Photographs, notebooks of leaves, and memories of childhood wonder are poignant reminders of Mary's needless encouragement, "Faster, daddy, faster." Life moves much faster than we think, happy times pass quickly. It's not a substitute for the passage of life, but satisfying to know that Mary and I enjoyed her early years as the good old days worth remembering in a little book. All the days were important and there will continue to be good days but none will be more engaging for Mary and me than those that brought her initial start in life.
School Days in Vietnam is the third book in a trilogy that encompass five years of teaching English in Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam. I only taught for a year in Hanoi and used the second year to travel and carry-on with other missions in my life that included writing much of this book and other stories about travel. I had wanted to live in Hanoi since first visiting in 2004, but the opportunity didnt present itself until eight years later through employment as an English teacher in an international school. In my mind I had high expectations and a goal of remaining in Hanoi for two years. Everything was more interesting and meaningful than I could have expected and at the end of two years I felt tied to my friendships and the amazing lifestyle that was simple yet lavish in humanity. I was totally enamored with Vietnam, the people, the natural beauty of its diverse geography, and the culture that separates it from all other nations. I made more friends than I had in any other country, and in North Vietnam I enjoyed a weather pattern that was near to the tropics but decidedly four seasons.
Ready, Set, Take Off! Make sure your tray table is secure and your seat is in its upright position as you get ready to encounter God’s supernatural power! Written by a professional pilot and airline captain, The Miracle Landing launches you into a fascinating spiritual realm that many have yet to experience. You will read about amazing, miraculous, out-of-this-world, true-life incidents—that are absolutely God. Filled with suspense, twists and turns, and fast-paced supernatural action, you will find it hard to stop reading because the book shares astonishing insights into the divine, leaving you inspired, encouraged, hopeful, and blessed. The Miracle Landing reveals how you can discover and encounter God, and position yourself to receive the miraculous from the miracle-working God of the Universe. You will be captivated by the modern-day, high-flying stories that bring the Scriptures to life within you—taking your spirit to heights beyond your most vivid imagination directly into God’s love.
Ma Barker and Pretty Boy Floyd once shot their way across the state, and Bonnie and Clyde were known to travel within its borders. Between 1933 and 1938, thirty bank robberies occurred in Kansas, while livestock thefts also grew at an alarming rate. Little wonder, then, that pressure was brought to bear on the state legislature to create a Kansas counterpart to the Texas Rangers or FBI. Larry Welch, tenth director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, now provides readers with the first history of that agency, spanning the years 1939-2007. His account includes, among other things, detailed case studies of the KBI's participation in the high-profile arrests of serial killers Francis Donald Nemechek of western Kansas and Dennis Rader, the infamous BTK of Wichita. His taut chapters also highlight the relentless investigators, dedicated forensic scientists, crime analysts, and everyone else who has labored on behalf of the KBI's pursuit of justice. They take readers behind the headlines to reveal how KBI agents played a key role in capturing Richard Hickock and Perry Smith of In Cold Blood fame, and consider other high profile cases such as Gary Kleypas's murder of a Pittsburg State student and KU student Shannon Martin's killing in Costa Rica. Born between the Great Depression and World War II as a select group of ten investigators, the bureau's earliest assignments reflected the needs of the time: bank robbery, homicide, gangsters, livestock theft (especially cattle rustling), and narcotics (notably "marihuana weed"). Welch shares the episode that established the KBI in the public eye, an attempted 1941 bank robbery in Macksville where two escapees from Lansing prison refused to surrender and died in a Main Street shootout with KBI agents. He then brings readers up to the activities of today's staff of 300-including a Cold Case Squad and state-of-the-art forensic labs-as it tackles the scourge of the new century, methamphetamine, and cybercrime, including child pornography and identity theft. Readers will thrill to the persistence and ingenuity evidenced by these accounts of bringing infamous criminals to justice-and even exonerating the wrongly convicted. Beyond Cold Blood blends true crime and institutional history to make must reading for all aficionados of danger.
Advance Praise for A Happy Journey "We could all do with a little Larry in our lives. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. May you relish every word as I did." -Dr. Martha Lee, Clinical Sexologist, Eros Coaching, Singapore "The stories he shares are all around us; they are in everyone we meet and interact with. Larry's true gift isn't the great friend he is or the fine example of an American that he is, but rather the storyteller, traveler, and humanist." -Captain Kurt Hummeldorf, DC, USN, Manassas, Virginia "Larry's book is provocative and captivating reading. He has an unusual power of observation, a love for people, and an enthusiasm for adventure." -Jacqueline Delaverdac DeMent, Kalamazoo, Michigan Part travelogue, part geography and history lesson, and all mixed with subtle humor, A Happy Journey captures the experiences of author Larry Welch. An expatriate living in Singapore and Thailand who traveled to many countries, Welch narrates tales about real people who seem to be a degree removed from the ordinary. The fifty-three vignettes, first appearing in his electronic column, "On the run ...," reflect humanity's rich diversity-from entertaining ghosts to riding camels to monkeys begging for peanuts on a hotel balcony in Malaysia.
