We are going to yellowstone this summer so I thought this would be a good read, as sad and gross as some of it is, it was a real eye opener and I think anyone with kids should read it before they go. I will be taking a child and I will be watching him like a hawk. The book itself starts out well but it does putter out towards the end like other readers reported. Still worth a read.

I've lived in Yellowstone Park for about 6 years now, and every summer I'm appalled how easily the tourists leave thier common sense at the gate. This should be required reading before anyone is allowed to enter. This book is as entertaining as the Darwin Awards, with a few sad twists, and some fun wild west shinanigans thrown in. Some of the accounts are far more detailed than others, as there was more research information available. It has personal meaning to me, because I frequent the cemeteries mentioned in the book, and it gives more depth to that experience. (If you're ever in the Gardiner, MT area check out Tinker Cemerery--very cool, very old. There's also one by the horse corrals at Maammoth Hot Springs, you can park there and take a short hike on the trail--it's mostly employees from the days the army was running the place.) Bottom line--this is a terrific, necessary book. If you fall or jump into a pool of boiling geyser water you will die--if you're lucky it'll be quick. The animals are wild, and most of them a hell of alot stronger and faster than you. Yellowstone is definitely worth the trip. Just, please, if you come here don't be stupid. Happy trails!

As the title suggests, many stories are recounted in detail. Some of these stories are a bit shocking, and we are reminded that the wildness of nature knows nothing about the sanctity of human life. The book would be especially interesting to prior visitors who are somewhat familiar with Yellowstone National Park.

The last decade has seen a slew of books dealing with deaths in the national parks. The authors assure us that they publish these volumes to warn visitors of the dangers they face in the parks. The reality of course is that many in the literate public are fascinated by death, especially in unusual or exotic circumstances, and these books cater to that morbid demand. Nonetheless, they make for interesting reading and serve as a cautious reminder that visits to the wilderness, while safer than certain neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas, still contain very real hazards. This volume by Lee Whittlesey, was one of the first in this genre, and is still one of the best.

From grizzly attacks to death by poisonous gasses and murders, Whittlesey exhaustively covers all known deaths in Yellowstone from before the founding of the park to 1995 when the book was published. For me the descriptions of people falling into the hot springs were by far the most riveting, and the most grusome, portions of the book. Cooked alive, the victims of these accidents rarely died quickly, but often instead lingered on for many hours, a pretty horrific way to go. Whittlesey also catalogs the many mistakes victims and some lucky survivors made to help visitors to the park avoid similar fates.

One thing that sets this book apart from others in this genre is that Whittlesey, in addition to experience as a park tour guide and ranger, is a lawyer. This background shows itself in various ways. The book includes, for example, extensive discussion of court cases that resulted from fatalities in Yellowstone and how they have influenced park management. It also shows in the author's broader philosophy about the deaths in the park. True accidents, he argues, are rare. For the most part, people who have died in the parks were, he argues, actually negligent when it came to their own safety and sometimes the safety of others. This attitude towards the victims shows itself throughout the book, and most of the time Whittlesey makes a pretty convincing case.

But not always. When discussing the 1986 death of William Tesinsky (by mauling from a grizzly bear) Whittlesey notes, "Bear 59 was a semi habituated bear, ... But she had never even approached a human aggressively." This is not entirely true. I should know, because I was chased by Bear 59 on June 20 of that very year while hiking (alone) between the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and Yellowstone Lake. Indeed, it was my report to the Lake ranger station that led to the temporary closure of that trail, and the bear's eventual relocation by the Park Service. At that time, Bear 59 had two cubs and a large person walking nearby was, as the ranger explained to me, considered a threat. But 59 no longer had the cubs with her when she killed and partially ate the unfortunate Mr. Tesinsky. No doubt, as Whittlesey says, he was too close for 59's liking while trying to get the perfect photograph. But the retelling of this story, that follows the park's official report which I saw a few years later, is interesting in that it does not mention my earlier encounter with 59. Whittlesey the lawyer argues that, much as we don't want to admit it, negligence is more common than accident. He forgot to add that humans, including park rangers, might sometimes unintentionally omit certain bits of information that do not fit their preconceived notions.

(I asked a ranger about what had become of my incident report during a 1998 visit to the park. She said that it had not been included since the bear had not actually come into physical contact with me. I understand that answer, but it certainly does undermine the claim the bear had never before shown aggressive tendencies. In my case, I was unaware of her existence till I saw her charge out of the woods, two cubs at her heals, and easily 50 yards away.)

