American Man-Killers: True Stories of a Dangerous Wilderness

I can't accuse Mr. Zaidle of sensationalism. What could be more sensational than the subject matter itself? I've read many books of this genre, and Mr. Zaidle's humorous writing style definitely takes the edge off of some pretty gruesome stuff. I read this type of book to educate myself because I,personally, enjoy surviving. I've seen people in my town shove their young child toward antlered deer with an apple in their hand. I've seen toddlers and Rottweilers playing in the same yard. What people don't know can hurt them,and their loved ones. What people, like these unenlightened parents, could learn from this book could save them a lot of grief. No, not all animals are killers,but, they can be. If you put a bicycle helmet on your kid, there are other precautions you could take as well. Enjoyable book to read. I highly recommend it!

If you are looking for a taste of reality (pun intended), then this is the book for you. Go into the aspect of nature that is not portrayed by some so called animal documentaries and animal hugging cute movies. As a hunter, I am well aware of the reality of cause and effect. I am also aware that people don't like to look at what they would call the gory side of nature. Yes, more often than not papa bear eats baby bear; and in some cases papa bear eats Mr. Smith who lives down the street. Don does a good job of revealing this fact by documented accounts. These accounts are chilling, gory, and suspenseful. He also throws in some humor throughout this book. The book is not for the faint of heart. But in a country where a lot of people have lost their touch with nature, I feel it is mandatory reading. Yes mother nature is beautiful. But she can also be cruel, incompassionate, and down-right mean.

Don Zaidle shook me up like a grizzly shakes a full-grown human being in its massive jaws. He led me down a country path (or was it a city street?) to show me a real-life horror: Americans, who have prided themselves as the hunters, are, in fact, the hunted. Don respects nature's creatures. He's been stung, bitten and mistaken for an entrée by a four-legged "friend." His personal anecdotes show that he hasn't just cracked a book; he's got on-the-job experience. He encourages readers to take off their rose-colored amusement-park glasses and see animals for what they are. They're cougars, bears, deer and miscellaneous man-killers, not Simba, Gentle Ben and Bambi. If that's all you get out of his book, then he's done his job. But there's so much more. He's a talented storyteller with whip-cracking wit and a sense of humor that rivals the best comedians who make you laugh because it's better than crying or cowering in the corner. This book is not just for outdoors folks. People with little or no experience with hunting or camping can learn a thing or two. If you're a gun dummy like me, you might get lost in his talk about gauges, slugs, chutes, muzzles and the like. But don't skip those parts or you'll miss some gems. For PC cops who get their panties up in a bunch about politically incorrect language, a word of warning: You'll probably get offended ... especially if you happen to like your mother-in-law. Don's got more mother-in-law jokes than a Georgia anthill has fire ants. But don't let that stop you from reading. A stinging delivery doesn't make the message any less valid. After reading American Man-Killers, two things are certain. I'll never again sit in the open night air without wondering what creature is licking its chops and watching me from beyond the reach of the back-porch light. And after reading the story about a family dog that devoured an infant's face, I'll never look at my pet chow the same way again.

I love a good, scary story. Stephen King at the top of his game, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker. Yet, after having read scores of horror novels, none scared me in quite the same way as American Man-Killers-the scariest book I ever read. Why? Because American Man-Killers isn't something created by man's imagination. It's real. The cougars, bears, wolves, alligators, and even our friends the dogs are real. The horror of the injuries and deaths they've caused is real. From the vicious attack on "Bear" Moore, the Grizzly Hater, who walks away from a bear attack with half his face hanging off, to the author's account of watching a piece of his own flesh swallowed like so much meat, American Man-Killers is a testament to the wiles and strength of killer animals. Yet, intense as the subject material may be, Don Zaidle makes the reading easy by interjecting his own "smart-elbow" view of life into the text. And he blends the horror and the humor as easy as cream lightens coffee. American Man-Killers was written to warn us, to inform us, and even to entertain us. Read it, and you'll remember how you felt after seeing Jaws-you won't go back in the water ... I mean the woods.

_American Man-Killers_ by Don Zaidle is a `must read' for two types of people: those who have spent some time wandering among the creatures of woods and forest, and those who haven't. This isn't just another `outdoorsy' book written by some crusty ol' Texan -- this is a crusty ol' Texan sharing the benefit of his research, documentation and personal experience in an attempt to impart some understanding of things in the wild that often make no sense. Zaidle's tone is one of "I'm doing you a favor here, so pay attention." That tone is unquestionably justified as he takes us from serene settings of outdoor bliss to the gore of what can (and does!) happen to good people who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. And sometimes, he points out, your own back yard is the wrong place -- and anytime can be the wrong time. From the Dedication ("To the victims. . .") to the last sentence, AMK will keep you spellbound with incident after incident highlighting Mother Nature's most unsavory secret -- that she has spawned several beasts with total disdain for human life. More disturbing still, their favorite prey seems to be children. Make a note that `beasts' includes Fido and Tabby, for there are several passages devoted to `domesticated animals', though Zaidle makes it clear he's unconvinced such animals exist in any context you may find comforting. Interspersed with stories of carnage (you'll want to read this book before deciding if its appropriate for your kid to use for a school report) are tips and hints from everything about how to hunt to how to prevent being hunted and what to do should you find yourself in that wrong place. There is also humor. Sometimes using gallows humor, other times self-deprecation, and still more often just being plain funny, Zaidle weaves a sense of whimsy that contrasts sharply to the horrors of attack, disappearance and death. AMK is chock-a-block full of facts and statistics to back up Zaidle's opinions. Oh, yeah, did I forget to mention he's an *opinionated* crusty ol' Texan? If you can't find anything in AMK to offend at least one of your sensibilities, you aren't paying attention. I suggest you go back to the beginning and read it again. It may save your life one day -- or that of your child. Oh, and if you're curious about which of those two types mentioned in the first paragraph I fit into, the answer is I count myself among those who have done some wandering in the wild. Right now, I also count myself lucky to have managed to remain unscathed by all the hidden dangers. But I don't feel safe in my backyard anymore. .