Jumping Through Fires

Religion has left an undeniable mark in our world. Some see it as the answer to every problem, while others see it as the problem itself. Simply put, religion is the single greatest force in history. But in a much more intimate sense, what does religion mean to one life? In this honest, suspenseful, and moving memoir, author David Nasser tells of a life filled with heartbreak and healing. Forced to escape from a country gripped in a religious revolution, David and his family run for their lives in an attempt to find refuge. Through the lens of a terrified boy we see the destructive power of religion and the pull of peer pressure as he tries to fit into a new culture. Nasser's raw and transparent account of his transition from hating religion to having a living faith in Christ will impact readers from across the religious spectrum. His unflinchingly honest, yet humorous, assessment of the church from an outsider's point of view will both enlighten readers and spur them to renewed and refined outreach. For anyone who has seen the lie of religion, whether in Iran or Alabama or anywhere in between, Nasser offers the truth of Jesus.

Religion has left an undeniable mark in our world. Some see it as the answer to every problem, while others see it as the problem itself. Simply put, religion is the single greatest force in history. But in a much more intimate sense, what does religion mean to one life? In this honest, suspenseful, and moving memoir, author David Nasser tells of a life filled with heartbreak and healing. Forced to escape from a country gripped in a religious revolution, David and his family run for their lives in an attempt to find refuge. Through the lens of a terrified boy we see the destructive power of religion and the pull of peer pressure as he tries to fit into a new culture. Nasser's raw and transparent account of his transition from hating religion to having a living faith in Christ will impact readers from across the religious spectrum. His unflinchingly honest, yet humorous, assessment of the church from an outsider's point of view will both enlighten readers and spur them to renewed and refined outreach. For anyone who has seen the lie of religion, whether in Iran or Alabama or anywhere in between, Nasser offers the truth of Jesus.

This “terrifying, grimly funny” memoir about fighting forest fires in Alaska offers “an affectionate portrait of a fraternity of daredevils” (The New Yorker). A Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year Fighting fires since 1965, legendary smokejumper Murry A. Taylor finally hung up his chute after the summer of 2000—the worst fire season in more than fifty years. In Jumping Fire, Taylor recounts in thrilling detail one summer of parachuting out of planes to battle blazes in the vast, rugged wilderness of Alaska, with tales of training, digging fire lines, run-ins with bears, and the heroics of fellow jumpers who fell in the line of duty. This unique memoir, filled with humor, fear, tragedy, joy, and countless stories of man versus nature at its most furious, is a “tale of love and loss, life and death, and sheer hard work, set in an unforgiving and unforgettable landscape” (Publishers Weekly). “Filled with adventure, danger and tragedy.” —The New York Times Book Review “A beautifully crafted, wise yet thrilling book.” —Los Angeles Times

The story of the World War II conscientious objectors who volunteered for Civilian Public Service as U.S. Forest Service smoke jumpers is told in this history that reveals a little-known dimension of American pacifism.

An Iranian family embroiled in Islamic revolution, the hostage crisis, incest and exile in America Forced to flee the country with their parents as Khomeini rises to power, Nora and Jahan Ellahi rise to the challenge of anti-Iranian hostility in America. Breaking free from their intense attachment to each other, they explore new relationships to forge independent lives. The romantic artist Jahan ultimately returns to join the army to fight Iraq, while ambitious Nora finds a life of greater opportunity and personal freedom in the U.S. “If, as Aristotle reminds us, we are our desire, then who are we if the object of our desire is forbidden? What becomes of us if we are born in one world yet long for another? These are just two of the complex and difficult questions Nahid Rachlin explores and ultimately illuminates in this brave, engrossing, and timely novel. I recommend it highly!”—Andre Dubus III, author of House of Sand and FogJumping Over Fire "Complexities of Iranian culture, recent history, and current events create a vivid background for a moving and suspenseful story . . . wise and timely novel."—School Library Journal "As always, Nahid's writing keeps you on the end of your seat and is filled with emotion . . . The story unfolds with surprise. What makes the book even more meaningful is that it is about a family of meager wealth rather than very affluent. It is a family, however, with complications that arise from their new homeland. Do they survive? That is for you to find out."—Persian Heritage Magazine "Besides being 'page-turners', Rachlin's novels render, in abundance, the beauty and sensuousness of Persian culture."—New Letters Nahid Rachlin is the Iranian-American author of the novels Foreigner, The Heart’s Desire, Married to a Stranger and the short story collection Veils. She teaches at the New School University and the Unterberg Poetry Center in New York.

