M. F. Staley

"Jim" M. F. Staley

It is a spicy, humorous, well written, autobiographical novel about life in the 20th century. One hundred and sixty pages of print and pictures depict the experiences of the author, personified as Jim Hanson.

During WWII Jim was shipped to Australia as the Sergeant Major of a tank destroyer battalion. He attended officer's candidate school in Australia and graduated as a Second Lieutenant. His first assignment was terminated rather unceremoniously, but he enjoyed success and promotion during his second one. After five years of service, three of which were spent overseas, he was released to the army reserves.

Life with his wife and their adopted daughter, plus numerous assignments as an industrial chemist, was followed by retirement. The deaths of his wife and daughter. Loneliness and boredom led him to become a Real Estate salesman. That helped him and his second wife select their future home and he acquired two wonderful stepsons as a result of their marriage. Unfortunately his wife developed bone cancer, after a few years, and died painfully.

After Jim's second marriage, he dated fifteen widows and finally met one who loved dancing. They had many happy experiences together. But property taxes and inflation created serious financial problems, so Jim arranged to share his home with two immigrant women.

Jim believes that finances are only important to the extent that they enable a person to be happy, healthy and safe. Courses in success motivation, problem solving and decision making helped him greatly during the year that he was a superintendent of production. He believes that more serious study should be given to motivation and demotivation.