Man Eaters: True Tales of Animals Stalking, Mauling, Killing, and Eating Human Prey

Rating:
Summary: Some of the selections are terrific, others lame
Review: Summary: A series of essays that revolve around the topic of dangerous animals and their life-threatening encounters with humans.
The book is divided into sections by animal; the first third of the book or so is devoted to bears, and there are also sections on lions, crocodiles, elephants, snakes, sharks, leopards, and cougars. By far the most entertaining material is to be found in the bear section, with other interesting stories about sharks and crocodiles. Some of the stories are told in the first person by the people who have had the harrowing experiences; others are more clinical in nature.
The Good and the Bad: Some of the essays were really excellent, particularly the ones told in the first person. The story of a geologist who lived after being partially eaten by a black bear was the best, and a journalistic story about a series of shark attacks was also very good. Another standout was the firsthand account of the lions of Tsavo. The scientific-sounding accounts, on the other hand, were generally boring, and redundant. The book would have been better with about five fewer selections.

What I learned: Snakes aren't really very dangerous, and will never pursue a man as prey. If you have to be attacked by an apex predator, a bear is preferable, as you have at least a chance of surviving. On the other hand, a crocodile is the worst, as a single bite generally ends your life.