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  • What Doesn't Kill Us

  • How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength
  • Written by: Scott Carney
  • Narrated by: Scott Carney
  • Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (257 ratings)

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What Doesn't Kill Us

Written by: Scott Carney
Narrated by: Scott Carney
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Publisher's Summary

What Doesn't Kill Us, a New York Times best seller, traces our evolutionary journey back to a time when survival depended on how well we adapted to the environment around us.

Our ancestors crossed deserts, mountains, and oceans without even a whisper of what anyone today might consider modern technology. Those feats of endurance now seem impossible in an age where we take comfort for granted. But what if we could regain some of our lost evolutionary strength by simulating the environmental conditions of our forbears?

Investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney takes up the challenge to find out: Can we hack our bodies and use the environment to stimulate our inner biology? Helping him in his search for the answers is Dutch fitness guru Wim Hof, whose ability to control his body temperature in extreme cold has sparked a whirlwind of scientific study. Carney also enlists input from an army scientist, a world-famous surfer, the founders of an obstacle course race movement, and ordinary people who have documented how they have cured autoimmune diseases, lost weight, and reversed diabetes. In the process he chronicles his own transformational journey as he pushes his body and mind to the edge of endurance, a quest that culminates in a record-bending 28-hour climb to the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro wearing nothing but a pair of running shorts and sneakers.

An ambitious blend of investigative reporting and participatory journalism, What Doesn't Kill Us explores the true connection between the mind and the body and reveals the science that allows us to push past our perceived limitations.

©2017 Scott Carney (P)2017 Scott Carney

What listeners love about What Doesn't Kill Us

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very informative. Highly recommended

it definitely brings good inside to how you can apply these techniques and aspects your everyday life. I guess it's about time that I take this Challenge and see how it goes for myself!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thorough exploration of the topic

This was by far the best explanation of the Wim Hof method I have read ... and yes I have read Wim Hofs book. I have just begun practicing the cold and breathing method described in this book and wanted an explanation of the science in layman's terms. I am sold! I have now taken a course in Toronto to get a more hands on approach (Breathing in Nature is the company I used). and go into Lake Ontario every Saturday with the Toronto Wim Hof group... even in January!

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!! I loved all of this book

So captivating! And has an authentic unbiased feeling. He's such a great storyteller but you can tell it's not fiction

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • EHS
  • 2018-09-10

Very interesting

This book was very interesting. I have followed up on what the author has written about and am doing the breathing techniques he described.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Wry interesting, worth a listen and worth trying the method in day to day life as well!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

better than the narration of Wim's audio book.

I like the pace of this book. its more of a conversation. in comparison to the narration of Wim's book, which was too fast for me. What Doesn't Kill Us, has more information, more details in the stories and feels more well rounded and convincing for me to enter the cold and test my own limits.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Kim
  • 2021-08-23

Just breathe

This is a another great book on the topic of breathing. I appreciate the science parts. James Nestor’s “Deep” then “Breath” got me started on this journey which has taken me to Wim Hof breathing. It will change your life if you start a breath work practice. Good book for those on the path.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Intriguing All The Way Through!

Very interesting to here an initially skeptical participant turn into a believer. I do like the descriptive details of his experience with Wim Hof and what seems to be a raw and unfiltered view into his personality. Great job and congratulation on your accomplishments!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A guided Wim Hof experience

Great dramatization of a genuine wim hof experience. I was left wanting more but enjoyed listening to his personal journey.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One giant well thought out and researched essay

Loved this book. Brilliantly tied together from start to finish. One of the fastest books I've ever listened to. Made me research the content further. Highly recommend.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Jason R. Craft
  • 2017-02-18

correlation is not causation

I checked out this book Because of its introduction to Colf therapy for personal development: physically, mentally, emotionally, and as an immune suppressant or autoimmune conditions. It is an excellent introduction to those things along with an ongoing narrative. It is based on evolutionary theory which I'm willing to listen to and consider Arguments for but give me good science and don't talk about science that you don't really understand. I do teach biology and some Liberties were taken in connecting biological processes to assumed evolutionary origins of those processes. In addition, I was not interested in the authors connection to Evolution and global climate change. That's not what this book was about. I can buy and read books about that. Stay on topic. Because two things appear to be happening at the same time does not mean one caused the other, correlation is not necessarily causation. It is false logic to assume that because things are happening at the same time that one must have caused the other. Provide evidence if you're going to make that assertion rather than assuming I'm going to agree with that conclusion. The author introduces us to several good programs related to cold Therapy and Fitness in general. I'll probably listen to it again because I now own it on audio. But, the topic wondering does not rate the full five stars.

