"They must have brought in the head engineer beaver to figure this one out."

This story of one man's adventures and misadventures begins in the middle of the past century and extends for many decades. The anecdotes and challenges will resonate with many people, as they describe situations many have experienced in one form or another as they grew up and got older. Told with wit and humility in hindsight, Furest's narrative describes the near drowning of a friend during a prank that went wrong, how the author met his wife and won over her family, escaped secure servitude in a major corporation to gamble on his ability to be a salesperson, and repaired his career after a truly excruciating sales call, among many other rough and smooth patches in a long life.

Enlivened by Daniel Furest's illustrations, the book recalls pivotal moments in the author's life. They are written with a sense of wit, gratitude, and at times, surprise, such as the sending of a lot of flowers to a woman after an embarrassing accident results in Furest's first large life insurance sale, when his intention had been simply to apologize and hope that she would not hate him. A hunter, the author describes the strategies he and his friends devised to get game, only to be outmaneuvered at times. The incident Carey, the author's wife, experiences before a business dinner celebrating the economically successful people of the area, is not to be missed. Furest's book is a celebration not only of his life, but of his environments, family, friends, and faith. It captures "love, laughter, friendships, excitement, and stupidity" well and will undoubtedly put smiles on many readers' faces.

Return to USR Home