THE BOOK RECOUNTS THE LIFE AND POLICE CAREER OF FRANK BOLZ FROM HIS YOUTH THROUGH HIS EARLY EXPERIENCES AS A NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICER. FOLLOWING THE SEIZURE OF HOSTAGES AT NEW YORK'S ATTICA PRISON AND THE KILLING OF ISRAELI ATHLETES AT THE 1972 OLYMPICS, THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT DECIDED THAT IT NEEDED A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS. BOLZ, TOGETHER WITH A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND OTHER POLICE OFFICIALS, PLANNED AND OUTLINED THE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION PROGRAM. CENTRAL TO THEIR PLAN WAS THE CONCEPT OF A SPECIAL NEGOTIATING UNIT THAT WOULD RESPOND TO TERRORISM. THEIR CONCEPTS RECEIVED THE FIRST PRACTICAL APPLICATION DURING A STORE HOLDUP AND SIEGE WHICH LASTED 47 HOURS. THE TEAM'S PHILOSOPHY AND TECHNIQUES WERE FURTHER TESTED AND REFINED OVER THE COURSE OF HANDLING OVER 100 CASES, ALL WITH SUCCESSFUL RESULTS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT, THE 1977 BUS HIJACKING AND CLOSURE OF KENNEDY AIRPORT, IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. THE BOOK ALSO EXAMINES THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF TERRORISM AND ANALYZES MISTAKES IN HANDLING THE ATTICA AND 1972 OLYMPICS INCIDENTS. PHOTOGRAPHS, DIAGRAMS, AN INDEX, AND AN APPENDIX DESCRIBING WHAT A PERSON SHOULD DO IF TAKEN HOSTAGE ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)