Last Breath

By Peter Stark

This one was about humans in extreme conditions, and the physiology of what their body is going through in those situations. The stories were all invented except one I believe, but nonetheless I enjoyed the book - a bit morbid I guess…

Each chapter is a case study or story of a person meeting their demise in extreme conditions, with a lot of focus on the physiology of what’s happening to them. I’ve forgotten a lot of the details, but two stories definitely stuck with me. I think about the climbing one whenever I’m climbing, and hopefully that helps remind me to check things an extra time :)

I also recently did a relay race with some friends, and one of my legs was along a two lane highway in the sun at 100F (there was an uncharacteristic heat wave). In the book there’s a biker who overheats in a competition - pushing too hard in the sun and humidity- can’t say in wasn’t thinking about that story pretty much the whole time I was doing that leg of the race, reminding myself not to push it too hard in the heat.