Base Jumping - by Eric Rogusky (Paperback)

About the Book

"Get a rush with this title for high school readers about BASE jumping, the extreme sport of leaping off fixed objects with a parachute. Includes skills and equipment needed, a glossary, index, and further resources"--

Book Synopsis

Experience the thrill and adventure of extreme sports like never before! Designed for readers age 12 and up, this nonfiction action sports series examines adrenaline-pumping disciplines such as BASE jumping, big wave surfing, cave diving, and the world of full-contact mixed martial arts. The origins, growth, controversies, and star athletes of each sport are profiled. Could you BASE jump? Leap off a cliff and feel the wind in your face, the ground getting closer and closer, waiting till the very last moment for your parachute to open? What a rush! BASE jumping is full of thrills, adventures, and no shortage of dangers. High school readers get detailed knowledge of the skills and equipment needed to succeed at the extreme sport in this title from Creative Education's popular Odysseys series. Action-packed photography and sidebars make for engrossing reading. Includes a table of contents, glossary, index, and further resources.

Review Quotes

The Odysseys in Extreme Sports series gets an extra boost of adrenalin with these new titles. The history of parachuting and invention of the wingsuit are particularly fascinating sections of BASE Jumping, but the jumping community's commitment to training and safety and respecting local laws also stand out. Big Wave Surfing begins with Oahu's Duke Kahanamoku's popularizing of shortboard surfing in the early 1900s and progresses to today's extreme tow-in surfers, who get pulled by jet ski to massive waves. The essential role of communication is underscored in Cave Diving, which examines the different types of safety and literal guide lines used by divers, hand and flashlight signals, and new audio technologies used to help ensure divers can find their way back to the surface. Free Solo Climbing discusses how traditional rock climbing led to this untethered iteration of the sport, and considerable page space is given to well-known climber Alex Honnold. Across the board, the texts nicely balance the thrilling aspects of these sports with the heightened dangers inherent to them. Each book presents its sport's history and development, noteworthy athletes, equipment, risks, and presence in pop culture through smoothly written text and breathtaking photos. The series is otherwise well crafted and will appeal to young thrill-seekers.