Jerry Werner’s memoir, stories written to his grandchildren, is a fascinating and inspiring account of a man’s dogged pursuit of his dream of becoming a pilot and eventually an astronaut. His tale begins when, as a young boy growing up in rural Wisconsin, Jerry dreams of someday becoming an astronaut and walking on Mars. Once he has set his sights on that goal, all of his life decisions are focused on achieving that dream. This a gripping story of persistence, commitment, and courage. Throughout the book, Jerry describes in vivid detail how, over the years and step by step, he encountered and dealt with the obstacles and occasional failures that threatened to derail him. As we follow Jerry on this journey, we learn much about life in the US Naval Academy, about the career of a young naval officer, about the rigorous training pilots must go through. Along the way, we also learn about various ships and aircraft and the challenges our sailors and pilots face daily. But most interesting of all is getting to know Jerry, a bright, curious, obsessively driven, and courageous individual. Jerry is quite transparent as he relates the details of his life. He could very easily have turned this memoir into the tale of a young hero who easily overcomes obstacles and challenges as he achieves his dreams. However, Jerry is quite open and honest as he describes his failures as well as his successes. There is plenty of excitement here, beginning with a dramatic near-failure as Jerry and his aircraft are catapulted into a Caribbean night from the deck of the USS Independence. And that’s not the only close call he survives. Reading this memoir one gains a genuine appreciation for all of our military pilots, and especially for the one who is telling this story. Jerry Werner is definitely someone worth getting to know and admire through his account. I’m looking forward to Volume 2!!