Ray Man, A Sharecropper's Memoir

"Hardships create character in people like heat and pressure create diamonds in carbon." This book describes the extraordinary journey of transformation for Dr. Andrew Motes from a life of poverty in the backwoods of Arkansas to becoming one of the World's leading experts for laser technology-from studying by kerosene lamp to designing space-age technology. The author uses a story-telling style to describe his experiences as a sharecropper, trapper, grocery-store clerk, motorcycle mechanic, electronic technician, electronic engineer, military officer, computer software developer, space systems engineer or "rocket scientist", laboratory research scientist, laser physicist, college professor, civil servant, and defense contractor. His journey of transformation was also a journey of understanding-of himself and humanity. In his many roles he interacted with people at all social levels and learned that all of mankind suffers from one common affliction, regardless of social status.