Far from the Customary Skies

Fülszöveg

Lida Moser
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE BY WARREN EYSTER
I was born in Steelton, Pa., on January 2, 1925. Except for brief
periods, I lived with my grandfather until I was seventeen. I
delivered newspapers, sold subscriptions, and at the age of four-
teen was a collector for overdue accounts. I learned to live hard
at an early age.
At seventeen I was graduated from high school, and took a
job with the Army Air Corps as an hydraulic learner. In August of
1942 I met two friends on their way to the Navy recruiting office.
I just walked along with them. I enlisted and they did not.
I loved the sea. I found war exciting. I loved going into port.
I lost a finger and got shook up a bit. I spent some time in a
naval hospital and then worked in a mental hospital. After this, I
became a pest-control sailor on a naval base in swamp land, and
spent my time hunting down coyotes, rats, mice, mosquitoes and
gophers. I got so bored I would track down coyotes with a club.
After that I... Tovább

Fülszöveg

Lida Moser
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE BY WARREN EYSTER
I was born in Steelton, Pa., on January 2, 1925. Except for brief
periods, I lived with my grandfather until I was seventeen. I
delivered newspapers, sold subscriptions, and at the age of four-
teen was a collector for overdue accounts. I learned to live hard
at an early age.
At seventeen I was graduated from high school, and took a
job with the Army Air Corps as an hydraulic learner. In August of
1942 I met two friends on their way to the Navy recruiting office.
I just walked along with them. I enlisted and they did not.
I loved the sea. I found war exciting. I loved going into port.
I lost a finger and got shook up a bit. I spent some time in a
naval hospital and then worked in a mental hospital. After this, I
became a pest-control sailor on a naval base in swamp land, and
spent my time hunting down coyotes, rats, mice, mosquitoes and
gophers. I got so bored I would track down coyotes with a club.
After that I worked in a lumber yard.
(Continued on back flap)
When I was discharged, I went to
work for the Army Air Corps again.
Boredom led me to take a job with an
old man who had a steam saw and a
track of lumber. I was paid hardly any-
thing, but got enough logs to build a
cabin. A friend anc I built it, all but
the roof. To live we cut grass, cut down
or trimmed trees, and sold ice cream at
a summer resort. Winter came, so I took
a job with Piper Cub of Lock Haven.
Somewhere in the midst of all that
I applied to go to college and wound
up at the Harrisburg Academy, where
two months later they told me I was
good college material. Two years later
I was a college graduate. Then I at-
tended the University of Virginia and
went sailing along great guns towards
a Master's. Except for Chaucer and
Milton. I have 110 gripe against Chau-
cer and Milton, but I have plenty
against the way they are taught.
I began writing Far from the Cus-
tomary Skies at graduate school. Two
of the professors thought it was good.
That made me figure I had enough
education. In the way of acknowledg-
ments, I owe a great deal to several
of my professors.
I have been writing pretty steadily
since leaving graduate school, while
taking jobs. I spert some time in Mex-
ico working with the Friends. I once
set pins in a bowling alley. I worked
for the post office—and So on. Vissza