Snap Shots is a collection of short stories that take place in different parts of the world, on five continents. The stories are mostly about interesting and unusual characters and situations that the author encountered while on wingshooting excursions in various countries. It begins with the first story that takes place when the author is 13 years old and living in Japan when his father worked for the U.S. government. From that point, several interesting characters that the author knew and met through his teen years and adulthood while in Japan are described. From Japan the location shifts to California and the unusual people that the author encountered there in his early adulthood while afield. Then the scene shifts to various places overseas when the author goes to work for the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. The reader is taken to Greece, Ecuador, Paraguay, Egypt, Mexico, and finally back to America and Arizona, where the author retired. Snap Shots is a fascinating account of the author's journey, a lifelong odyssey as a wingshooter, from a 13 year old kid in Japan to a retired Foreign Service Officer living in Arizona. The odyssey, which takes 60 years, gives readers a glimpse into lives and culture of people rarely described in literature. It is as if "Snap Shots" were taken with a camera, at different places, different times, and different people. It is more of a collection of stories about people and places than about hunting or wingshooting. To be sure, all these characters are encountered while wingshooting, and hunting does play an important role. But, it is first and foremost a collection of stories about people. The author is a veteran of the Special Forces (Green Berets) and a former college professor who joined the Foreign Service and spent almost a quarter of a century living and working abroad. He is a multi-linguist, and his knowledge of the people and countries described in this collection is very intimate, not just your average traveler's observations. Snap Shots is a fascinating read, whether you like or are interested in hunting or not! It is first and foremost a collection of stories about people.