I read this book while I was an employee in the park (called a savage in the book). I know first hand how amazingly bizarre some people will behave in the park. On my most recent return to yellowstone I saw a family of 4 (2 kids under ten) less than 10 ft away from a grizzly and her cubs. I have seen tourists trying to get their children close to Bison to take a picture, people touching the hot springs to "see how hot it is" (you would think steam in the middle of summer would give them a good idea)and I myself have 3rd degree burns on my right foot from breaking through thin ground that was covering a hot pot.
This book does a wonderful job of describing just how wonderful but dangerous Yellowstone can be. I do not consider this to be morbid book at all, just informative. I think that the narrative is as entertaining as it can possibly be covering this kind of subject matter.
If you are familiar with the park at all I think that you would find this book will give you a somewhat different view of the park than most uninformed visitors may have.

Excellent - arrived fast. Very pleased. Description was accurate and was delivered as described

Book starts out great with an incredible story about a mishap in a hot spring, unfortunately most of the remaining stories of disaster are no where near as colorful. There are way to many names thrown around in the various stories for me to keep track of.
Not a long read, 200pgs but after about 150 I found myself just wishing I was done with it.
Great for kind of a historical document about deaths in the area, but since no maps of the area were provided it means almost nothing to me (I have never been to the park).
Average book, just not great like i was hoping.

While we were in Yellowstone, there was a fellow in West Yellowstone who got clamped by a bear, a black bear. This guy will have quite a story to tell for the rest of his life. he got a slight bite from a black bear. He didn't get chomped or gnawed by a grizzly. His bear decided that he wasn't worth more than a taste and then moved on. Lee Whittlesey's message is clear in this book: accidents and foolhardiness do occur in America's first national park. Over 300 people have lost their lives. To use the words of the author: Yellowstone is not Disneyland; the park is raw nature ... and ... it can kill.

In 1981 two buddies from California parked their truck at the Fountain Paint Pot. While the men were looking at the hot springs, the dog belonging to one of them jumped out of the truck and rushed into the Celestine Pool which has a temperature of 202 degrees. The dog began yelping. The two buddies rushed to the edge of the spring. The dog's owner began to go into the pool. A bystander yelled, "Don't go in there!" But in dove the dog's owner. The dog never survived. The owner came out of the pool blinded. "That was a stupid thing that I did, " said the dog's owner. Within a few hours he would succumb to third degree burns over 100% of his body.

In 1975 a "savage" went "hot potting" near the Nez Perce Creek. A "savage" is a park employee. "Hot potting" is taking a dip into one of the park's hot springs. Some of Yellowstone's hot springs have tolerable temperatures. Unfortunately this park employee chose a pool whose temperature was 179 degrees. When his body was found, it had been *cooking* for two days.

Notices around Yellowstone warn against approaching any wildlife. One fellow was attempting to show his buddy how tame the buffalo/bison were. One Saturday morning while feeding his bison, one of them inexplicably became enraged. The bison gored him and tossed him into the air. Then when he came down, it tossed him into the air again. And again.

Do not feed the bears. They don't know when to quit and they get used to picnic baskets and the like. The park has relocated bears who got use to eating picnic baskets and brought in some who don't know the habit. Hikers and campers are encouraged to cover their food so that a bear does not get the scent. By all means, do not put your children on the backs of bears to have their picture taken. One fellow had his wife putting their child on the back of the bear so he could take a picture.

Accidents or bad judgment? Hot springs or animals or water falls or whatever. Yellowstone is a wildland and not just Disneyland

The author has a long history with Yellowstone National Park, working initially for Yellowstone Park Company as a bus driver and tour guide in the early 1970s. He continues working in the Park today as the Yellowstone National Park historian. He has made the Park his life's work and has a great passion for it. I, too, worked for Yellowstone Park Company as a bus driver and tour guide during the 1970s. Lee describes deaths from many causes during the early days of the Park when it was administered by the United States Army all the way through the present. He gives detailed accounts of deaths that occurred while I worked in the Park although I learned from his book that the circumstances of several of the deaths were a little different from what workers in the Park heard by word of mouth. Everyone wants to hear about the deaths by bears and other large critters, but there have been only a few such instances. Many more people fell to their deaths or made spectacular exits from this life like the French lady who managed to fall over both the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone during my time in the Park. His accounts of the many drowning deaths in the Park and the tales of the few survivors of such incidents were amazing. So many of the people who went boating and canoeing in Lake Yellowstone obviously had no idea how fast a sudden summer afternoon thunderstorm could turn a placid lake into very turbulent waters. And did they have any conception of how cold the water is even at the height of summer (mid 40 degrees)? It is inconceivable to me that anyone could survive as much as twenty or thirty minutes in these frigid waters and live to tell about it. But some did and Lee tells their stories in a very entertaining way. He also describes some of the frivolous litigation brought by survivors of some very foolhardy accident victims. This is a good summer read and good prepartion for anyone planning a wilderness experience in our first national park.

