Morton’s autobiography focuses on his career path from the ordinary world of restaurant management to the exciting milieu of corporate speechwriting.

In his debut, the author offers self-deprecating humor and business insight as he tells his life story. It spans from his college days to when he launched his own communications firm and became a husband and father. Morton recalls when he was a bar manager in college and had to fire the most attractive girl on campus for workplace drunkenness: “If she weren’t so pretty, I wouldn’t have fired her.” He then explains his reasoning: If the bar were to earn a profit, the staff had to stop giving away free drinks, and “[i]f the prettiest girl in school could be fired, so could they!” He also remembers his stint as a restaurant-management trainee after college, during which he was trying to impress a waitress; however, she thought that he was mentally disabled, because “[w]ith my garbage bag apron splattered with crab bits and my DeWayne hat, I cut a fine figure.” There are other funny stories from his youth, such as those involving an arrest for a minor traffic infraction while riding his scooter, an ice-cream–eating contest gone wrong, and his time as a reclusive DJ. But, he notes, his life improved dramatically after he completed his MBA and got a job with American Airlines. At this point, the memoir seems destined to fizzle, with the author stuck in a cubicle doing financial analytics—but then Morton reveals that he was promoted to speechwriter for the company’s CEO. He goes on to provide a number of insightful, often funny recollections from his 20-year career writing speeches, press releases and corporate policy memos, addressing everything from corporate turnaround efforts to labor negotiations. Overall, the memoir works best when it reveals Morton’s transformation from a “funny kid who skated through business school” to a “sage business advisor who helped shape corporate policy.” Along with his many personal reflections, he offers readers valuable advice about remaining courageously true to oneself.

An entertaining memoir about a successful corporate career.