A LIFE OF EXTREMES is a rare book. It spans Jeff's years as a reporter as he takes us on a fascinating global journey. Both a compelling memoir and gripping travelogue, it is suffused with the sort of compassion, empathy and humanity that only a journalist of McMullen's experience and calibre can provide. From the breathtaking wilds of the Amazon to the timeless beauty of Antarctica, McMullen has seen more of the world than most people could ever hope to see in ten lifetimes. Such commitment and devotion to his craft has brought him fame and peer respect, but it has also had a great impact on his relationships with family and friends and exposed him to sights and sounds beyond the parameters of everyday life. Unthawing a 5300-year-old 'Iceman', tracing the footseps of Jesus, riding by helicopter into the war zones of the Himalaya, unmasking confidence tricksters in rural India, riding with Mongol horsemen, sipping tea with double agents in Moscow, freeing slaves in the Philippines, dancing in the White House, jamming with blue stars, climbing volcanoes, diving with whale sharks...McMullen has led a life of high adventure, matched in intensity by his commitment to serious journalism. But amid these fascinating tales, McMullen writes with poignancy and deep pathos of fallen and much-missed comrades, his father's tragic descent into alcoholism, and the terrible accident that took the life of his beloved mother. It is a jolting reminder to all of us that life is a gift, something to be enjoyed and treasured, not wasted. Every moment on this beautiful planet, urges McMullen throughout A LIFE OF EXtREMES, is precious.