I bought this book called, DEATH IN YELLOWSTONE that EVERY parent should read before taking their kids to this national Park.

Yellowstone is NOT a theme park, and there have been over 300 deaths there that are documented by a former park ranger that have occurred through negligence of visitors. Do not let go of your childs hand for a second in Yellowstone, especially if they are a toddler...they could be inches from death in many places.

I read this entire book with the kids on the way out there during the lonely drive, and they were fascinated. It is amazing how dumb tourists can be, and if this book saves your childs life, you will be glad you read it. It is VERY interesting...

Like some of the others reviewing this book, I too worked and lived there in 1999, and saw people do things just as dumb as listed in this book, and they were lucky to have survived. I watched a co-worker (and I've got photos) go and climb Castle Geyser!

As to why I think this well written, well researched, cautionary tale should be required reading (complete with quizes) is that there shouldn't be a lot of the deaths related in this book. If people would just follow the rules and not pet the bison, go hot-potting, try to get closer to the rim of the canyon. climb over barracades, because they got a dose of the reality that is our country's first national park, there may not be enough incidents to fill several more volumes.

Speaking of several volumes, Mr. Whittlesey, if you read your Amazon reviews, is there any chance of a follow up? Possibly a More Death in Yellowstone?

I am constantly amazed at how stupid some people can be, and many are noted in this book. I'm fascinated by the subject matter. I enjoyed how the author presented the various cases - similar to Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon. I would recommend this book.

I am constantly amazed at how stupid some people can be, and many are noted in this book. I'm fascinated by the subject matter. I enjoyed how the author presented the various cases - similar to Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon. I would recommend this book.

Had some good stories for sure. Getting lost and dying in the springs was amazing. Worth buying, but the same title for the GCNP was really amazing.

If you have been to Yellowstone for a few days, you will love this book!

Given my odd sense of humor, I wasn't suprised that I liked this book. While tragic, the deaths accounted for remind us that when we're dealing with nature, we must deal with it on its own rules. The "pedestrians have the right-of-way" attitude won't cut it out there, folks! Of course some deaths were not the result of the individuals foolishness, but also by accident or bad luck.

A wonderful compilation of death from misadventure within America's first national park. My favorite is the guy who jumped head-first into a boiling hotspring to save a dog. Suffice to say, he was cooked, and died a miserable death just a few hours later. "That was a stupid thing I did," he said. Well, judging by this book, you're not the only one, buddy!

The author fills the book with lots and lots (and lots) of true incidents gleaned from court and historical records. Unfortunately, the book reads like a court document...full of facts and dry as toast. With the exception of only a few of the incidents there is very little to humanize many of the tragic incidents here. Everything is too "just the facts Ma'am."
Mr. Whittlesey does do a good job showing the ugly side when tourists meet the wild. Park visitors are to blame for many, but certainly not all, of the close encounters with nature that go awry. He also shows a large number incidents involving "experienced" park employees whose behavior can be deemed even more foolhardy than the tourists because they should certainly know better. And some instances show that even by doing everything correctly in the wilderness (running a clean camp in a designated camping area, etc) you can still have a a negative experience with the local wildlife.
I still rated this book as 4 stars depite being a rather slow read because it should be read by anyone that is new to exploring the outdoors. Yellowstone is not, in the words of the author, Disneyland. Smart planning of your trips, observance of park regulations, and respect for the wilderness and it's inhabitants (aka common sense) will enhance rather than detract from your enjoyment of the natural world.

The author fills the book with lots and lots (and lots) of true incidents gleaned from court and historical records. Unfortunately, the book reads like a court document...full of facts and dry as toast. With the exception of only a few of the incidents there is very little to humanize many of the tragic incidents here. Everything is too "just the facts Ma'am."
Mr. Whittlesey does do a good job showing the ugly side when tourists meet the wild. Park visitors are to blame for many, but certainly not all, of the close encounters with nature that go awry. He also shows a large number incidents involving "experienced" park employees whose behavior can be deemed even more foolhardy than the tourists because they should certainly know better. And some instances show that even by doing everything correctly in the wilderness (running a clean camp in a designated camping area, etc) you can still have a a negative experience with the local wildlife.
I still rated this book as 4 stars depite being a rather slow read because it should be read by anyone that is new to exploring the outdoors. Yellowstone is not, in the words of the author, Disneyland. Smart planning of your trips, observance of park regulations, and respect for the wilderness and it's inhabitants (aka common sense) will enhance rather than detract from your enjoyment of the natural world.

The author paints a picture of fatalities in Yellowstone which ,for the most part,shows the foolishness of some visitors to this beautiful national park.Whether it be animal attacks,falls,drownings,thermal scaldings or just plain carelessness Lee Whittlesey relates over 100 years of what can happen when humans don't respect the dangers of a wonderful natural environment.It is a fine historical account taken from an unusual persective.It is worth reading for those who have been to Yellowstone or are planning a trip there in the future.

