Cowboys, Fishermen, and Monks: Bitten By 3rd World Wanderlust

A young man quits his comfortable life to attempt the world's 5 most dangerous jobs ...

One day Tom Mattson was watching "Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel when he heard it advertised as "The world's most dangerous job." Inspired, he set out to do this and the world's other deadliest jobs. These included deep-sea fishing off the coast of Alaska, working as a jackeroo on a cattle ranch in the Australian Outback, and sifting for blood diamonds in equatorial Africa.

The danger came when unexpected. He survived fishing in the Bering Sea, but nearly succumbed to extreme cold when caught in snowstorms in interior Alaska while riding his motorcycle back 3000 miles.

Like the stars in the night sky, unabated darkness filled his life for years, punctured by brief moments of elation including becoming skilled at negotiating with Indians and being able to feel the ecstasy of light passing through his body during Vipassana.

Part epic story of survival, part travelogue, and part spiritual enlightenment, the scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of nonfiction in recent years.