Many of our armchair adventures began by flipping pages of a National Geographic Magazine. Glimpses of foreign cultures, the beauty of the planet from the majestic to the minute, or a look toward the heavens above or secrets below have come from the images of National Geographic photographs. As photographer and writer over the past four decades, Fred Ward has opened our eyes to special and spectacular views of the world. His contributions to Time, Newsweek, Life, and, of course, National Geographic have led him through adventures that we merely read about. If the adventure makes the man, his retelling makes his audiences a part of the action.Fred Ward has simply done it all. His travels for Geographic led him through more than 130 countries, piloting experimental aircraft and his own helicopter, and diving underwater, all in search of the perfect picture and the most interesting story. His photography has won numerous national awards, and his work--including historic images of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Gerald Ford¬--is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Library of Congress. His journalism has also collected a variety of honors. Fred's gemstone series for National Geographic evolved into nine published gem books. His connections in the industry gave him the opportunity to become not only a gem dealer but also the owner and founder of Jade Designs, Blue Planet Gems, and ultimately, Gem Book Publishers. Along the way, he produced and directed two National Endowment for the Humanities films on Mexico, and various TV commercials and corporate documentaries, and he served as a special gem consultant for National Geographic television. Without a doubt, through his explorations in the world, this man shares his legendary experiences with the rest of us.