Series Review: The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook

Don't you just hate it when you find yourself face to face with an alligator, wondering just how the hell you're going to fight it? Have you ever been trapped in a walk-in industrial freezer and prayed for a way to keep yourself alive until someone found you? Even as your car plummets off of a bridge (which, if it is doing that right now, you should probably put your phone down and brace yourself. But hey, thanks for reading!) your panicked mind will try to find a way to save you. How prepared are you? You'll cry, 'If only there was a book that could have helped me prepare for this!". Well, look no further, disaster-stricken friend!

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, written by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, and various authors, is a series of books that aim to help people prepare for any situation that the world can throw at them. Although often presented in a humorous manner, the information presented in the handbook is thoroughly researched and agreed upon by survival experts. Scenarios can be simple and include situations such as getting locked out of a car, fixing a flat tire, and treating a wound. Other scenarios are extreme (but completely realistic), including how to escape quicksand, how to negotiate with a terrorist or bank robber, and how to deliver a baby anywhere other than a hospital. My personal favorite is "how to escape from a submerged car", because you never know when your car will end up in a lake, right? The writing is simple and mostly presented in a list format, essentially giving a step-by-step guide to handle an event. There are numerous illustrations and diagrams to further explain solutions, tips, and tricks. 

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook started out as a entertaining guide to..well...worst case scenarios. With the book's success, the authors created more handbooks, focusing on specific topics, such as college, dating, the outdoors, "man stuff", life in general, and even the paranormal (my favorite edition). All are meant to entertain but also educate. The survival tips are genuine and can actually be useful. I once had to recall knowledge from the book when I was stuck in a walk-in freezer after the safety anti-lock knob ironically broke. I used the information on the book to make a makeshift safety knob using a torn up box and a thermometer. Had I not had read the book, I would have had to wait for someone from the outside to open the door. And no, I couldn't just yell for someone to let me out. Most modern freezers are soundproof because of the loud sounds the motors and what not can make (I learned that afterwards. Strange, right?) Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that while often silly, the information in the series of books can actually be helpful when a situation presents itself.

I would recommend these books to anyone who is a trivia fan, survival enthusiasts (I'm talking to you, Bear Grylls!) or maybe even a doomsday prepper. Kids can enjoy some of these books as well, although I wouldn't suggest anyone younger than 12 or so reading it, as some of the scenarios presented are potentially nightmare-inducing to a child's mind, or adult in nature, as is the case for the dating and college handbooks.

You can purchase the original The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook and any of its companion handbooks on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and major retail booksellers.