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Death: A Survival Guide - 100 Ways We Die and How to Avoid Them
Death - A Survival Guide offers a unique insight into the biggest threats to life and limb in the industrialized world. Sarah Brewer's comprehensive and thorough survey of the most likely ways to die in the industrialized world looks at 100 causes of death from the most common such as heart disease, smoking related deaths and domestic accidents to the unusual and downright bizarre lightning strikes and animal attacks.
This fascinating - and occasionally sideways - look at death and dying will help you understand the most common causes of death and how each one affects the human body. View at a glance statistics reveal who dies where, when and how often; lists of warning signs, symptoms and risk factors allow you to determine the chances of it happening to you; and finally case studies on prevention, treatment and cures describe the best steps you can take to avoid meeting your maker in this way.
Aeroplane crash; Anaphylactic shock; Aortic aneurysm; Brain tumour; Breast cancer; Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease; Dehydration; Dementia; Domestic accidents; Heart attack; Influenza; Malaria; Occupational hazards at work; Over-exertion; Pulmonary Embolism; Respiratory failure.
This fascinating - and occasionally sideways - look at death and dying will help you understand the most common causes of death and how each one affects the human body. View at a glance statistics reveal who dies where, when and how often; lists of warning signs, symptoms and risk factors allow you to determine the chances of it happening to you; and finally case studies on prevention, treatment and cures describe the best steps you can take to avoid meeting your maker in this way.
Aeroplane crash; Anaphylactic shock; Aortic aneurysm; Brain tumour; Breast cancer; Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease; Dehydration; Dementia; Domestic accidents; Heart attack; Influenza; Malaria; Occupational hazards at work; Over-exertion; Pulmonary Embolism; Respiratory failure.
- GenresNonfiction
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 10, 2011
Death is no laughing matter. Then again, maybe it is. Death: A Survival Guide by Dr. Sarah Brewer had me chuckling from page one, which might be a bit strange considering the serious topic. Let's face it, death is one of life's certainties, and should not be taken lightly, especially seeing how, despite increased medical advances, the global death rate remains at 100%. While unavoidable, the interesting question would be how death gets you, but this is far from being predictable.
This quirky book is filled with information on ways to die and how to avoid them - everything from anaphylactic shock to tuberculosis, from homicide to a plane crash, from boredom to snoring. And no, I didn't make the last two up. You learn about how common a certain cause of death is, where it occurs, who's at risk, why it kills you, and most importantly what your own chances of survival are. While this combination of facts and humor could have easily been overdone, I found it to be just the right mix. I learned quite a few new and fascinating things, and the entertaining and wry wording made reading unexpectedly fun, despite the deadly subject matter.
100 scary reasons - why you might not make it to your next birthday - later, you'll have acquired quite a few oddly amusing, yet smart, conversation starters. If you also quit smoking along the way, all the better.
In short: A quirky view on one of life's certainties!
This quirky book is filled with information on ways to die and how to avoid them - everything from anaphylactic shock to tuberculosis, from homicide to a plane crash, from boredom to snoring. And no, I didn't make the last two up. You learn about how common a certain cause of death is, where it occurs, who's at risk, why it kills you, and most importantly what your own chances of survival are. While this combination of facts and humor could have easily been overdone, I found it to be just the right mix. I learned quite a few new and fascinating things, and the entertaining and wry wording made reading unexpectedly fun, despite the deadly subject matter.
100 scary reasons - why you might not make it to your next birthday - later, you'll have acquired quite a few oddly amusing, yet smart, conversation starters. If you also quit smoking along the way, all the better.
In short: A quirky view on one of life's certainties!
August 24, 2022
Дочитал первую книжку за полгода – про 100 причин смерти. Познавательно (автор с медицинским образованием) и даже местами забавно.
For each additional year of education you gain an 11% decrease in the risk of developing dementia. Brain pathology remains the same, but education helps you compensate for the effects of dementia. Just reading this book has already reduced your risk.
In this study, boredom increased the risk of death from any cause by 37%, but increased the risk of dying from heart attack or stroke by two and a half times.
The most dangerous time to be admitted to hospital is when newly qualified doctors start their rotations, traditionally on February 1 and August 1 each year – though these dates are becoming more flexible.
You are also 18% more likely to die on a Monday than on a Sunday, suggesting that the stress of returning to work and the Monday Blues is a real phenomenon. You are also 25% more likely to die during the depths of winter than in the peak of summer.
For each additional year of education you gain an 11% decrease in the risk of developing dementia. Brain pathology remains the same, but education helps you compensate for the effects of dementia. Just reading this book has already reduced your risk.
In this study, boredom increased the risk of death from any cause by 37%, but increased the risk of dying from heart attack or stroke by two and a half times.
The most dangerous time to be admitted to hospital is when newly qualified doctors start their rotations, traditionally on February 1 and August 1 each year – though these dates are becoming more flexible.
You are also 18% more likely to die on a Monday than on a Sunday, suggesting that the stress of returning to work and the Monday Blues is a real phenomenon. You are also 25% more likely to die during the depths of winter than in the peak of summer.
January 18, 2012
I discovered this book while textbook shopping with my fiancé this morning and I've literally spent the whole day alternating between reading bits out loud to him and cackling like a demented hyena. Seriously, the author (a doctor doctor, as in a medical one, so presumably she knows what she's talking about :P) is HILARIOUS, but in that sneaky way where you're expecting a whole bunch of terrifying and disgusting facts and what you get is just - funny. Anyway, I also learned a lot. Apparently only two people die from spider bites every year. I mean, did you know that?! I didn't know that!! Here I am nursing my acute arachnophobia and it turns out that I'm 50,000 times more likely to be killed by a snake. Assuming it's up for scaling my entire building, that is. Anyway, this book's brilliant.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews