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Battle’s new book is an autobiographical look at his life from the time he was a small boy watching crop dusters in North Carolina through his military service and work history. However, it is also an introduction to his brand, The Aerospace Professor. Battle faced racism and mistreatment as he worked his way through school. He then found those racial tensions would follow him into the Air Force. Despite this, Battle performed exceptionally well as part of the flight crew for many of the Air Force’s top fighter planes. Also, although it took Battle a bit longer as he was raising a family, he always believed in the importance of his education and earned a BS and MBA. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force, the author worked technology jobs, mostly for the government. Here, he witnessed the abuse of power and continued racism in America.
After a prolonged situation where Battle blew the whistle on wrongdoing in the company for which he worked, he saw firsthand how little repercussions the guilty parties faced. In contrast, he quickly found himself ostracized and harassed for speaking out. Due to these and other similar circumstances, he realized that to get ahead and promote the STEM and aerospace enterprises which most interested him, he was going to have to do it himself. Thus, he created The Aerospace Professor.
Autobiographies offer the reader an in-depth view of the author’s life. The inside look at the challenges faced by leaders such as Ben Franklin and Maya Angelou can inspire and motivate those that come after them. When considering autobiographies where the author faced epic struggles and setbacks, Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom stands out. In his own way, Battle follows in the footsteps of such leaders, allowing the reader to see his own struggles and how they have led him to where he is today. He puts forth his own brand statement and catchphrase to also inspire his audience. During his employment, he often felt unfairly treated, a situation that many may be able to relate to. To help the audience better understand his situation and the behaviors that were directed toward him, he lists these grievances in detail. However, by giving these details, he is attempting to take the reader to a better place by showing how he has overcome these situations and found a way to develop his own path to pursue his passions.
Battle writes in s straight-forward style and primarily orders his book chronologically. His style is conversational and easy to follow. However, there are several grammatical errors that will distract from the experience, particularly the misuse of homophones. To make his telling more personable and give more insight into his personality, Battle often throws in anecdotes and side stories about popular cultural figures and how he has been inspired by them and even those with whom he has crossed paths. One thing every reader will notice is that the author maintains a positive outlook through all situations, and this is one of the things he is trying to impress upon his readers. Those who enjoy what they discover here will likely be inspired to look up The Aerospace Professor and see what he is currently working on.