Skydivers Know Why Birds Sing (because they can fly)
My friend Rick has published his second book, so I get to write about it. It’s about skydiving.
It is not a how-to. It tells you just enough, or maybe almost enough, about the mechanics and technology of the sport so that a person unfamiliar with it can follow the rest of the narrative.
Rick describes a lot of the insider culture, such as the “case of beer” tradition and the Skydiver’s Hymn. He pays tribute to a number of subculture celebrities, who are famous to skydivers but completely unknown in the world at large. Most of all, he tells the very personal tale of his love for his wife Paula, and their adventures skydiving together.
I love the whole book, but especially the chapters on the Easter Beer Hunt, renewing their marriage vows, and returning triumphantly to Hawaii.
Skydiving is a sport of amateurs. Professional skydivers are teachers, vendors, organizers, or sponsored competitors. They do not get multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts like some other professional athletes. As a result, the community as a whole is more cooperative than competitive. It’s a sport you practice one minute at a time. Even the greatest champions remember their early mistakes and the experienced mentors who helped them along. Newbies can often jump with and learn from their heroes.
Skydiving is something you should only do if you want to.
Amazon Review
Ricki T. Thues’s book will not give you the identical experience he has of being in a loving skydiving couple on a quest to jump in all 50 states, setting multiple world records, and narrowly escaping death a few times—but it is the next best thing.
When people hear I am a skydiver, usually because my wife brings it up, they typically react in one of three ways:
1. I always wanted to do that, but haven’t yet
2. I would never do that
3. I did that once, long ago
I recommend this book to all those whose reaction is 1, 2, or 3, and of course, to all currently active skydivers.
When people learn that I eat whole food, plant-based, usually because my wife brings it up, they typically react in one of these ways:
- I would never do that. I love bacon (or cheese) too much.
- There is so much confusion about nutrition, so I just eat what I want.
- I was vegan or vegetarian or raw or keto or paleo once.
Thank you so much for your kind words Dan’l. I wrote “Skydivers Know Why Birds Sing” for skydivers and non skydivers alike. It is available on Amazon as paperback or Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BM6NT6PQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0