It’s hard to believe that there was a time when the jump shot didn’t exist in basketball. When the sport was invented in 1891, players would take set shots with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Defenders controlled the sport, the pace was slower, and games would frequently end with scores fit for a football field. It took almost forty years before players began shooting jump shots of any kind and sixty-five years before it became a common sight. When the first jump shooting pioneers left the ground, they rose not only above their defenders, but also above the sport’s conventions. The jump shot created a soaring offense, infectious excitement, loyal fans, and legends. Basketball would never be the same. Rise and Fire celebrates this crucial shot while tracing the history of how it revolutionized the game, shedding light on all corners of the basketball world, from NBA arenas to the playgrounds of New York City and the barns of Indiana. Award-winning journalist Shawn Fury obsesses over the jump shot, explores its fundamentals, puzzles over its complexities, marvels at its simplicity, and honors those who created some of basketball’s greatest moments. Part history, part travelogue, and part memoir, Rise and Fire bounces from the dirt courts of the 1930s to today’s NBA courts and state-of-the-art shooting labs, examining everything from how nets and rims affect a shooter to rivalries between shooting coaches to how the three-pointer came to rule the game. Impeccably researched and engaging, the book features interviews and profiles of legendary figures like Jerry West, Bob McAdoo, Ray Allen, and Denise Long---the first woman ever drafted by the NBA, plus dozens more, revealing the evolution of the shot over time. Analyzing the techniques and reliving some of the most unforgettable plays from the greats, Fury creates a technical, personal, historical, and even spiritual examination of the shot. This is not a dry how-to textbook of basketball mechanics; it is a lively tour of basketball history and a love letter to the sport and the shot that changed it forever.

The author's chronicle of one summer as an Alaskan smokejumper reflects on the years of training, the adrenaline-fueled jumps, his brushes with death, the fires he conquered, and the ones that got away.

A revelatory, urgent narrative with national implications, exploring the decline of California’s largest utility company that led to countless wildfires — including the one that destroyed the town of Paradise – and the human cost of infrastructure failure Pacific Gas and Electric was a legacy company built by innovators and visionaries, establishing California as a desirable home and economic powerhouse. In California Burning, Wall Street Journal reporter and Pulitzer finalist Katherine Blunt examines how that legacy fell apart—unraveling a long history of deadly failures in which Pacific Gas and Electric endangered millions of Northern Californians, through criminal neglect of its infrastructure. As PG&E prioritized profits and politics, power lines went unchecked—until a rusted hook purchased for 56 cents in 1921 split in two, sparking the deadliest wildfire in California history. Beginning with PG&E’s public reckoning after the Paradise fire, Blunt chronicles the evolution of PG&E’s shareholder base, from innovators who built some of California's first long-distance power lines to aggressive investors keen on reaping dividends. Following key players through pivotal decisions and legal battles, California Burning reveals the forces that shaped the plight of PG&E: deregulation and market-gaming led by Enron Corp., an unyielding push for renewable energy, and a swift increase in wildfire risk throughout the West, while regulators and lawmakers pushed their own agendas. California Burning is a deeply reported, character-driven narrative, the story of a disaster expanding into a much bigger exploration of accountability. It’s an American tragedy that serves as a cautionary tale for utilities across the nation—especially as climate change makes aging infrastructure more vulnerable, with potentially fatal consequences.