Without A Compass

Without A Compass follows a young man born into a situation where the odds are against him. After the death of his mother he constantly struggles to escape his stepfather and Cincinnati’s notorious West End. Undergoing many changes against a backdrop of drugs, poverty and prison, he finds his purpose through involvement with the historic social movements of his generation. After overcoming bitter set-backs, he finds redemption through an unforeseen combination of individuals and events. Without A Compass shows how frightening, difficult, and even ostracizing, earning a college degree can be if you live on Gest Street in Cincinnati or on any other street like it anywhere in the country.

Martin Terrell and his wife Jeanette live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with their pampered dog Charlie. Now retired, Martin worked for more than twenty years as a "professional beggar," as he puts it. The former Campaign Manager and Major Gifts fundraiser enjoyed raising funds for both universities and non-profits. He is co-author of the "Social, Political, and Economic Contexts of Public Relations," a Journalism graduate school textbook, and of a children's book, "Amanda Salamander Discovers the Secret of Happily Ever After." "Without A Compass" is his first memoir.