2009 is only two months old and we’ve already had two significant plane disasters – one ending in a heroic Hudson landing, the other ending in sorrow and fire. There are obviously differences between the two incidents, including time of day, weather conditions, pilots, etc. But it does raise the question: why – and how – do some survive and others don’t?
In a new book by L.A. Times writer Ben Sherwood, that question and many others are explored as Sherwood looks for insight into the survival phenomenon. The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science That Could Save Your Life delves into the mystery of survival, interviewing numerous people who have triumphed over near-death experiences. Combining first-hand survival stories with facts and figures, Sherwood attempts to figure out why – and how – some people survive while others don’t.
A lot of Sherwood’s research is practical: what do you do when you’re impaled with a foreign object? How do you find your way when you’re lost in the woods? Then there are the pieces of survival trivia that are oddly helpful: you have 90 seconds to leave a plane crash before the cabin temperature becomes unbearable; being left-handed can affect your mortality. But beneath the nifty facts and tips lies the old-fashioned but nonetheless truthful adage: there is such a thing as the power of positive thinking. Attitude, it seems, plays an important role in survival. If you think of yourself as a survivor, then you will most likely be one.
Sherwood’s book is also interactive. Every book comes with an access code to a website where you can take quizzes to determine your survival profile and IQ. That is, if you want to know. Me? I’m exploring the option of traveling with a portable safety bubble. Just to be on the safe side.
