Figuring Out Life
A Memoir of my Early Years
by Gary A. Smook

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After the tragic death of his father, Smook, his older brother, Roger, and their mother must find their way forward against the backdrop of the Great Depression and WWII. Smook relates his school years, laced with memorable classmates and neighbors, his newspaper delivery job, the movies he enjoyed seeing, while adding many personal, cultural, and historical details. The author's strong voice is apparent from the very first page. Smook displays a narrative control of language that is conversational and intensely readable, with a good sense of forward momentum and a knack for introducing provoking details.

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This is a compellingly told memoir bursting with period details, providing a time capsule of 1930s and 40s North American urban life during WWII. It is an educational narrative of an individual life that also speaks to larger historical and cultural experiences. - Isabella Ranallo, June 2025

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Gary Smook's formative years were in Oakland, California, after which he attended the University of California in nearby Berkeley to obtain his BS in Chemical Engineering. He then spent 18 years in the paper industry at various locations before accepting a position at the British Columbia Institute of Technology where he taught pulp and paper technology for 20 years. Lacking a good relevant textbook, Gary wrote "The Handbook for Pulp and Paper Technologists" which became the 'bible for the industry'. Now in its 4th edition, this book has sold over 80,000 copies. After retiring from teaching, Gary also wrote a well-received introductory book about classical music entitled "The 100 Greatest Composers and their Musical Works".

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Gary A. Smook