If you met Ron Carlson, CEO of a Chicago-based architectural firm, you wouldn't necessarily think of him as the daredevil type. But Ron's life has been a series of death-defying exploits. Into the Unknown: True Stories of a Pilot Cheating Death chronicles a few of Ron's most brazen endeavors, from flying to the high Arctic and being stalked by polar bears to bailing out of an old World War II bomber before it crashes.

Ron undertakes the adventures in these tales to satisfy his unrelenting curiosity. He survives them due to his ability to plan for every possible contingency. Each narrow escape reveals valuable lessons about navigating our lives -- and daring to live our dreams.