isn’t a single place you can go to if you take your significant other to a Caribbean golf resort for Christmas, but have to escape killer bees by jumping in a Dumpster.
Still, for people like me who are constantly on the lookout for danger and planning heroic escapes, this is a great resource. Who knows, maybe I’ll stay calm enough to actually use their advice instead of Robert Heinlein’s:
When in danger or in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout
