Product Description

Welcome to the art of survival!

Come Back Alive is the indispensable and witty guide to avoiding nasty situations, whether on a business trip, an adventure vacation, or a weekend hike. In this book, the author of the classic travel annual The World's Most Dangerous Places, Robert Young Pelton--"Dangerman" (Toronto Globe & Mail); "tourist with an attitude" (Outside magazine); "the patron saint of adventure travelers"  (ZineZone. com)--reveals the secrets that have kept him alive and laughing:

in the desert: finding water where it ain't, dehydration and rehydration, copping a nuclear tan
in the jungle: trekking, camping, jungle tucker, what to do when there's no bridge
in the woods: when you're tentless and clueless, when dinner's still mobile
in the snow: dressing for excess; building a snow cave, what to do when someone's going hypo
on the road: surviving adventure travel, from mild to wild
when assaulted: passive self-defense, active self-defense, better ideas in self-defense
when kidnapped: how to avoid it, how to survive it
during natural disasters: hurricanes, avalanches, lightning, earthquakes, and more!
when facing nasty animals: animals that bite you, eat you, sting you, and what to do when Bambi strikes back


You will also learn strategies for adventure travel, urban areas, war zones, terrorism, crime spots, and even the dangers of your own house--the place you're most likely to get into trouble.

Whether you are young or old, man or woman, going on a business trip, a ski weekend, an African safari, or just to the corner store, Come Back Alive gives you the comprehensive and fascinating advice you'll need to protect yourself. No matter where you're going, what you're doing, or how dangerous you want to get, Come Back Alive is essential to your safe and stylish return.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #275045 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-01
• Released on: 1999-06-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.com
Come Back Alive isn't exactly a book that inspires you to dive into the delights of traveling. Robert Young Pelton is best known for his previous book, The World's Most Dangerous Places, and has survived numerous calamities--from car wrecks and a plane crash to killer bees. That he has indeed come back alive does initially lend credence to his advice--which includes what to eat in the bush, which animals are most deadly, and how to avoid being kidnapped.

Pelton's survival tips and facts range from the obvious (if thirsty in the desert, look for greenery) and the interesting (deer send some 16,000 humans to the hospital annually by causing auto accidents), to the patently absurd. While he may be most helpful when writing about nature, Pelton--a worldwide traveler--comes off as colorfully clueless when he heads out to urban destinations. While advising travelers to travel lightly, he recommends loading oneself onto a plane thusly: "Use a soft, legal-sized carryon bag. Wear a larger than normal waist pack with heavy items, use a correspondent's vest to stuff in other heavy items, clothes, and fragiles. Carry a second laptop bag ... filled with reading material, CD player, whatever...."

Not only does this sound like an Olympic feat, it also contradicts his advice not to look like a tourist. As for how to surreptitiously conceal cash, Pelton recommends rolling it up in straws. That's right, straws. Certainly original, but the presence of numerous straws in a suitcase seems a likely way to ensure your luggage is ripped apart for cocaine. If carrying it on your person, what does one do to dislodge a bill from the straw, toot it at the cashier?

Nevertheless, with its charts (of average miles walked by a lost person), quizzes (are you a leader?), and occasionally insightful information, Come Back Alive is a remarkable journey through Danger Land (a.k.a. the modern world), and one that is sure to help enliven any cocktail party with its informational icebreakers. "I'm reading the oddest book," you might begin, "which recommends carrying money in straws...." --Melissa Rossi

Inside Flap Copy
Welcome to the art of survival!

Come Back Alive is the indispensable and witty guide to avoiding nasty situations, whether on a business trip, an adventure vacation, or a weekend hike. In this book, the author of the classic travel annual The World's Most Dangerous Places, Robert Young Pelton--"Dangerman" (Toronto Globe & Mail); "tourist with an attitude" (Outside magazine); "the patron saint of adventure travelers"  (ZineZone. com)--reveals the secrets that have kept him alive and laughing:

in the desert: finding water where it ain't, dehydration and rehydration, copping a nuclear tan
in the jungle: trekking, camping, jungle tucker, what to do when there's no bridge
in the woods: when you're tentless and clueless, when dinner's still mobile
in the snow: dressing for excess; building a snow cave, what to do when someone's going hypo
on the road: surviving adventure travel, from mild to wild
when assaulted: passive self-defense, active self-defense, better ideas in self-defense
when kidnapped: how to avoid it, how to survive it
during natural disasters: hurricanes, avalanches, lightning, earthquakes, and more!
when facing nasty animals: animals that bite you, eat you, sting you, and what to do when Bambi strikes back


You will also learn strategies for adventure travel, urban areas, war zones, terrorism, crime spots, and even the dangers of your own house--the place you're most likely to get into trouble.

Whether you are young or old, man or woman, going on a business trip, a ski weekend, an African safari, or just to the corner store, Come Back Alive gives you the comprehensive and fascinating advice you'll need to protect yourself. No matter where you're going, what you're doing, or how dangerous you want to get, Come Back Alive is essential to your safe and stylish return.

About the Author
Robert Young Pelton is the author of The World's Most Dangerous Places, an unusual vocation that takes him to places like Afghanistan, Sudan, Algeria, Borneo, and Colombia. He has survived car wrecks, shellings, illnesses, attacks by guerrilla groups, African killer bees, and a plane crash in Kalimantan. His exploits have been covered by ABC News, the New York Times, Outside, and countless other media. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and twin daughters.

Customer Reviews

Finally, a survival author that's not hopped up on his own legend.
Have you ever been frustrated by those survival authors that go out into the woods and make treehouses, wells, and snares with only a Swiss Army Knife and make it sound like it's the easiest thing to do? Or self-defense gurus who make it sound like you could be Van Damme just by reading their books? Me too. Pelton is not one of these. He encourages "common sense". Something that's largely missing in many survival books. He gives handy survival tips you might actually use, like how to travel without checking luggage. Face it, it's unlikely your going to have to live like Tom Hanks from "Castaway" and if you do, all the survival books in the world will only help you so much. I'd recommend reading this book as a supplement to "Dangerous Places". You'll get more out of both that way.

we're left with little choice...thus this book sells
The fact that we have little choice of material in this genre is the main reason a book like this sells. Sure, some of the information is entertaining, that's for sure, but mostly it's full of fluff, inaccuracies, and scant on precious details which would allow a novice or newbie to actually put the information to good use.

The fact that there is a lot of info on simpler topics (such as water purification and other 'jungle survival' stuff) doesn't quite make up for the fact that many of us will be roaming around the cities and villages of the developing world, and could use a little know-how in that area. Some is indeed offered, but it is riddled with factual error and often illustrates many a misconception on the part of the author.

RYP is definitely a powerhouse of knowledge on the subject of third-world travel, but this book almost looks like an early attempt at the topic, and definitely needed a LOT more work and research before publication.

But alas, there's not a whole lot out there to choose from. If you're going to the bush/desert, there are better guides out there. If you're going to the city, save your cash and do a web search instead.

Never take personal security for granted.
I've been relying on advice from this book and "Most Dangerous Places" for several years now. Although I wouldn't call it my "gospel" there are a lot of useful pieces of information that could save your life. Although I am not constantly exposed to life-threatening danger, my experience shows me that most accidents and mishaps occur to tourists because they drop their guard or get complacent. My advice is simple. Don't be paranoid, but never take personal security for granted - even if you are just going to the local shops...