This is a trilogy about three separate epic climbs. Climbs that are difficult enough by themselves, but were made more grueling by the common thread of life-threatening heat. The insidious sun sucking energy, water, and even your willpower from a well-conditioned man made the hard climbs a more arduous task. Included in these stories are many other true-to-life adventures and narrow escapes for the author. Three Days of the Condor talks about camaraderie and the accomplishment of doing something difficult that few could accomplish. According to Jeff Lowe, "There is a certain purity in engaging in what some would call a useless activity. When the climber confronts the overhang, he does so with the knowledge that no material gain will result from the competition of the task. He is confident that when he is done, the satisfaction will outweigh the effort." I have always returned to the mountains for introspection. It must be at least partially genetic for man to seek the "high ground," for protection, exploration, or an attempt at communion with a higher power. Occasionally, the only reason is "because it's there," but even Mallory expanded on this when he explained, "It is the struggle of life itself, forever upward. What we get from this adventure is sheer joy." But if we can look down on ourselves from above, from the proverbial mountaintop, often we may be more objective--if not more rational. The ensuing vignettes recount the pursuit of my pilgrimage, my coming-of-age. It seemed like my endeavor for the exceptional view, and my own independence--truly a phenomenal golden period in my life. I learned how I felt about my own survival when on many of those summits. In these stories I strive to return to those times and mountains, in search of truth on the rocky temples. This is the visionary perspective I seek. These accounts of rock climbing are more than about climbing rocks--it is about that one thing in life that truly sets you free.

This book is an exciting autobiography about Randys gripping skydiving career that began in the 60s. His adventure started where Charles Lindbergh made his first three jumps. Inspired by a Medal of Honor recipient, Randy joined Special Forces and trained as a combat medic. Assigned to the Seventh Army Parachute Team in Europe, Randy fell desperately in love and later felt beguiled. He used sex, drugs, and alcohol to drown his sorrows. Randy jumped in a thunderstorm and through a ten-thousand-foot cloud, narrowly surviving each. This captivating story is about death, hijacking, murder, flat spins, drugs, counterfeiting, a deadly motorcycle accident, a high-speed car chase, and a time-loss experience. Lippincott started skydiving again in preparation to write this bookit was 13,852 days between jumps. Randys fantastic tale is a story filled with passion, failure, determination, success, heartache, awakening, and at last sweet redemption. It is about skydiving adventures, but it is much more than that. It describes a generation, the baby boomers that rebelled in the 60s with free love. The narrative chronicles a person who did not want to live in quiet desperation but would rather push the envelope and test the waters.

Largely unknown except in a few law enforcement circles, Jelly Bryce was at the forefront of the conflict during America’s gangster era. As an Oklahoma State Game Ranger, Oklahoma City Police Detective, and FBI Agent for over 30 years, Bryce was the man responsible for creating the FBI’s first firearms training program, developing their concealed holster and their fast-draw techniques, and personally training hundreds of their agents. Hired by the FBI without any college, he was involved in 19 shootings in the line of duty and was electronically timed at two-fifths of a second to draw and fire accurately. It was said if a criminal blinked at Jelly Bryce, he died in darkness. If you ever wondered who the anonymous men with badges and guns were who really lived the lives depicted in the movies and on television, this is the story of one of those unique men.

The craft of Italian salumi, now accessible to the American cook, from the authors of the best-selling Charcuterie. Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn inspired a revival of artisanal sausage making and bacon curing with their surprise hit, Charcuterie. Now they delve deep into the Italian side of the craft with Salumi, a book that explores and simplifies the recipes and techniques of dry curing meats. As the sources and methods of making our food have become a national discussion, an increasing number of cooks and professional chefs long to learn fundamental methods of preparing meats in the traditional way. Ruhlman and Polcyn give recipes for the eight basic products in Italy’s pork salumi repertoire: guanciale, coppa, spalla, lardo, lonza, pancetta, prosciutto, and salami, and they even show us how to butcher a hog in the Italian and American ways. This book provides a thorough understanding of salumi, with 100 recipes and illustrations of the art of ancient methods made modern and new.

Why would anybody want to jump out of a perfectly good, functioning airplane? Ask any sport parachutist in the world that question and you may find a different answer every time. For Dick Fortenberry, his love of parachuting began long before he joined the US Army at age eighteen and attended jump school with the 77th Special Forces Group. In his fascinating memoir about his journey to eventually becoming one of the original members of the Golden Knights, Fortenberry describes the rigorous training that led up to his first jump and to receiving the coveted silver wings on his chest, the parachute patch on his hat, and Airborne on his shoulders. As Fortenberry chronicles the details of how he rapidly excelled in the sport of skydiving, he offers an exciting glimpse of what it was like to feel the wind in his hair, the adrenaline as he quickly approached the ground, and the fear when his parachute malfunctioned. No ETA: The Pioneering Days of Skydiving shares the intriguing personal story of one mans journey in the early days of sport parachuting that ultimately led to three world championships and an appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.