Our Time: Embracing the 21st Century And a New Millenium

Our Time is a compilation of editorial essays written between 1980 and 1999 by Mr. Melvyn N. Klein for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times newspaper in Texas.

The lives and events of the last two decades of this millennium are reported on by Mr. Klein - himself, the epitome of the American Dream as a 1996 Horatio Alger Award winner.

From an immigrant family of modest means, Mr. Klein was born in Chicago, reared in Indiana, and schooled in upper state New York, New York City, Washington, D.C., and London, England.

Through hard work, focused commitment, and a dedication to old-fashioned values, Mr. Klein excelled in his pursuit of education, economics, politics, business and the law. His achievements have earned him the respect and friendship of powerful leaders in business, government, education and the arts.

Although his business was based in New Orleans, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and other places, Mel Klein chose to make his residence in Corpus Christi, Texas on the Texas Gulf Coast.

In 1980, Mr. Klein was invited by the publisher and editors of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times to write a periodic column for the newspaper's Op-Ed department, "Feedback."

He brought to the task a reflective mind, honed in a number of disciplines, and informed by associations in the highest reaches of business and politics. His comments on events profited from his rich background - from investment banker, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist, to a political activist and university adjunct professor.

These essays exhibit extraordinary breadth and depth: breadth in the wide range of interests and issues which engaged Mel Klein; and depth in the insights and hidden truths he finds in people and events, great and little known.

The reader will find within these pages insightful accounts of well known celebrities during their times of achievement; commentary on important social changes and challenges in our country; informed reports on economics and world politics; and simple stories about South Texas people, events, and matters of personal character.

This book reflects one man's journey through these years as a businessmman, attorney, father, husband, and teacher. It focuses upon issues - personal and public - and upon people that made a difference in shaping what was happening during our time.

This compilation is being published to allow contemporary consideration of the subjects covered and to provide a resource for future generations to better understand our time.

All profits to the author from the sale of this book will be donated to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for cancer research.