Growing up in southeast Alaska, I've heard stories of tourists chasing a bear cub down the road near the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau as well as a tourist getting bitten while trying to feed a sandwich to a bear. I've been yelled at by a tourist for clapping and making noise to alert bears to my presence while hiking because they were concerned they would not see a bear with all the noise I was making (well, that is the point). With my experience with how dumb tourists can be in Alaska, I was interested to find out stories of tourists and others in Yellowstone.

This was a book that I had mixed feelings about. The first three chapters were the best. These chapters were on deaths from hot springs, death by park animals (except bears), and death by bears. The remaining 22 chapters range from death by poison gasses to death by vehicles. I felt these chapters while factual, were not very exciting.

Overall, I found the book decently researched, but overall I found it kind of depressing. I found the first chapter on the hot springs quite horrific (especially when some of the victims were young kids like my children and a couple involved dogs that just wanted to go swimming). As I read the book, I kept thinking the victims were someone's children, spouse, SO, friends, or other loved one. With this being said, I did find the book respectful and tasteful.

This is a book I think people can take a lesson from. Nature is real and while it should be enjoyed, people need to be reminded that it can be dangerous.

I grew up near YNP. I have worked at Old Faithful Inn. I've visted the park so many times I've lost count. And during my most recent visit in Aug 05, I saw a whole assortment of tourons behaving badly. I've seen people walk up to geysers, stick their hands in hot pools, attempt to pet elk and bison, and drive like they're weaving around LA. For some reason, it never sinks in that Yellowstone is not a rocky mountain Disneyland.

This book has always been one of my favorites about the park. I think it should be given out at the entrances. However, most folks don't read the pamphlets handed out in the first place. Death in Yellowstone, while morbidly entertaining, is a book that has to exist in the hopes that someone may take a lesson away from it.

It is my hope that the author will put out a second edition sometime soon, as I know of a few interesting deaths that have happened not only the summer I worked there but others as well.

This is a must read for anyone who loves Yellowstone.

We picked this up on our last trip to Yellowstone. I visited when I was in the 4th grade and then again at 26. After reading the book I decided to wait until my kids were a little older for their first visit.

After readind this book I was amazed at some of the dumb things people do. They leave their brains home while on vacation. I recommend this book to anyone going to or visiting Yellowstone. I was amazed on my trip at how many people go near the bison, stray from the paths or even drink from the run off of Old Faithful. Read this book and you will have a better understanding of the natural magnitude of this truly unique park.

Why would you want to read this book?

You could be morbidly fascinated by stories of people's demises. You'll enjoy the book. Whittlesey provides a rich collection of stories, no two alike.

You might enjoy reading about stupid people so that you can feel superior to them. If you like the "Darwin Awards," about people who improve the gene pool by dying as a result of their own mind-boggling stupidity, you'll like this book. My favorite was the swan dive into the hot spring pool.

You might be thinking about going to Yellowstone, and you didn't realize that it might be dangerous. Well, it might be. So is life. Whittlesey includes heart attacks, auto accidents and murders, all of which might occur anywhere. Some stories are good cautionary stories about the dangers of being unprepared in the outdoors. He also includes those stupid people I mentioned in the last paragraph.

If you didn't know that bison are Very Large Animals Who Could Hurt You, you might want to read this book so that you don't fall over a waterfall.

Don't play with the bears, either. I've seen people try to play with two mating bears, while two rangers chased the idiot across a hillside of fallen trees. We don't pay the rangers enough.

It's hard to put this book down. I'm ashamed to admit that I read it entirely in Yellowstone bookstores, but I'm atoning for that by telling you to buy it. I wish I had bought it, so that I could read it again right now.

This pales after you've read OVER THE EDGE: DEATH IN THE GRAND CANYON. A fact is given but not details. The author cannot just say someone died falling in the pool when they got got off the path and not fill in the facts. A person was killed by a bear. Where is the rest of the story? I put the book down & maybe I'll finish it, someday.

Very interesting, especially the chapters on hot springs and wild animals. Having never been to Yellowstone (going Sept 2005) this book really opened my eyes to the potential danger and care that should be taken in the "park"! Although it does seem that a lot of the deaths were a result of the person's stupidity or carelessness, I do agree with an earlier review that the author has an annoying habit of always blaming the deceased - even when there were no witnesses! The later chapters were pretty boring.

I read this book in a few days this summer while in Yellowstone after a friend picked it up in the bookstore (I pilfered it from him and would not give it back until I was finished, despite his pleading.) Reading this book could absolutely save your life in Yellowstone (and other wilderness situations); as other reviewers have mentioned, some of the possible dangers don't truly seem life-threatening if you haven't thought about them as such.

