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Born in 1921, William Bryant was a
Navy pilot in World War II, served as mayor of a small town, surviving
financial setbacks, divorce, and the death of his son. Now in his
nineties, he relates his experiences with an engaging style, a
prodigious memory, and a healthy dose of humor.
When World War II broke out, Bryant was keen to become a Navy pilot.
Color-blind, he dodged some of the rules and learned to fly, seeing
combat in Saipan and Okinawa. Returning home to Summerville, West
Virginia, he got a corporate job and was elected mayor. Married and
enjoying a solid middle class life, the author relished his success
until setbacks and missteps forced him to resign both his position as
mayor and then his job, after almost twenty-five years of service.
Secretly he planned his suicide, but a mysterious vision at the last
minute stopped him. After a divorce and another short-lived career, he
took to rambling, spending some rather wild years in Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico. The unexpected death of his son was a crushing blow, eventually
leading to his resettlement in the US and an “uncharted future.”
Bryant writes about himself in the third person (Bill), possibly to
create emotional distance as he divulges secrets, including encounters
involving gay sex. Such activities and proclivities were not socially
accepted when Bill was young and in his prime; it’s clear he often
battled with his feelings, trying to conduct his public life for the
benefit of all concerned. Now in his nineties, he can openly confide
his recollections, and does so with wit and charm.
Sex! Success! Screwed! is the
honest, straightforward story of a long life fully lived (and not over
yet), with important revelations for those born in later, less
repressive times.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review