Smokejumpers, '49 Brothers in the Sky

Starr Jenkins has produced a rousing book, one with an excellent sense of excitement & immediacy with the re-enactment of a number of his smokejumper adventures, along with those of his brother Hugh. There are powerful descriptions that bring back to life memories of long ago, days when we thought we would live forever. Former jumpers will remember when they too stood in the doors of bouncing, twisting aircraft above the savage & majestic terrain of the West, Southwest, & Northwest. He has clear, detailed descriptions of equipment, training activities, flights, pilots, firefighting & a host of memorable characters-- "brothers in the sky" who shared that high adventure. It is a book full of nostalgia & should serve to inspire other jumpers & pilots to write about their experiences while serving with that elite organization of airborne firefighters. The photos of LIFE photographer Peter Stackpole are sharp, clear, & extraordinary. Many have not been in print before. This book will encourage further reading about smokejumpers & mountain pilots, not only from the past, but in the present day as well. Jack Demmons, Historian, The National Smokejumper Association. To order: Merritt Starr Books, P.O. Box 1165, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406. (805) 544-6214.Jenkins, Starr is the author of 'Smokejumpers, '49 Brothers in the Sky' with ISBN 9781886659094 and ISBN 1886659095.