A patriot and pilot, innovator and explorer, King Kong creator Merian C. Cooper was into much more than just monkey business.

In the new book Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong, author Mark Cotta Vaz sheds light on the film pioneer whose real life made his on-screen action seem pale by comparison.

Although best known for Kong, Cooper was an aviation pioneer who flew combat missions in World Wars I and II, an explorer who traveled extensively in Asia and Africa, and a Hollywood innovator who, along with Kong, was the mastermind behind Cinerama and The Searchers.

In his book, Mr. Vaz describes Cooper's exploits, his failures and successes, with the same sort of hyperbole and purple prose that Cooper, a natural showman, might have employed. The result is a book that, while factually riveting, often becomes overburdened by its desire to match the tone of the man's life with certain literary acrobatics.

Still, this story of an actual Renaissance man moves along at a pretty fair clip, slowing substantially only when it ironically becomes bogged in the minutiae of Kong. Mr. Vaz, clearly attracted to the project as a fan of the film, lovingly lavishes attention on the creative and technical process of bringing the great ape superstar to life. Dedicating a large chunk of space to what is essentially a few short months in a long life seems to not only discount Cooper's other achievements but also perhaps overstate the importance of this singular moment in the context of his life.

Still, it's hard to fault a writer for lavishing love on Kong. After all, despite his other achievements, the rise and fall of the cinematic simian is what Merian C. Cooper will be remembered for, and that's not such a bad thing.

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.