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Summary: Some people lament there are no new heroes............
Review: Anyone who may feel that way has not read about these men and women who day in and day out perform a job that otherwise would be considered a daredevil act.Jumping out of planes is too much for most of us; it's one of the safer parts of their job. They never make the same jump twice, they often land in a target area that is basically a vertical shaft between 150 foot trees, in an area some sports utility vehicles could not turn around in, and that's just the start. The fire can suck them in; they can get hung up in a tree 50, 100, 150 feet in the air and then have to climb down. Or worse many of the tops of these trees are like spikes. Imagine being impaled through the thigh 150 feet in the air, like an olive in a Martini. You need not imagine this or dozens of other terrifying scenarios as the book shares them all with you. The Author Mr. Taylor is the oldest man to jump fires, a job he has been doing for 26 years. And if you happen to be over 50 years of age, this man is definitely a special role model. Former Marines who become Jumpers say it is tougher than the boot camp they had as Marines. One of 25 who make the attempt to become a Jumper make the program, and of those not a few decide a year or two is more than enough. The stamina of these men and women is beyond belief, I would imagine a qualified individual could compare what they do to any professional athlete and my guess is they would be at or near the top. These people are often at brutal back breaking lethal work for days on end. Mr. Taylor shares amazing stories about amazing people; he is very candid about his personal life and all that his profession precludes. He also shares the banter amongst the crews when they have time to share stories the subjects rather forget. There are dozens and they are laughing out loud hilarious. Imagine jumping crashing through trees and landing on a Moose? These people take everything very seriously. When one jumper was reminded of the time he crashed right through the roof of an outhouse, he was unbowed. "It was a $20 bet, who could come closest, I won!" One heck of a book!
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Summary: Awesome pageturner
Review: Got this book a few days ago and literally read most of it in one sitting. Thorough and well written. I didn't really know much about smokejumping and wild firefighting before this other than the news blurbs about the fire season in the West and some TV shows about wild fires. Bought the book because it looked interesting, and it definitely exceeded expectations.
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Summary: A wonderful Read
Review: I've always been fascinated by smokejumpers...who they are, what compels them, and whether they are all as crazy as I have thought they must be. It's an incredible true story. It brings to life the adreline rush of jumping and fighting fires, the boredom of the down time, the love of freedom and the trade-offs they make in their lives to follow this passion. It communicates the strong ties to fellow jumpers and the personal loneliness of a chosen lifestyle. Most beautiful of all are the descriptions of the pristine country they protect which most of us will never see. A truly wonderful book.
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Summary: A MUST for adventure lovers
Review: Taylor writes in a gripping manner that will keep you wanting more. His method of depicting life over a year, detailing the accounts of fallen comrades, the joys of a job well done, and the lost loves all are intwined in fast moving detail. A REAL KEEPER!
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Summary: Splendid
Review: When I heard Murry Taylor's NPR interview, I fell in love with his voice and the idea of smokejumping. Mr. Taylor allows us to live vicarioussly through his writing; to see the country side, to feel the excitement, and to share his losses ... as bittersweet as a summer romance.
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Summary: Captures the Spirit and Adventure of Smokejumping
Review: Never before has anyone captured the real-life spirit and adventure of smokejumping like Murry Taylor has in "JUMPING FIRE." The reader rushes recklessly along as he follows Murry through an entire jump season, sharing the exhaustion of physical training, the strange dread and elation during fire jumps in rugged mountainous terrain and towering trees, the heat and smoke of raging forest fires, the ruthless humor, and the camaraderie forged by shared dangers. Carried along in the swirling chaos of a long nomadic fire season, you will find yourself parachuting into remote mountain ranges of Alaska, hearing the roar of wind and turbine engines while in the jump door, cutting fireline all night long on a mountainside in the Idaho wilderness, grieving for lost friends, and joking around a campfire in the smoky twilight of an Alaskan summer night. As a twenty year smokejumper, I encourage you to grab your jump gear and come along for a season of "Living the Dream." Buck Nelson
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Summary: I wrote Jumping Fire to honor hard work and sacrifice.
