18 Tons and 92 Hours: and 160 other clouds of dust

18 Tons, 92 Hours and 160 Other Clouds of Dust

What happens when a young man comes of age during the Vietnam era, narrowly avoids the draft, serves in the Air Force Reserve, and spends the rest of his life chasing adventure?

In this unforgettable memoir, Fredric W. Altman shares a lifetime of remarkable experiences, from Air Force Reserve stories and outrageous moments to dangerous jobs, fast cars, and unbelievable close calls. Told with honesty, wit, and humility, this funny memoir proves that real life is often stranger than fiction.

More than a military service memoir, this is a collection of real life adventure stories filled with unforgettable characters, risky decisions, and hard-earned lessons. Whether surviving dangerous situations, working grueling jobs, or finding humor in life's most unexpected moments, Altman's stories capture the spirit of a generation growing up in the 1960s and coming of age during Vietnam.

The book's two defining episodes—the federal takedown of an 18-ton marijuana-smuggling operation that leads to Altman's imprisonment and his harrowing 92-hour ordeal lost at sea—serve not as the ending but as pivotal turning points in a life marked by risk-taking and resilience.

If you enjoy a baby boomer memoir, true stories from the Vietnam era, a memoir of dangerous jobs, true survival stories, or a near death experience memoir, you'll find yourself turning page after page.

18 Tons, 92 Hours and 160 Other Clouds of Dust is a working class American memoir and a memoir of extraordinary experiences that reminds us life isn't measured by the years we live, but by the stories we have to tell.