I’ve recently been on a narcissistic rant in these blogs, talking a lot about my distant past. That is what old people do, which is exactly why young people avoid them so assiduously. I’m surprised I haven’t been arrested for manslaughter by driving readers into a coma via extreme boredom. 😅

Here’s the thing, though. I sense that the few out there reading my personal recollections rather enjoy them. Well, you lucky people, I want you to know that there are unabridged versions of my collected memories … works that go on for many volumes 📚 . Yes, my friends, your life is about to become complete.

When I retired, and my spouse started to decline cognitively (which largely ended our traveling days). I needed something to occupy my restless brain 🧠. So, I turned to non-academic writing ✍️. This was a dream I had as a child. While other kids wanted to be athletes, I dreamt of being the next Eugene O’Neil or James Joyce (at least after I realized I had no athletic talent). At the same time, neither did I want to starve, so I drifted into a day job as an academic. Over a dozen years or so, starting around 2010, I wrote (and rewrote) many books … some fiction (which I will discuss separately) and some memoirs of various sorts. It turned out there was something to my childish fantasy about being an author. I simply loved engaging in expressive writing that was not strangled by the academic straitjacket. If I was known for anything in the academy, it was my skills in expressing myself via the written word.

So, if you liked my recent reflective blogs at all, even a smidge, you will love ❤️ the longer versions. I describe several of the most recent versions of my memoirs below:

A Clueless Rebel. This is a hilarious recounting mostly of my early years in the post WWII period. I realized I made an impact on the world right from the start. My parents took one look at me and said, “we are not making this mistake again.” Thus, I was an only child. My most amazing feat was surviving to adulthood at all. I had no demonstrable skills or talents but have made it this far. My entire life is a testament to the fact that you can fool way more people than you ever imagined. Anyway, Amazon readers gave this gem 4.9 out of 5 stars.

The work above to the right is my final academic book, so I will skip over that unless you suffer from insomnia and need a sleep aid. The book on the left, A Wayward Academic, covers my years as a policy wonk and academic. Though I spent virtually all my life in the academy, I was never an academic by disposition. I loved doing public policy. I was fortunate enough to be at a premier policy research entity during the era when poverty and welfare reform were front burner issues. In this work, I tell the story of how we went from a war on poverty to a war on the poor from my personal involvement. Again, I relate this fascinating story with great humor and more than a bit of insight.

Our Grand Adventure. I pretty much got into personal writing ✍️ after my old Peace Corps group (India 44) gathered for a reunion in 2009 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our return from the sub-continent. It was the only anniversary I ever attended and proved so significant that some members subsequently wrote two edited volumes on our PC experiences. Those efforts lighted my writing bug. Eventually, I took some of that material and turned it into a more personal memoir (this is my 2nd effort). It is funny, sad, and inspirational. Peace Corps was a transformative experience for virtually all of us.

Finally, Confessions of an Accidental Scholar. This is more of a crossover book than a memoir. It contains abridged versions of my better thoughts (and writings) that I had as an ersatz scholar and academic. I liked being in the academy but disliked the rigidity and limits of being an academic. Still, I used my own approach and style to influence both the academic and policy worlds. This is drier than the other works but remains engaging nevertheless. Non academics can well enjoy it, especially if you have any interest in public policy.

All of these are available on Amazon.com (most also in Kindle form).

See http://www.booksbytomcorbett.com for more information.