Corn and Me

In this era of burgeoning memoirists, Dean Dickinson stands out with his thoughtful reflections on a well-considered life. Weaving his charming stories upon a loosely chronological framework, Dickinson presents a compelling view of the post-Depression and World War II era as he comes of age in a variety of American towns and cities. It is obvious he was a keen observer from his earliest years as he recalls in warm and witty reflections the ordinary and often extraordinary people who populated his life. Dickinson traveled to distant places first as an Air Force officer and later as a civilian engineer. As a chief engineer, he participated in building the global military communications network that helped keep the free world safe during the years of the Cold War.

Readers will enjoy meeting some of his most colorful relatives and friends, his honorable and accomplished father (upon whose life he modeled his own), and his steadfast homemaker mother. Savor the experiences of visiting exotic Turkish localities, or the lush jungles of Guam and Trinidad. Revisit the spring floral beauty of Washington, D.C., when it was still possible to stroll through its parks and public buildings without being jostled by crowds of tourists. Some of his most wistful memories celebrate the important women in his life, his own large blended family, and his enduring love of books and ideas.