In his highly detailed but accessible memoir, Lassam reflects on his prolific, thirty-nine-year career in the Royal Australian Navy. Growing up as an accident-prone child in Australia, he witnessed his parents’ eventual divorce, attended boarding school, and joined the Navy at age eighteen. His friends aspired to become fighter pilots, but Lassam followed a different path that led him to success and purpose as a high-ranking medical officer.

Lassam clearly recalls his time in the Navy with fondness, regaling readers with his travels around the world, infusing humor to balance out the serious, and remembering those lost along the way. He examines triumphs and failures as well as major events in war-torn regions, reminding his audience of the burdens of devoting one’s life to protecting others. Sadly, post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) ultimately ended his career. Lassam came to terms with this significant medical condition and sought treatment, recognizing that his time with the Navy was at an end.

This book is as much a tribute to his own vocation as it is to the many men and women who also serve. Lassam declares that a driving motivation behind writing this book was to advocate for the Australian Defense Forces (ADF). He writes conversationally as if sitting down in the room with a person to tell his life story. He pieces together the book with short, unnumbered but titled chapters, each one telling its own story that fits perfectly within the entirety of the autobiography. There is even a helpful glossary of naval terminology and an index included at the end of the book. Interestingly, he includes two separate epilogues to round out his story. Overall, this is a touching read about one man’s long-term dedication to a fulfilling life of service.

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