Product details
- Publisher : Xlibris Corporation (January 24, 2006)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 280 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1599269570
- ISBN-13 : 978-1599269573
- Item Weight : 1.15 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.98 x 0.75 x 9.02 inches
$21.99
Hardcover – January 24, 2006
by Frank Fowler (Author)
Crouched in the doorway of a Travelair over the Flathead National Forest, Frank Fowler waits for the slap that will send him dropping from the sky to his first fire as a smokejumper.<br><br> How he got there is the journey of a young man who grew up on the streets of Washington, D.C. When he was six his father died, yet his mother instilled in him the value of looking on the positive side of life and the importance of self-confidence. She encouraged him to seek adventure and to write about his experiences.<br><br> Sent in his teens to live with a brother and family in a Maryland suburb, he became involved in Boy Scouts. There he met Scoutmaster Joe Woolfolk, a forester from Montana on assignment at the Washington headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service, who became Frank’s mentor. Joe returned to Montana, but visited Maryland after Frank’s high school graduation and suggested a career in forestry. There was an offer of employment while going to college, and for someone with little money and no desire to attend college locally, the idea had great appeal, even if it was thousands of miles away.<br><br> He left all he had known in the East to find his adventure in the West; to attend Montana State University (now the University of Montana) in Missoula; and to work four summers for the Forest Service-three as a smokejumper.<br><br> He shared his exploits with his mother in frequent and detailed letters that she saved. An aspiring author herself, she encouraged him to write about parachuting to forest fires. Those letters are the basis for this memoir-‘High-mountain Two-manner.”<br><br> His writing style invites you to go with him as he trains, works in the woods, and fights forest fires. He also shares with you the joys of working in the back-country and savoring the beauty of wild places. In spite of the likelihood that you haven’t met Frank, by the end of the book you may have the distinct feeling that you have.
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Paperback – March 1, 2003
by Stephen J. Pyne (Author)
"Painting, architecture, politics, even gardening and golf—all have their critics and commentators," observes Stephen Pyne. "Fire does not." Aside from news reports on fire disasters, most writing about fire appears in government reports and scientific papers—and in journalism that has more in common with the sports page than the editorial page. Smokechasing presents commentaries by one of America's leading fire scholars, who analyzes fire the way another might an election campaign or a literary work. "Smokechasing" is an American coinage describing the practice of sending firefighters into the wild to track down the source of reported smoke. Now a self-described "friendly fire critic" tracks down more of the history and lore of fire in a collection that focuses on wildland fire and its management. Building on and complementing a previous anthology, World Fire, this new collection features thirty-two original articles and substantial revisions of works that have previously appeared in print. Pyne addresses many issues that have sparked public concern in the wake of disastrous wildfires in the West, such as fire ecology, federal fire management, and questions relating to fire suppression. He observes that the mistake in fire policy has been not that wildfires are suppressed but that controlled fires are no longer ignited; yet the attempted forced reintroduction of fire through prescribed burning has proved difficult, and sometimes damaging. There are, Pyne argues, many fire problems; some have technical solutions, some not. But there is no evading humanity's unique power and responsibility: what we don't do may be as ecologically powerful as what we do. Throughout the collection, Pyne makes it clear that humans and fire interact at particular places and times to profoundly shape the world, and that understanding the contexts in which fire occurs can tell us much about the world's natural and cultural landscapes. Fire's context gives it its meaning, and Smokechasing not only helps illuminate those contexts but also shows us how to devise new contexts for tomorrow's fires.
Paperback – June 14, 2001
by Murry A. Taylor (Author)
During one incendiary summer, Murry Taylor kept an extensive journal of his day-to-day activities as an Alaskan smokejumper. It wasn't his first season fighting wildfires, and he's far from being a rookie—he's been on the job since 1965. Through this narrative of one busy season, Taylor reflects on the years of training, the harrowing adrenaline-fueled jumps, his brushes with death, the fires he conquered, and the ones that got away. It's a world full of bravado, one with epic battles of man versus nature, resulting in stories of death-defying defeats, serious injury, and occasionally tragedy. We witness Taylor's story; learn of the training, preparation, technology, and latest equipment used in fighting wildfires; and get to know his fellow smokejumpers in the ready room, on the tundra, and in the vast forests of one of the last great wilderness areas in the world. Often thrilling and informative and always entertaining, Taylor's memoir is one of the first autobiographical accounts of a legendary career.
