Rating: 
Summary: Sad humor
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: In three words: Don't be stupid
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: Awesome! A must read for park visitors!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: No Swimming Allowed
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: No Swimming Allowed
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: hard to rate - but complete, mostly non-fluffy account
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: I read this while at Yellowstone
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: I read this while at Yellowstone
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating in places, dull in others but worth it
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books a Yellowstone lover could ever get.
Review: 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!
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