I must admit that before reading this I was hanging a bit over the hot spring boardwalks to take better pictures (I was *never* dumb or careless enough to actually step off or stick my hand in!!), but after reading the absolutely horrific accounts of death by boiling alive I was almost reluctant to even get out of the car at any springs afterwards! I learned from this book that something as seemingly-innocuous as lip balm can attract bears - I therefore spent a few sleepless nights in my tent listening for bears entering camp and waiting for them to rip into me (melodramatic, perhaps, but quite scary when you're in a tent in the middle of the wilderness.)

Anyway, this book was gripping enough to keep me engrossed for days on end while in the park, and certainly gave me a refresher lesson about respecting mother nature.

If you are interested in the outdoors and camping in parks you will probably find this book interesting. Many typos in my edition. You can read it pretty quickly if you skim some of the sections that seem to be there just to fully document deaths in Yellowstone. Many sections just aren't that interesting, but where else are you going to find this info.

One thing I was surprised to learn from this book, is that grizzlies will actually come attack and eat people. Never knew that. Always thought they just defended.

I am dismayed at how park rangers seem to assume people being at fault in some of these tragedies. It seems very presumptuous. Like the cameraman bear attack, they just state he was probably too close to the bear, with out any REAL proof. Other accounts of other tragedies have this same ranger disposition.

Great book. It has been passed around to many people. I'll make a trip there to find all the cool spots of bear attacks, cooked humans, plane wrecks and other weird deaths. Book is humerous and points out people are far more stupid than you thought. Most of the deaths were from stupidity. You never put your kids on the back of of a wild 2000 lb buffalo.

I purchased this book in 1999 while visiting the park with my family. Whittlesey presents a candid look at the varying degrees of human stupidity and the tragic consequences. In one way, this book portrays a sad picture of the human race, with tales of people trying to ride on top of bison or swim in scalding hot springs. In a warped, twisted way, I found some of the tales amusing.

Several of the stories would be great submissions to the Darwin Awards. If you're the type of person who enjoys reading such material then this book would be great for you.

I'll try not to sound gushing, but this is a great book. Well researched and documented. Academic but readable. Objective but engrossing. My wife and I picked this up in West Yellowstone, and couldn't put it down. We read it through during our stay in Yellowstone Park, and it definitely added to the experience. I have read various disaster books, but this
one sets the standard. Definitely a buy, and take it with you next summer.

My wife wasn't sure that this was a good use of my reading time. While in Yellowstone, I was able to point out the geysers where people were boiled alive, regions where grizzlies had dismembered their victims and buffaloe had gored ignorant tourists. If you enjoy reading about stuff like this, this is a good one to have...maybe just keep it to yourself while your out with the family.

Having visited the park i can see how foolhardy accidents happen but don't understand why they happen since all kind of warnings are given out by rangers when entering the park and sign posted with same messages. This book goes into as much detail as could be found about various deaths in the park, geyeser, drowning, bear, bison, hiking, murder, plane accidents etc.. Its strange to be looking at a particular geyeser or steaming pool to know someone died there and how and when it happened. To see a bison walking closely by and giving proper respect for the animal only to see a father trying to put their child on the bison for a picture (saw this myself). This book will give you a different perspective about the park and help to identifiy potential dangers for foolhardy behavior.

There are other, longer reviews on this book so I'll cut to the chase:

The description of deaths in hot springs, by bears and bison and falling ARE gruesome and gripping. Aside from convincing you to be very careful if you visit the park (and maybe, to not take your kids), these tales will stay with you for years. The park history interspersed through the book is also interesting.

On the down side, the author feels complelled to cover all none-vehicular deaths and with 300 or so of them, that gets dull fairly quickly once you move out of the realm of deaths unique to the park. His constant defense of the park and harping on the foolishness of the victims also gets old.

His writing is frequently weak and the editing is also occasionally peculiar. (For instance, I'm still wondering why he mentioned that one of the three doctors who attended a Belgian could speak French. I assume some earlier draft passed on some quote from the Belgian victim but in the published version, it's just hanging their orphaned.)

Despite the 3 stars, I highly recommend the book just for the initial chapters. Just don't be disappointed if you don't finish the book.

Having visited the park several times, I can attest that even the seemingly most bizarre examples of death an injury found in this book happen all the time. People act as though Yellowstone is a theme park when in fact it is the wilderness - beautiful, amazing, but certainly dangerous. The park rangers at the entrances hand out literature warning visitors of the dangers, but many do not even read the materials, much less heed the advice. The last time I visited, I saw the following:

1) A man climbed out onto a slippery rock at the base of an enormous waterfall, with an infant strapped to his back. His other child was scrambling over dangerous rocks to join them.

