A thrillingly written look inside the crash-bang world of the professional stuntman—the first reported book to venture into this wild corner of the movie business.
In The Full Burn, bestselling author and acclaimed journalist Kevin Conley takes readers inside one of the most fascinating and dangerous jobs in the world. With bravura storytelling and full access to many of the legends of the field (including Uma Thurman’s double for Kill Bill and the genius behind the Jason Bourne movies, among many others), Conley gives a passenger’s-seat view of the stuntman’s life: the history, the culture, and the tricks of the trade, showing how—and why—stuntmen do what they do.
What’s the greatest stunt ever performed? Why is the divorce rate among stuntmen so high? What’s it like to go to work not knowing whether you’ll come back? What’s it like for your wife? What’s the scariest trick a stuntman does? Conley delivers the answers in the form of vivid tales from his subjects’ lives—and, in trying to answer the last question, one from his own, when he subjects himself to the rite of passage known as the “full burn.” Funny, gripping, and packed with amazing stories, this is an irresistible book for anyone who loves the movies.
“Briskly entertaining and informative.” —Boston Globe
“If the book equivalent of a popcorn movie exists, "The Full Burn" is that book. A breezy cocktail of "Expect the unexpected" shaken with a large measure of "Don't try this at home," it is an under-the-fireproof-underwear, wired-to-the-hood-of-the-car view of movie-stunt professionals.” —Charleston Post & Courier
“Conley is certainly a fine writer, one with a knack for careful, prolonged observation.” —Buffalo News
“Enter journalist Conley's edge-of-your-seat look at the slam-bang world of stunt pros…Conley covers the spectrum of stuntmen and women, from those who appeared in classic films to the new breed working now. It makes for great supplemental reading for movie fans…An engaging and insightful look behind the curtain of action movies. Grade: A” —Rocky Mountain News
“The Full Burn is a winning short history of the movie stunt… Spending time with the Hollywood legends and future legends was as enjoyable as an afternoon at the movies, and the author's journey through the stunt of the title alone was worth the price of admission.” —Louisville Courier Journal
“Kevin Conley entered the world of an elite corps of daredevils for his new book.” —Boston Globe
“Scratch your itch for adventure travel with this true tale of some real fall guys, and get a lesson in the business of jumping from tall buildings and rolling brand-new cars.” —Fortune Small Business
“So interesting that it’s difficult to stop reading. The author transmits his fascination for the profession, and readers come away with knowledge and respect for those actors for whom tumbling head over heels down a staircase or falling off a galloping horse is all in a day’s work.” —School Library Journal
“Ever watched a movie with an epic car wreck — or a 40-foot free fall, or an old-fashioned alligator tussle — and wondered how they do that? Well, you'll get plenty of geeked-out clarity in The Full Burn, a fascinating chronicle of the Hollywood stunt world, including how author Kevin Conley got to do the whole-body-on-fire gag of the title. But the main draw is less the how than the who, like the guy who fell down the Mayan pyramid in a leather thong, or the matriarch of modern stuntwomen who thinks nothing of tending to a stranger who wrecked his motorcycle right outside her home. A-” —Entertainment Weekly
“With remarkable sensitivity and thoroughness, Conley profiles Hollywood’s top daredevils.” —Booklist
“This lively and entertaining look into a specialized world is highly recommended.” —Library Journal
“Brisk and entertaining…From chapter to engaging chapter, Conley blends film history with his subjects’ realistic assessments of athleticism, sexism, death and technological innovations of the mechanical and computerized kind….Conley develops an impressive camaraderie, access and feel for the stunt world.” —Publishers Weekly
