my personal biography of early childhood difficulties, orphanage life, school, Marine Corp Korea deployment, US Air Force enlistment, Civil Service career, Health related retirement, Contractor performance in support of Space shuttle and Aero space engineering.Hobbies of Country music entertaining, Gold mining, rodeo and horseback activities shared with a loving family and wonderful wife, Fran of 56 years

In 1978, the US government waged a war against organised crime. One man was left behind the lines. From 1976 until 1981, Special Agent Pistone lived undercover with the Mafia. Only able to visit his young family once every few months, Pistone - under the alias Donnie Brasco - ate, drank, partied, worked and sometimes killed with the wiseguys. He got so close that his Mafia partner, Lefty Ruggiero, asked him to officiate as best man at his wedding. Pistone's eventual testimony, in such spectacular prosecutions as 'the Pizza Connection' and 'the Mafia Commission' resulted in more than 200 indictments and 100 convictions of members of organised crime.

When Henry Roth published his debut novel Call It Sleep in 1934, it was greeted with considerable critical acclaim though, in those troubled times, lackluster sales. Only with its paperback publication thirty years later did this novel receive the recognition it deserves-- --and still enjoys. Having sold-to-date millions of copies worldwide," Call It Sleep" is the magnificent story of David Schearl, the " dangerously imaginative" child coming of age in the slums of New York.

In 1972, the Philadelphia Phillies experienced one of their worst seasons in franchise history, finishing with an abysmal 59-97 record. Yet throughout this disastrous season, Steve "Lefty" Carlton proved to be a diamond in the rough. In his first year with the club, he led the league with 27 wins, eight shutouts, and a sizzling 1.98 ERA, earning an astounding 45.8 percent of Philadelphia's wins. He also won his first Cy Young award, the first pitcher to do so with a last-place team. This work chronicles Carlton's magical season, including the Rick Wise-for-Carlton trade, his 5-1 start following the players' first-ever strike, his 15-game winning streak, and a number of memorable games along the way. Interviews with Phillies icons, Hall of Famers, and legendary sports writers add insights to this account of Carlton's remarkable achievements amidst one of the most calamitous periods in Phillies history.

A cowboy living and working away from home often gets a longing in his heart to go back home to see his family. Sam hopes that someday he will find a wife to share his days. He also dreams of one day having a family of his own. Sam also has his adventures, troubles, and rewards along the way home. He learns through experience how to control his temper and explores his choices in life to make his world a better place. He learns how to determine the good people from the bad.

Only ten percent of the world’s population is left-handed, and little Gracie Carter is one of them. Growing up left-handed has unexpected and overlooked challenges. Gracie never thought about which hand she used to color. Then her world becomes filled with nicknames and puns when a loud-mouthed classmate, Scott Collins, calls attention to it. Soon, Scott gives Gracie the nickname, Lefty. Others begin calling Gracie by her new identity. The more Gracie disowns being called Lefty, the more she’s teased. She tries to print right-handed, but her numbers look like anything but digits. When she tells her family about the teasing, Gracie learns a valuable lesson about just being herself. Eventually, her teacher finds a way to cleverly, yet gently, end the mockery. Through the everyday experiences of little Gracie Carter, this picture book for children discusses the challenges faced by left-handed people.

“An intimate portrait of a man whose life off the field was equally as captivating as his unparalleled baseball career.”—Yankees Magazine Born into a small-town California ranching family, Vernon “Lefty” Gomez rode his powerful arm and jocular personality across America to the dugout of the New York Yankees. Lefty baffled hitters with his blazing fastball, establishing himself as the team’s ace. Now, drawing on countless conversations with Lefty, more than three hundred interviews conducted with his family, friends, competitors, and teammates over the course of a decade, and revealing candid photos, documents, and film clips—many never shown publicly—his daughter Vernona Gomez and her award-winning co-author Lawrence Goldstone vividly re-create the life and adventures of the irreverent southpaw. A star-studded romp through America’s most glamorous years, with cameos from Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, George Gershwin, Ernest Hemingway, and Marilyn Monroe, Lefty is at once a long-overdue reminder of a pitcher’s greatness and a heartwarming celebration of a life well-lived. “His story transcends sports and gives us a much-needed lesson in grit and grace.”—Jon Meacham “A loving and beautifully written tribute . . . Be prepared to be transformed, and to discover stars who were stars in an age when that word really meant something.”—Mike Greenberg, co-host of ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning “An amiable portrait of a baseball great—like Yogi Berra, Dizzy Dean and Satchel Paige—whose outsized personality looms even larger than his considerable athletic achievements.”—Kirkus Reviews