The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks

by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, Brenda Brown (Illustrator)

“What will no doubt become popular airport reading for stranded passengers . . . another eminently practical, enjoyable survival guide.” —Publishers WeeklyIf you have to leave home, TAKE THIS BOOK! The team that brought you the bestselling The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook now helps you navigate the perils of travel. Learn what to do when the tarantula crawls up your leg, the riptide pulls you out to sea, the sandstorm’s headed your way, or your camel just won’t stop. Find out how to pass a bribe, remove leeches, climb out of a well, survive a fall onto subway tracks, catch a fish without a rod, and preserve a severed limb. Hands-on, step-by-step instructions show you how to survive these and dozens of other adventures. An appendix of travel tips, useful phrases, and gestures to avoid will also ensure your safe return. Because you just never know . . .Praise for the Worst-Case Scenario Survival series“The scenarios owe a debt to action flick clichés—how often do you find yourself leaping from rooftop to rooftop?—but their utter implausibility doesn’t make this read any less riveting.” —People“What this book lacks in spiritual enlightenment, it more than makes up for with the practical advice you thought you’d never need.” —The Irish Times“There is something for everyone. It has a wide range of scenarios from dangerous to just downright irritating . . . It is fun, witty, entertaining and you learn something along the way too.” —Quill Quotes

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Reference, Humor, Survival, How To, Adult

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Josh Piven is a television writer and producer, speechwriter, playwright, and the author or co-author of more than twenty non-fiction and humor books, including the worldwide best-selling The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series.

He wrote the teleplay and serves as producer of Don The Beekeeper, a half-hour children’s TV show about honeybees and urban beekeeping. His most recent stage play, a holiday farce called No Reservations, had its world premiere in November-December, 2013, to great success and critical acclaim. More information. His next play is Muddled.

Josh likes to refer to himself in the third person.

Piven is perhaps best known for his famously tongue-in-cheek worst-case books, books that offer readers real-world (though often hilarious) advice on surviving worst-case situations that they might—but hopefully won’t—encounter: everything from “how to fend off a shark” and “how to wrestle an alligator” to “how to avoid the Freshman 15” and “how to determine if your date is an axe murderer.”

Piven is an honors graduate of the University of Pennsylvania—and living proof that English majors aren't necessarily failures.

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars for The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel (audiobook) by David Borgenicht and Joshua Piven read by Penn Jillette.

My sister in law recommended this book as she often does so I gave it a try. And then I realized why, she wants me to save the day when something goes wrong. I’m sure she hasn’t read this book.

Much of the travel information I’ve heard before and the part on surviving a severed limb and keeping the limb stored properly so it can be reattached is just beyond me. I’m sure I’d pass out way before I would use any of this information. Really the best part of this audiobook was the narration. I don’t think I would have finished it if it wasn’t for the wonderful voice of Penn Jillette.

[Noctvrnal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book if you want to learn something (and have a small chuckle couple of times) while traveling abroad. Handbook includes things how to collect and filter water, how to escape fire and many more. Some of them are truly useful for a casual travel, however quite few of them seem to be catered to travelers that are way more experienced and beyond level of this book in knowledge about how to behave in dangerous or life-threatening situations. Things absolutely do happen in life, most of them unpredicted and unprepared for, however, it's hard to tell how much your ordinary reader will remember if worst case scenario really does occur.
I'd say this is a light quick read and I can only hope some of the information remains. Just in case.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haha, most of the scenarios in here truly are 'worst-case', while others are a bit more practical. It was fun to read through this book, though I'm not sure how much I'd remember if I ever WERE in one of these dire situations (such as, caught in a riptide, needing to treat a severed limb, how to climb out of a well, how to ram a barricade, foiling a UFO udbuction, surviving a hostage situation, and escaping from a car that is hanging over a cliff). My favorite part might be the few pages in the back titles 'Foreign Emergancy Phrases': a list of phrases translated into four languages, such as 'Stop, thief!', 'Hello, I have been seriously wounded', 'May I borrow a towel to wipe of the blood?', 'May I use your belt as a tourniquet', and 'You will never make me talk.'

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

husker ikke nøyaktig når

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was part of a quick read I wanted while running around and preparing for Christmas (I can never be far from a book or panic sets in) and along with the "The Worst Case Scenario survival handbook" they filled that requirement quite nicely.

Like all the others in the series they follow a series of chapters on linked subjects and present the best way to escape, resolve or just simply survive them.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It was lighthearted in places, but had some serious practical advice. I would read more of these quick survivalist books if I had a good chance.
One funny thing; The previous owner of the used copy I got at Pioneer Book had let a pre-schooler draw circles on almost every page of this book. A great example of making do and surviving in the face of extreme stress!!

