MEMORIES OF AN INTERESTING LIFE

Col. Roush fights battles, hunts wild animals around the world, catches record-breaking fish and makes great use of his camera during his long, full life.

What’s a man to do when his ultra-active life must adjust down to the size of the Smith Ranch retirement complex? For a start, he joins a writers’ group. This is where Roush–the author of the titles Successfully Fishing Lake Tahoe (1976) and World War II Reminiscences (1995)–continued the literary journey that culminated in these essays exploring his many pursuits of happiness. Readers learn about Roush’s experiences as an officer in World War II, various hunting trips in which he was armed with either guns or cameras and fishing expeditions alongside Virginia, his wife of nearly 60 years. The author also shares his views on an academic history book he feels excludes valuable information about the Korean War, on anti-hunters and the havoc they cause, even on the movie Saving Private Ryan. His accounts are speckled with memories and anecdotes about people he has known, most of whom he has kind words for and are now deceased. Roush’s writing can be quite engaging but suffers from a few narrative problems. His sentences occasionally sport an awkward formal structure, and he frequently uses passive voice. Further, the subjects he addresses may be excessively diverse. As the title suggests, the book focuses on Roush’s interesting life, but it’s one so full and varied that it’s likely impossible to encapsulate it in one volume. Jumps from a chapter on the Army War College to Roush’s spiritual account of his rescue of a drowning man can be jarring, and both subjects warrant a deeper look. Readers get the feeling of passing the tips of many narrative icebergs.

An informative collection of essays by an opinionated octogenarian.