I picked this book up the day after I hiked South Kaibab, Tonto, Bright Angel (9 hours, 40 minutes)in late September, 2002. The Grand Canyon is truly amazing. The book chronicles all recorded deaths spanning hundreds of years and some of the stories read like pure fiction, you simply can't put it down. The chapter on freak accidents and venoumous creatures was a little disappointing but otherwise it was the most fascinating read of an actual place possible. It makes me want to go back and run the Colorado River (but not during monsoon season) to see some of the locations and rapids that have become both famous and notorious. I would definately recommend it for outdoor enthusiast and certainly for anyone planning a visit.