[Ben Pearman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few tips were practical and useful.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this on my book shelf-apparently it was a gift from one of my colleagues as an apology after she did something wrong. I never read t until now. I thought it was going to be some tongue-in-cheek, joke type book...Nope. This is in fact a survival guide for most every eventuality you can think of while traveling. Have to admit, it kept my attention and is as enjoyable as reading about how to treat a severed limb or being taken hostage can be.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Simply something to read to pass a few short minutes while waiting for something else. However, I now know what to do in case of imminent UFO abduction or if I need to land a sea plane on water. Actually, I already know how to land a plane *pats own back*, but it was fun reading it anyway. I would have given it a higher rating except for a couple of the scenarios gave misleading advice. I know most of this is done tongue in cheek so I tried to let it slide but the perfectionist in me was a bit bothered.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very similar to its "yellow" counterpart, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. I even think some of the tips and helpful bits of advice were the same in both books. This one, however, focused more on the travel aspect of terrible scenarios to find yourself in. As with the other book, I am unsure that I will actually remember the advice given in this book, as it is useless unless you are faced with the dangerous situation, such as being face-to-face with a lion or having your car teeter off the edge of a cliff. This book made for a quick, relaxing read and it made me think that my travels have been really carefree compared to what is described in it.

[Anri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this a couple of weeks ago but forgot to review it.
This one's okay. I read the non-travel one a while ago and it's pretty similar.
Some of the advice seems unrealistic? though.
For example, if I'm ever stuck in a jungle and have to make a raft, I feel like I probably won't have two tarps conveniently handy (required in their makeshift-raft instructions).

[Craig Wakefield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read with survival tips. This book is not for the faint of heart or the timid. Surviving a UFO abduction (The South Florida hope to be politician who claims to have been abducted when she was 7 years old should have had a copy of that chapter.), crossing a Piranha infested stream ( No, it's not being gentlemanly and letting a female go ahead of you.), high-rise fire (Parachutes are so cumbersome to carry.), going over a waterfall (Watch reruns of people going over Niagara Falls in barrels.), etc.

I believe that this is a serious book. Perhaps if it was written with a humorous slant it would have been more enjoyable. Most of the tips seemed common sense.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of possibly life-saving advice on how to deal with dangerous situations like stopping a runaway train, land a plane if the pilot is incapacitated, etc.. I enjoyed reading but realistically, would I remember these if the situations arose? Likely I would not! Nor would I just happen to have this book on me at that time? Probably not! But it is still worth reading! Besides, some situations are are very memorable and you just might remember!

[Virany · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book to scan through just out of curiosity, but not a book to red from cover to cover. I'm sure the tips in here can be very helpful if I need to control a runaway camel, but I guess their are more practical safety guides in this book. I think it would be nice to have on a coffee table or something like that, and I guess a good addition to bring along during travel.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel that many of the how-tos featured can easily be prevented by decent research and avoiding places that are infamous for danger. Outside of that, I do feel that many of these how-tos are beneficial and still hold up, despite the year of publish. The book is small and light, so one can travel with it with ease.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great "pick up, put down" book if you're needing something like this or a great gag gift. Answered a lot of questions I might have, like how to survive a falling elevator - pirana chapter, not an issue so far in Iowa. Definitely, will be sitting in the back of the plane in the future!!!

[Thomas Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crazy ride through all the scenarios that could possibly go wrong! Leeches, runaway trains, and plenty more vacations gone wrong! I definitely recommend this book to everyone who wants to feel like they’re in an action movie but they’re just reading a book! (A nonfiction one too!)

[Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book for the curious.

[Kim Browers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt mostly outdated and beyond most people's technical or emotional abilities. Probably wouldn't recommend.

[Kiara Selena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my taste - don't get me wrong, it's an interesting book but after a few chapters, I lost all motivation to read it.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book. Wasn't sure it would translate to an audiobook well, but I think it might work best as an audiobook. Very entertaining.

[Vari Lemur · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are way better survival books around.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very funny book

[Will O'kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather gimmicky/the kind of thing you'd find on a coffee table in a dentist's office. Not wholly devoid of content but generally superficial.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, helpful, silly. One can never be too prepared, can one?

[Val m · Rating 4 out of 5]

made me never want to travel again.
a good book and will bring it whenever i go travelling from now on.

[Richard Crater · Rating 3 out of 5]

As are the others, mildly amusing.

[Private · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a quick read but not really life-changing advice

[Rebecca Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing blast to the past, but very outdated

[Mark A.]

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