Review: It took nine years, 11,000 hours, and several thousand dollars of out-of-pocket money to get Jumping Fire to you, the reader. From the beginning, I felt sure that I had a good story. The only problem was, I didn't know how to write very well. The learning curve was steep and constant. During the dark hours I relied on the same faith that has helped smokejumpers catch fires over the years--the faith that if you keep trying, work hard, and never give up, miracles are possible. During the ensuing winters I went over and over the manuscript, realizing all the time that each year I was learning to write better and better. Jumping Fire is not the result of literary brillance by any stretch of imagination. It's the result of a passionate desire to bring one of our Western culture's great true life adventures to the general readership. If I've managed to do that, then all those long, lonely hours will have been worth it. Thanks for your interest in Jumping Fire. Enjoy your season jumping fires in Alaska and Idaho. Get ready to fly 25,000 miles, jump 17 forest fires, and be there as a member of the 1991 Alaska Smokejumpers.
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Summary: HIRING OUT TOUGH
Review: "Jumping Fire" is a classic piece of work. Murry Taylor tells the story of one fire season out of the 30 years he has been a smokejumper. This book tells what smokejumpers are, what they do, how they do it and how they feel about what they do. Not since reading Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" have I been as reluctant to finish a book. As a former smokejumper I was able to relieve some of the best years of my life as I read each page. You can smell the smoke, feel the heat, and taste the acrid taste in your mouth as you are in the door at jump altitude above a stand of burning fir or pine. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, and appreciates the fine character development that makes you feel that you know the individual smokejumpers, that they are friends of yours and you would like to have a beer with them and hear a good jumpstory. "Jumping Fire" is truly a good jump story. Gary Welch, Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, Cave Junction, Oregon, Rookie Class of 1960-"WE HIRED OUT TOUGH"
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Summary: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times
Review: Jumping Fire is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Looking at the front cover, the basic story of the book is simple to figure out; the book is a memoir that follows Smoke Jumper Murry Taylor though a season of firefighting. Most of the action takes place in Alaska, but part of the book is spent in the Pacific Northwest as well. The story flows together with the grace and beauty of a world-class composer. The writing is extraordinarily well articulated and the stories are told in vivid detail. The author's writing painted remarkable pictures in my mind that rivaled any motion picture I have ever seen. The author's writing created the same emotions in me that he was feeling at the time. It really felt as if I was seeing the world through the author's eyes. I cannot put into words how well this story is told. I can not give the author enough credit. The book was a roller coaster of emotions; the book made me laugh, it made me cry in parts, and it always had me on the edge of my seat. This is not a book that covers wilderness firefighting in general. It is one season, with one particular person who was a Smoke Jumper. The book contains numerous amusing stories, such as how the author got the name "Old Leathersack" and the story of the fuel pod dropping out of the plane and re-igniting a fire that was under control. There were stories of sheer terror such as when the Smoke Jumpers almost got consumed in a fire, and "lost" several people, not knowing if they were dead or alive and the black bear that invaded the camp (which I thought was funny personally, but I'm sure it was terrifying at the time). There was also Sally, the love element of the book. I think Sally helped break up the book, changing the story slightly, while giving an element to the book that everyone can relate to. Some reviewers have said that this book is full of testosterone. I agree, but this is not a bad thing. Some "literary classics" are filled with testosterone and manliness (for example, read Chushingura, written in 1748). I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for an adventure. While the topic seems exotic, there are topics in the book that everyone can relate to (anyone who has been in love, felt the isolating loneliness of a long business trip away from loved ones, anyone who feels the need to put their life on the line for reasons others feel are meaningless, or someone who knows the feeling of looking over a gorgeous Alaskan meadow miles from nowhere). Initially, the length of the book seems intimidating, but it is a fast and enjoyable read.
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Summary: Essential wildland fire reading
Review: This is the best wildland firefighting book I have read. It really captures the best, worst, and day-to-day of working on forest fires--much more so than any other account I have seen. I also enjoyed the window into firefighting in Alaska--what outstanding experiences! Murray has a knack for relaying his stories in an unpretentious and accessible manner that I hope translates as well to those outside of fire as inside it. I always recommend it as essential reading material to those new to wildland fire, or to those considering it. Murray--I know you have other stories to share, waiting to read more. Thanks for the great start.
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