2) A bear cub was rolling in the grass of a meadow, and a man got within 5 feet of the cub, trying to "play" with the cub. As if Mama Bear was not far behind!

3) A woman stepped off the wooden pathway at the Old Faithful Geyser basin, standing on the thin, crusty earth in order to hold her hand over a steaming hot pool.

4) A car abruptly swerved around a pack of bison that were walking down the road, and a large 18-wheel truck proceeded to blow his airhorn at the bison, distressing them and driving them off the road. They were travelling with calves and heading in my direction - I just prayed that they would not get upset enough to ram into my car as they attempted to get out of the road!

And on and on...fortunately, I've never seen injuries or death while visiting the park, but you look at the behavior of some visitors to the park and know that they are just accidents waiting to happen. This book is engrossing because it's full of real-life accounts of what can (and does) happen when people fail to heed common sense. Do people really need to be told not to feed bears? Not to step into boiling pools of water? Not to run along dangerous paths? Sadly, the answer to these questions is yes.

I picked up a copy of Whittlesey's book while on vacation in Yellowstone in July of 2000. The cover captured my attention because the day before two of my kids narrowly escaped becoming statistics.

We had just entered the park through the northwest gate when, as we were driving along, we spotted our first plumes of steam. Anxious to begin exploring we eased the camper onto the side rode and drove to a parking spot, pulling off the road near a dirt trail that led to the hot spring.

As usual, my kids were out of the car in a flash and dashing down the trail where they immediately set up a game of tag, darting around the edge of the boiling water. Also, as usual, I got out of the car and hollered after them to "get back here and settle down." This time, though, I was a bit more concerned because as I drew near the hot spring I could see it bubbling and steam was rising off the surface. Again, I yelled after the kids to settle down, but they just ignored me and continued their game of tag.

Knowing the water was probably hot I decided to test it. With calculation I quickly dipped the index finger of my right hand into the pool up to the first knuckle, withdrawing it as fast as I could. What I felt sent terror up my spine - it was the cutting pain and persistent dull ache of scalding, boiling water.

My perspective changed in an instant. I no longer saw the water as a clear, sparkling, blue-green emerald, but as a death trap more dangerous than a gaping hole thousands of feet deep. Just then Jacob and Christopher flew around the corner, and darted between the pool and me. Jacob tottered but regained his balance and, with a holler of delight, and scampered quickly to escape Christopher who was in hot pursuit.

Using the most authoritarian and urgent language in my vocabulary, I shouted at the kids to get away NOW! Jacob and Christopher stopped. They recognized that tone of voice and the twitch that develops in my left eye when I mean business. They moved away from the hot spring, and for the next 15 minutes endured a parental lecture on what it would mean to be dunked in boiling water. I described third degree burns over their entire bodies, flesh that comes off the bones like a boiled chicken, a scalded esophagus, blindness and certain death after languishing for hours in the hospital's burn center as parents and siblings wept in the waiting room.

Being kids, they looked at me askew, doubting my warnings and admonitions while calculating the price of defiance. They obeyed, if not with reluctance, and stayed by my side as we visited the rest of (a small sampling of) the park's geothermal features. Wanting backup, however, I was immediately convinced when I read the first few pages of the first chapter in Whittlesey's book. I bought it on the spot, and read it in less than a week. The kids read it too, and finished it with a new appreciation for minding their father's warning in the wilderness.

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 talks about how people have died in the park from nature. This includes things like falling into hot springs, getting killed by wild animals (bison and bears, mostly), poisonous plants, noxious fumes from geothermal vents, lightning, falling trees, fires, etc. Part 2 describes how people have died from human-related causes such as accidents, fights, murder, getting kicked by horses, and even suicide.

Prior to reading Whittlesey's book I'd established a mental picture of Yellowstone as a place that's dangerous because of bears. Bears are dangerous, of course, and must be respected, but there are lots of things in the park that are far more likely to get you killed than bears. Some of the most likely ways to die are from drowning, falling, or boiling to death.

It's true that some of the book's material can be tedious - especially when it consists of lists of fatalities and related statistics. However, much of it consists of some pretty interesting stories in which Whittlesey does a respectable job of bringing together a human-interest narrative that treats the tragic end of the story - which almost always ends in human death - with a remarkable mixture of interest, dignity, and respect. I found him compassionate in the telling of particularly tragic accounts of death, and rather blunt about those that might have been a candidate for the Charles Darwin award. In spite of the subject matter, this is not a book filled with sensationalism. Neither is it a book that glosses over the gruesome facts of death. Rather, it is a book that accurately portrays the dangers within the park and the unforgiving consequences of ignoring those dangers. Sprinkled throughout the text are reminders that wilderness is dangerous, but to make it benign would be to destroy one of its essential characteristics. Yellowstone cannot, and should not, be made perfectly safe. Rather, those who visit it must respect it for what it is.

