Surviving the Extremes

A Doctor's Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance

By: Kenneth Kamler MD

Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan

Physiological constraints confine our bodies to less than one-fifth of the earth's surface. Beyond that fraction lie the extremes. What happens when we go to them?

Dr. Kenneth Kamler has spent years observing exactly what happens. A vice president of the legendary Explorers Club, he has climbed, dived, sledded, floated, and trekked through some of the most treacherous and remote regions in the world. A consultant for NASA, Yale University, and the National Geographic Society, he has explored undersea caves, crossed the frozen Antarctic wastelands, and stitched a boy's hand back together while kneeling in knee-deep Amazonian mud. He was the only doctor on Everest during the tragic expedition documented in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and helped treat its survivors. Kamler has devoted his life to investigating how our bodies respond to "environmental insults" - a nice way of saying the things that can kill us - and watched while some succumbed to them and others, sometimes miraculously, overcome them.

Words like "extreme" and "survival" have lost some of their value from overuse and media hype. By showing us what happens when life itself is at stake, and the body's capacities put to their greatest test, this book reminds us what they truly mean.

©2004 Kenneth Kamler, MD (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"In a style reminiscent of Oliver Sacks, he details remarkable stories of human endurance in adverse conditions - adrift at sea in a raft, lost in an unknown desert - while simultaneously educating the reader in the science of survival. For Kamler, the secret lies in the brain, which provides the key to survival...." ( Publishers Weekly)

Fascinating

Love how the author reveals the nuts and bolts of our bodies' amazing adaptability to extreme conditions. But he also explains how important mental, emotional, and even spiritual strength and adaptability are to survival.

very interesting information well done

learned a lot answered many questions about a variety of medical subjects.loved it.i will listen again.

actual experiences

Several medical scenarios author actually experienced conveyed in a way lay people can relate to.

Good info for those who like extreme travel

Knowing your body is an important part of survival, and this book will increase your understanding of how your body responds to the extremes.

Absolutely great book

Great attention to detail on the work!
I hope it inspires others as it has with me!