Extreme: Why Some People Thrive at the Limits

One might expect a book on the psychology of personality with a 30-page reference list to be dry and academic; this book is anything but. Barrett (honorary researcher in psychology, Lancaster Univ., UK) and Martin (honorary research fellow, Imperial Coll. London; The Sickening Mind) include a multitude of anecdotes about the experiences of explorers and thrill seekers to enliven and illustrate their explanations of the psychological attraction to risk taking. As the title suggests, this book focuses on people who seek out extreme environments (whether for exploration, research, or sport), what is attractive about the challenges of these environments, and which personality traits enable us to succeed or contribute to our failure. After the introductory section, there are ten chapters devoted to describing stressors that one encounters in extreme environments (bad sleep, monotony, solitude) and their effects, as well as characteristics that enthusiasts (and survivors) generally possess (bravery, focus, resilience). The final two chapters further examine the personality types attracted to intense situations, what motivates these individuals to repeat or stop these experiences, and what happens as a result.