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132 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • William E. Morgan
  • 2017-03-30

Weak science with narrative

This story is supported by weak evidence and essentially is a narrative of the authors journey to changing his physiology and him climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Here is the jest of the book: breathing more elevates your oxygen saturation, exposure to cold burns more kilocalories and provokes your body to create more mitochondria.

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88 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • C. Postma
  • 2017-02-22

Awesome book

What did you love best about What Doesn't Kill Us?

I'd heard of Wim Hof already however, I realized that Scott Carney used Hoff as an anchoring idea to then launch off in a number of different directions around the idea of tempering your body/mind to endure discomfort.

What was one of the most memorable moments of What Doesn't Kill Us?

The trek up Kilmanjaro was a very memorable chapter. I won't spoil the story but suffice it to say it was a very human moment to realize that even 'hero's' have ego's and are prone to being self centered.

Have you listened to any of Scott Carney’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No but it has made me intensely interested in learning more. I appreciated the fact that Scott showed that a regular guy can put these ideas and techniques to use and have some significant benefit.

Any additional comments?

There are a host of podcast episodes out there on Wim Hof, Brian Mackenzie, and Laird Hamilton among others. More than enough fodder for someone interested in learning more.

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47 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2017-01-14

Entertaining and Inspiring

Loved this

Listened to the whole thing in 3 days of house painting. Scott connects the dots between methods taught by Wim Hoff and some of the most inspiring athletes and teachers in the health and fitness space. He brings his humble character to make this incredible journey accessible to the rest of us mortals and dispels his own healthy scepticism.

it is an intelligent exploration into reclaiming the innate capacity within an ordinary human that put his life on the line.

Thank You Scott.

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31 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • gremily
  • 2017-04-24

Too much pop evolutionary biology

I wanted to like this but the claims are too broad. It's too much faux evolutionary biology for my taste.

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29 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Keith
  • 2017-01-26

Inspirational!!

The structure of the storyline of this book made the point of how beneficial mastery of specific physical and mental techniques are to achieve a robust physical capacity without a major time commitment. I am convinced and perhaps seduced. Well done

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23 people found this helpful

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  • Angela
  • 2017-02-06

Amazing and it works!

Great book. Great method. I've started cold therapy and breathing meditation and without hesitation can confirm that something is definitely at work. I feel more alert, have lost weight, and have increased work capacity. I'll be listening again and recommending this book and Wim Hof method to anyone that will listen.

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22 people found this helpful

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  • C. Andrews
  • 2017-01-17

Excellent book!

I really enjoyed the book and clarity at which the author read it. This book was the validation that I was looking for after reading and listening to many sources on cold exposure and focused breathing. I had an expectation based on listening to an interview with the author before purchasing. My expectations were exceeded with the product. Well done.

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16 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • T. Vedder
  • 2017-03-17

More incredulous crap

Ah, anecdotes.
Yet another book of incredulous crap about yet another cult guru and his/its made-up methods.

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13 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 2017-11-30

Good listen

New to the theme? then your in for a treat.

If you are fully aware of WIM HOF, and coldwater treatment etc.. then this wil be slightly boring, especially the last 5 chapters. theres some cool history in here, talking about different wars, and how climatization were a critical factor.

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12 people found this helpful

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  • Alex frey
  • 2018-11-12

innate intelligence

j ai beaucoup aime le livre mais pas mal de repetitions et la moitie du livre est assez lente. Dans l'ensemble, je le recommande , il permet a beaucoup de personne de se rendre compte de l importance et des capacites innees de notre corps

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1 person found this helpful

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  • Fréderic Potvin
  • 2021-09-10

Life changing book.

Amazing story that will change your life with just some will power. So worth the time.

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  • Loïc
  • 2019-01-25

just fantastic, great explanation of natural skill

the way that we're working on ourselfs every day matters, this books mays show you great ways to manage it

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