From a five star review:
“This book is a true recounting of what it was like to fly training aircraft, both prop and jet. The anxieties of both daily danger and lurking Viet Nam duty made for some tenseness in the life. But nothing is more exciting than high speed, high G-force air to air combat in identical aircraft except maybe high speed, low altitude terrain following flights over west Texas.”
The riveting story of a young man caught in the crosshairs of the Vietnam conflict. Freshly out of ROTC, a virtuous Ensign German signed up for the Navy Seal program with fine intentions and an infantile lack of good sense. Starting his career with this poorly considered decision would lead to a year on a backwater Destroyer, relegated to a humiliating stint as Laundry and Morale officer. One wintry day among the swells off San Clemente Island, the clouds parted for an auspicious moment.
A sleek and speedy emissary from the heavens appeared with a roar. For a split-second, a brilliant light flickered upon its grey fuselage and illuminated the Star Insignia of our vaunted U.S. Armed Forces. His once murky future had in that instant, acquired an ambitious objective. “What if I could become a Navy pilot?
The answer was yes. During a year filled with peril, excitement and more than one heart-stopping romantic encounter, German inched toward his goal. Little did he realize that his mission to win the coveted “Wings of Gold” would put his own life at risk, expose his weaknesses and test his propensity for living toward the edge. Embarrassing stumbles are fully described, as is the subsequent artful plan to attain an elite position in his squadron. The essence of this book? Moving past failure.
Comment from a participant:
While I am nowhere near done I can fully appreciate the talent you exhibit - I love your style and the humor you inject makes an already intriguing read even more palatable. Yours is an "I can't put it down" book.
Did I skip ahead a bit? Perhaps and if I did, I might have rediscovered that moment in time when two people shared a very special relationship - which - at least on one of their parts - has surpassed that moment and will always linger in her being.
Again thank you for that dear author.
Here’s your chance to step into the shoes of a worldly-wise man, to ingest his exciting life experience from the comfort of your recliner.
The author has not been down in a coal mine, nor journeyed to the moon. He has been to jail, but not to prison. He has embraced the proper 9 to 5 routine of a businessman, while simultaneously enjoying the romantic nightlife of a roue.
He was comfortable at the controls of a supersonic jet aircraft, strapped into a rocket-propelled ejection seat, sucking up oxygen to cure his hangover. He has island-hopped through the Bahamas sitting next to his demented student pilot friend Blake.
Between the cheap cardboard covers of this book you will discover a life as it should be lived. That is, to the fullest. The top 75 adventures have been carefully selected, described in colorful detail, and when necessary, amped up for your reading pleasure.
A semi-biographical book with the boring stuff omitted. How many troubling incidents can befall one man in his foolhardy life? You won’t believe half of these shenanigans. Lavishly illustrated.
Warning. Contents may be too strong for gentle readers.
From a five star review:
As an architect myself, I really enjoyed the realistic professional details. But I think anyone would be gripped by the twists and turns of the plot and of the characters, the passionate romantic sequences and the shockingly unexpected ending. A hard book to put down until the end. Highly recommended.
Desperation, Temptation, Betrayal. And…Passion.
It is 1988. The pressure builds within 40-year-old architect Lamont Handler. He racks his brain for a quick fix to his self-inflicted financial woes. Could his creativity be used for a one-time personal gain?
Lamont’s crafty eye spots a vulnerability during the design of the money vault within the new Freedom Trustco Bank building. His client is gullible, the contractor a willing conspirator, the plan foolproof. The clock is ticking, the mission demands collaboration. The handsome hunk must assemble a team amenable to criminality, and fast. Who, among his acquaintances, will embrace the necessary level of iniquity required?
Just hours before the break-in, panic intrudes. Lamont’s brilliant scheme is being hijacked by the very person crucial to his success. He has been seduced, duped and chillingly betrayed. His poor decision will likely put him in prison and end his promising career. Lamont may have overestimated his own ingenuity.
Or maybe not. After all, he is an architect!
From a five star review:
“Very straightforward, great insight into successfully navigating one's way into the business of architecture. Must read for those transitioning from acadamia to the world of employment.”
A valuable resource to contemplate initially and keep handy as a reference to revisit over time. Well written and illustrated!
"This is a book to buy, study and then use as a reference throughout your career. Mr. German has openly shared his formula for getting ahead in any architecture firm, large or small. Immerse yourself in fascinating tales of inner office machinations. Read about the successes and failures of a professional driven to make himself and his firm an undeniable center of creativity, competitiveness and profitability. The use of clear and simple language is a pleasant surprise coming from a pragmatic and successful practitioner of almost 40 years. Recommended for all levels, interns to proprietors—designers, managers, and those in the trenches."
Sound intriguing? There are many more riveting tales scattered throughout the book itself. Check the Contents, place your order and polish up those reading glasses.