Hardcover – March 1, 2006
by Erich Krauss (Author), RCFD Deputy Chief Mike Bell (Foreword)
A dramatic look from the front lines at the most devastating fire siege in California history With over seven miles of urban/wildland interface unburned for thirty years and beautiful homes lacing in and out of its picturesque hilly terrain, Rancho Cucamonga was a powder keg--one that finally exploded in October 2003 with a ferocity no one could have expected. Now, Erich Krauss brings you to the ever-shifting front lines of the battle against the catastrophic inferno, the rugged terrain, and the ferocious winds, where municipal and wildland firefighters joined forces to save thousands of homes and lives. Wall of Flame recalls the unprecedented events surrounding the Grand Prix Fire, revealing the moments of apparent indecision, the lack of coordination, and even how local, state, and federal firefighters--each with missions that at times opposed one another--put their differences aside for the greater good in order to save Southern California. With each passing hour, the fire grew larger and their task more immense. Mistakes were made. Plans collapsed. Even the most seasoned firefighters felt the world close in. But they persevered. After all, it was their city, their homes, and their loved ones they were entrusted to protect. Their community was counting on them to save their homes and all the history they had wrapped up in them. This was a battle they could not afford to lose.Kindle Edition
by David Weber (Author), Jane Lindskold (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
Second entry in a new young adult series by New York Times best seller David Weber, and the prequel to the hugely popular Honor Harrington adult science fiction saga. Fire in the forest—and a cry for help from a trapped and desperate alien mother! Unfortunately, this is one cry no human can hear. Stephanie Harrington, precocious fourteen-year-old Provisional Forest Ranger on the planet Sphinx, knows something is wrong from the uneasy emotion that is flooding into her from her treecat friend, Climbs Quickly. But though Stephanie's alien comrade shares a tight bond with his two legs, he cannot communicate directly to her the anguished call from one of his people. Still, their strong and direct bond of feeling may be enough. Stephanie and fellow ranger Karl Zivonik respond to Climbs Quickly's rising waves of distress. Fire season on the pioneer world of Sphinx has begun. But there are those who want to use the natural cycle of the planet for personal gain—and to get rid of the one obstacle that stands in the way of acquiring even greater land and power on Sphinx: the native treecats. Now it's up to Stephanie and Climbs Quickly, along with their friends, family, and allies to prevent disaster and injustice from befalling a treecat clan. But in the process Stephanie must be certain to preserve the greatest secret of all. It is the knowledge that the treecats of Sphinx are not merely pets or servants, but are highly intelligent in their own right—that they are a species fully deserving of rights, respect, and freedom. And keeping the secret that will allow the treecats time to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with humankind. It all begins with the friendship of a girl and her treecat. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Lexile Score: 1000 A lifetime military history buff, David Weber has carried his interest in history into his fiction. In the New York Times best selling Honor Harrington series, the spirit of both C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and history's Admiral Nelson are evident. With over five million copies of his books in print, David Weber is the fastest rising star in the Science Fiction universe. His Honor Harrington series boasts over 3 million copies in print, and Weber has had over thirteen of his titles on The New York Times Best Seller List. War of Honor, book 10 in the series appeared on over twelve Best Seller lists, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and USA TODAY. While he is best known for his spirited, modern-minded space operas, he has also developed a fantasy series, of which two books have been published: Oath of Swords and The War God's Own. David's solo work also includes three novels of the "Dahak" series, and the stand alone novels: Path of the Fury and The Excalibur Alternative. Weber's first published novels grew out of his work as a war game designer for the Task Force game Starfire. With collaborator Steve White, Weber has written four novels set in that universe: Insurrection, Crusade, In Death Ground, and The Shiva Option. Recent bestsellers in planetary adventures also include the teamwork of John Ringo in the best selling Empire of Man series where the titles March Upcountry, March to the Sea, March to the Stars and We Few have made appearances on The New York Times List. Weber's proliferation continues with author Eric Flint, where they joined forces in the Best Selling "Ring of Fire" alternate history series, for 1634: The Baltic War, coming in May. A popular guest at science fiction conventions, Weber makes his home in South Carolina with his wife Sharon, three children and a passel of dogs.
Paperback – July 1, 1995
by Stan Tate (Author)
Paperback – November 30, 2001
by Peter M. Leschak (Author)
Journey with Peter Leschak, wildland firefighter, as he explores the warrior spirit--a genderless code emphasizing personal integrity, responsibility, patience, will, commitment, and inner courage, forged through life's "trials by fire." Using his professional experiences fighting forest fires as a vivid metaphor for the warrior code, Peter weaves captivating tales of raging wildfires, the warm camaraderie and good-natured competition of a small-town tavern packed with smokejumpers, the clarity of the night sky, the subtleties of an ancient Chinese board game-all offering profound lessons in the quest for a new understanding of life and its purpose. To each episode, Peter brings the soul of a poet contemplating life in the face of imminent death, as well as a professional firefighter's keen apprehension of hazardous operations and fascination with the seductive allure of a blazing inferno. Readers can dip into these pages for a vicarious jolt of adrenaline-or use Trials by Wildfire as a roadmap in their own search for life meaning.
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