Overall, this is a nice book, and it was just the ticket for a relaxing evening in the camper at the day's end. The kids loved it - they were so engrossed - and I frequently found myself in a war of wits trying to keep it hid and available for my reading pleasure. The pages are dog-eared, covered with dirt, and folded back. The spine is broken. It's one well-read book and appreciated by many people. I'm sure you will find the same enjoyment. If you are going to Yellowstone, you really must pick up this book and read it first. It literally could save your life - and it's not bad reading to boot.

Whenever I mention this book to anyone, they are horrified by the title. It is not a "Faces of Death" book of gore. Obviously, the book chronicles deaths within the Park and is therefore not exactly light reading. But, Mr. Whittlesley (the official NPS Yellowstone archivist) tells the stories of the deaths with a historian's tact. There are few - if any - people on earth that know as much about the park as Whittlesley. One version of his "Yellowstone Place Names" (the longer version of the one sold in tourist stores and on Amazon.com)is so comprehensive it is (only?) available on microfiche!

Having lived in the Park, I know it's a very different world. (The story noted by Rhonda, another reviewer, about the bison goring a car - a Lake Lodge employee's Geo Metro in 1991 - is actually quite true.) Many of the deaths are from things you might think of - like climbing falls, eating poisonous plants, and hot pot incidents. Even as I am writing this, another Old Faithful employee died yesterday (8/22/00) in the Park after falling into Cavern Spring in Lower Geyser basin (see Idaho Statesman, 8/23/00, p.2A). But, the book is also full of deaths of the kind you find everywhere else in the world - like heart attacks, suicide, murders (yes, several!), car accidents, plane crashes (six of them - one site of which I've visited - with 20 deaths!), etc. The earliest chronicled deaths are in 1839 and continue through 1994.

Some of the over 300 incidents are briefly related as the facts are slim. Others are told in great detail with quotes, newspaper stories, cemetery inscriptions and exact place names. The simple chronology takes up 5 pages, while the meat of the text takes 198 pages! If you are expecting John Grisham's spellbinding fiction and twists and conspiracy, then this book is not for you. If you want a very well told, fascinating historical look at Yellowstone from a different point of view, then this is the book for you.

This is such a fascinating book, it's hard to put down. I just picked it up again after having read it about 2 years ago and got caught up again. It is a must-read for anyone going to the park. Having lived in Yellowsone for two summers, I don't find it hard to believe some of the stories. You would not believe some of the things visitors do. There are actually many people that believe all the animals are tame or they would have them in cages. After reading these stories, I'll think carefully when in the park. We used to keep a tally of all the bison gorings each summer -- there are that many! We had about 5 my first summer plus one car was gored. Books like this are great to educate people on the dangers, not just in Yellowstone, but in all wilderness.

This book seemed so interesting on the shelf...but it wasn't. Instead of telling good stories - the author just chronicles the "stupid" deaths in Yellowstone National Park over the years. Yes, some of these are truly astonishing, but most of them are rather unremarkable.

Whittlesey loses his way and the book becomes merely a listing of the deaths. It is so exhaustive that he fails to ever go anywhere with his material.

If you are looking for a comprehensive listing of foolhardy deaths in a National Park with no overarching narrative, that reads like a dictionary at times, then you've found it. Enjoy.

I purchased this book out of curiousity after our trip there and was amazed, dumbfounded, and shocked. It is a bit morbid, but also an eye opener. Yellowstone is a very wonderful place, but this book really gives the details on just how dangerous it is as well. It opened my eyes to things I never imagined and of course I uttered the words,"how stupid" a lot.

This book gave me chills and a new found respect for such a beautiful place. I thought I had respect for the park and all that is in it before, until I read this book. Now I see it differently with a lot more respect. As stated above in another review, where the guy jumps in after his friend's dog, into a hot springs, grabs hold of you and makes you shake your head, thinking, "How stupid!". From there you can't help but keep reading to find out what happens next. One part that got me was the chapter about the bears. There is a story about a lady and her dog and a forest ranger. There was a bear not far from where they were and the lady wanted to let her dog run loose for awhile and the park ranger adviced her not to, she of course didn't listen and the little dog went straight for the bear and I am sure you can guess what happened next. I sat there dumbfounded and thought, "Geez lady it's not like the forest ranger has no clue what he is talking about. They are there for a reason and listening would have been a good idea." There are many more storie like that and then some.

