The Escape Artists - Softcover

What do a stand-up comedian, extreme skier, Navy SEAL, minor league pitcher, wilderness doctor, DEA agent, and circus clown have in common?

They are The Escape Artists!

For nine years, New York Times bestselling author Joshua Piven has been tracking down and interviewing the alligator wrestlers, race car drivers, and giant octopus hunters; the bodyguards and boxers, the animal trackers and treasure hunters. What drives these escape artists to make job choices that are extraordinary, dangerous, or just plain wacky? They don't “drop out,” they embrace self-fulfillment and personal freedom as they craft a life on the road less traveled-and show all of us how to pursue our own dreams-if we dare.

By following the fascinating journeys of these escape artists, you'll learn how you might be able to become one yourself-and leave the cubicle behind. You'll see how these intrepid adventurers have avoided the trap of a job they hated, how they navigated the issues of money, security, and safety nets, and how they knew when to make the crucial leap to a better and more enjoyable career.

This book is from the coauthor of the "Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook" series - tales of true mavericks who show what it takes to succeed in an unorthodox, dangerous, or just-plain weird career. If you fantasize about escaping your hum-drum, nine-to-five life to become bush pilot, pro wrestler, acrobat, or any other dream job, "The Escape Artists" is a must read, profiling the lives of adventurous people who've made a career of doing what they love. Joshua Piven takes you inside the lives of an extreme skier, a Navy SEAL, a standup comic, a whitewater rafter, a wilderness doctor, and others who've found success by embracing their passions. In the process, you'll get powerful motivation to see if you have what it takes to make it outside the mainstream.