Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously

photo by Scott Beale

My friend writer William Gurstelle, who writes for Make Magazine and is one of the producers of Make: Television, has a new book out “Absinthe & Flamethrowers: Projects and Ruminations on the Art of Living Dangerously” which was recently reviewed by the New York Times.

Written for reasonable risk takers and suburban dads who want to add more excitement to their lives, this daring combination of science, history and DIY projects explains why danger is good for you and details the art of living dangerously. All of the projects—from throwing knives, drinking absinthe, and eating fugu to cracking a bull whip, learning baritsu, and building a flamethrower—have short learning curves; are human-focused, as opposed to technology-centric; are affordable; and demonstrate true but reasonable risk. Each project also includes step-by-step directions and illustrations along with sidebar tips from experts in the field.