This is a well laid out book, with a lot of historical facts and references. Mr. Whittlesey put a lot of work behind it and this sounds strange to say, considering how bone chilling this book is, it is a good thing he took the time to write it. This makes you stop and think about the world around you and about the people in it. In three words: Don't be stupid!

At first glance, it sounds like a morbid book. Two hundred seventy six pages about people who have died in various ways in Yellowstone National Park. In reality, it is a fascinating book with an underlying message of safety and caution in National Parks. You might expect a book which is written by an historian to have an academic tone and be full of footnotes and an extensive bibliography. "Death in Yellowstone" by Yellowstone National Park Historian, Lee H. Whittlesey, does have the footnotes and bibliography. It also reads like a Stephen King novel, drawing the reader to the next page. Whittlesey even used a King technique of quoting song lyrics or some other source to introduce his chapters. Even many of the footnotes and bibliography entries are annotated with additional, interesting information.

The book's subtitle, "Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park", sets the tone. Nearly every chronicled death in the book really is due to carelessness on the part of the deceased; or on the part of someone else.

The historian's perspective gives Whittlesey the opportunity to dig into the archives of Yellowstone as well as newspaper accounts in cities in the area taking him (and the readers) back to the 1800's and the park's earliest deaths. For recent events he often spoke with "primary sources", witnesses and family members.

Each of the 25 chapters takes the reader to a different and bizarre way that death has occurred in Yellowstone National Park. The chapter titles, themselves, often give a light hearted and much needed break from the serious nature of the overall work. Chapter titles include: "I Think I Shall Never See --Yellowstone's Deaths from Falling Trees"; "Malice in Wonderland --Yellowstone Murders"; and "The Gloom of Earthquakes --Shaky Breaky Park".

The opening chapter deals with deaths by falling (or jumping) into hot springs and geysers. The first incident in the book sets the tone and the overall theme....."Don't do stupid things in Yellowstone". It is the 1981 account of David Allen Kirwan, who dove head first into the 202 degree water of Celestine Pool of the Lower Geyser Basin to save a friend's dog that had also jumped into the boiling water <---YOU DID read that correctly --a witness described Kirwan's dive as a flying, swimming pool type dive. Among his final words after his friends were able to pull him from the water....."That was a stupid thing I did".

In most instances, it was s "stupid thing" that caused a death in Yellowstone. Usually, it was because a visitor did not heed a warning, or made a conscious decision to ignore the warning. In "Death in Yellowstone", Whittlesey repeats those warnings...over and over again. He also explains in fairly graphic terms the consequences of ignoring them.

"Death in Yellowstone" may save lives. There are few history books, so entertaining and so engrossing that can claim that.

The Wyoming Companion

This book reminds you exactly how dangerous paradise can be. A must have for Yellowstone historians. If you like this book, you must also check out Lee's other books. At this time, I believe he is the number one authority on Yellowstone history in the world!

This Yellowstone cult favorite is both chilling and engrossing. Each chapter covers a different cause of death: There's death from poison gas, wildlife, tumbling over cliffs, hot springs and just about any other fatal turn one can imagine. Each death is covered in a careful, detached style that provides enough details for the reader to draw the very important conclusion that the wilderness is not always kind. Of course that, in itself, is part of its allure.

A fascinating book about all the people who have died in Yellowstone (excluding auto accidents and illness). It seems strange that a book about death would be fun to read, but I definitely enjoyed this one. It also gives some good examples of what NOT to do when in Yellowstone. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been to Yellowstone or is interested in the park.

This book is divided into two parts: Death by Nature (124 pages) and Death by Man (67 pages). I thought the "Death by Nature" section was the most entertaining and interesting. Although some incidents were brought on by people's stupidity, other incidents served as good learning experiences--things to watch out for when enjoying the outdoors. The author chronicles over 300 deaths which took place between 1839-1993.

Death in Yellowstone is an amazing book that documents most of the deaths that have occured in the park since its beginning. The book is divided into two parts: death by nature and death by man. As an employee of the Old Faithful Inn this past summer, I recommend this book for anyone who has visited the park or is going to do so in the future. The stories are both educating and frightening at the same time but offer valuable lessons about traveling in the park. It is amazing to me how some people could even think of walking around the thermal pools at night, go camping alone, try to tame bears or get too close to the canyon's edge!

I read this book on the way home from our family vacation in Yellowstone. It helped me understand the regulations and made me appreciate the wildness of the park. It is so well written; concise, factual yet very entertaining. I can't wait to read more of Whittlesey.

This book details deaths in the park, from accidents in hot water to falls from thousands of feet. This book will definitely inhance your awareness of danger and pleasure in the park. Will keep you on the edge of your seat, and scare you to death at the same time. Very well written, and also documented with sources for further information. A must have for anyone who has ever been to Yellowstone!