Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite
by Michael P. Ghiglieri, Charles R. Farabee
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Book Summary Information
Author: Charles R. Farabee, Michael P. GhiglieriIllustrator: Jim Myers
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Illustrated
Published: 2007-03-28
ISBN: 0970097360
Number of pages: 608
Publisher: Puma Press LLC
Book Reviews of Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite
Book Review: Off the Wall: Death In Yosemite
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was written by a retired National Park Ranger who well documented all the known
fatalities that have occurred over the last 150 years within the Yosemite Park boundaries.
The text is divided into chapter categories such as:
Waterfalls
Base Jumping
Snow
Aircraft Down
Falls While Hiking
Drowning
Lost
Murder
Homicide.
Each chapter gives what amounts to a study on select events within the category and then provides
a full summary of the fatalities within that category at the end of the chapter which includes
incidents that were not fully described in the case study.
The style of writing is not dry at all and
includes hints of sarcasm or humor where appropriate. For example, one woman was killed while illegally
BASE jumping (parachuting) off of a cliff. The event was advertised and the Park Service knew of it in
advance because the event was a "protest" to demonstrate the "safety" of BASE jumping. The author points
out the irony that the woman DIED as she attempted to protest the "unnecessary" prohibition against a
sport she felt was "safe." The text even provides eye witness recollections of the final words people
uttered as they slipped to their deaths (you can guess a few of those words).
Details of the deaths can sometimes be grusome, but there is only one photo in the entire book and that is on
the front cover. (A man who starved to death in the 1930's after being trapped by an early winter storm).
The book is actually an excellent source of wilderness education. If you are the type of person who learns from
the mistakes of others, you will benefit by reading the book. Or, if you are simply unaware that people actually
get LOST in Yosemite Park and are never heard from again, it is an eye opener. And for those among us who think
that a National PARK is safe to behave without concern of one's behavior, the book will explain that the
term PARK is nothing more than a bureaucratic title for what can be a dangerous wild area.
I had one friend reject the concept of reading the book as "not being a positive activity." Its people like
him who falsely think that going through life is a matter of "being positive" rather than being well informed.
Its people like him who get lost and then can't extract themselves from danger despite being a "positive thinker."
I recommend the book for adult or young adult reading and give it a 5 Star rating.
Summary of Off the Wall: Death in Yosemite
Gripping accounts of all known fatal mishaps in America's first protected land of scenic wonders.Historical Books
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