In 2008 I was new to Thailand and new to the amazingly wonderful world of teaching English as a second language. It was bewildering, invigorating, and life changing. No days passed that I didn't marvel at the interaction with students and teachers. At the end of two years in Thai public education I was both exhausted and exhilarated with the experience. At that time my sense of personal history persuaded me to tell this story. I hope it is one that you will enjoy." Larry Welch ---------- What People Are Saying Larry writes with humor, honesty and incredible detail. His book is full of descriptions that in some cases whet your appetite to visit the places Larry is describing. Cheryl Keane, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia Sprinkled with humor and lightness along the way Larry touches the heart of readers with his enlightening experiences. Highly recommended! Marcia Bolog, Milan, Michigan, USA This is an important book for those interested in Thailand or secondary education in a foreign country. April Zhang, Professor, Daejeon University, Daejeon, South Korea
Travels Here and There possesses stories from the heart about places far and near. Included in this volume readers are entertained by Larry Welchs recollections of travel to Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Malawi, Michigan, Nepal, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia. The final chapter is a personal story that involved a short journey from home to a hospital in Thailand and what transpired. Embedded with the stories are descriptions of geography, history, urban planning, and details on what went into making people famous or infamous as the case might be. Larry likes heroes and that shows through in his descriptions of what made some people great. Strolling through castles, fortresses, markets, museums, palaces, parks, Roman ruins, or dining on street food and riding buses or trains, will leave readers hungry for more and even give them a better appreciation for their own travels. In Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain wrote, Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all ones lifetime. Amen, Mr. Twain!
The Human Spirit features 96 stories of reflection on life through the authors personal travel experiences in America, England, Greece, Italy, and the countries of Southeast Asia. The human interest stories and personalities featured inspire laughter, tears, and a re-thinking of lifetime directions. It is a potpourri of stories about good people, some in bad situations, who dont give up. From children to the elderly, Larry Welch reflects on the human condition, how we think, and hints to a better outcome through the power of optimism and a glad heart. Traveling from Washington, DC to Americas heartland in the Midwest and to Europe and Southeast Asia readers learn that we are truly one human family. Through differences in language, skin, religion and culture, the author exposes the joy of our humanity. The Human Spirit teaches about the good hearts in this world, how strong and generous we can be in our compassion, and readers learn a little about greed. The Human Spirit has captured those in homelessness, some people with life threatening diseases, children looking at the world through the eyes of innocence, and senior citizens living pretty good lives.
Help is here for grandparents wanting to acquaint their grandchildren with exceptional children's books "Read to Me NOW, Grandpa." When a young grandchild wants to be read to, a grandparent does it right then, regardless of whether or not it is convenient at that particular moment. Larry Welch's experience, including 20 years of teaching college-level children's literature courses, has enabled him to write a useful guidebook for grandparents and great-grandparents in Read to Me NOW, Grandpa, A Guide for Sharing Books with Grandchildren. It suggest to grandparents good books that they can share with their grandchildren of many different ages, thereby exposing them to the best in contemporary children's literature. The books and ideas about how to use them cited in this guidebook will help grandchildren build skills- not only in reading, but also in writing, listening, speaking and imagining. Grandparents have a unique opportunity to foster these skills and attitudes.
This is my ninth book, but in so many ways the writing and research has been my most satisfying experience as I journeyed back in time to once again find a shared life with my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They were my indispensable guides in learning the most basic skills from taking my first steps to not being afraid of a world that was bigger than I was. Later, I had the best friends and classmates anyone could be fortunate enough to have as part of their growing-up world. There was a one-room country school, larger school in a small Michigan village, a generous and loving minister, and good teachers. This and so much more was part of my life in the 1940s and 50s. Now I share my life and times with you. I hope you will enjoy it!
You're no idiot, of course. You work overtime to bulk up your paycheck, try to pay off your credit card balance every month, and even manage to save a little for a rainy day. But when it comes to setting financial goals, all you can think of is your lotto numbers. Don't buy another lottery ticket! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Rich, Second Edition gives you everything you need to achieve the wealth you want. Feel empowered to take steps to increase your assets and reduce your liabilities. Feel positive about saying "no" to impulse spending. In the completely revised and updated edition of this best seller, you get:
In 2010, I came to Rangoon, Burma, as a tourist for the first time. A few weeks later, I had returned as an English teacher at an international school. I stayed for two years absorbing life in the classroom and in Burma's cities and villages. My life has been filled with travel to fascinating places, but my time in Burma was especially well spent in learning the stories and seeing the sights that contained centuries of culture and history. These stories from the heart make me smile and I hope you will find them equally entertaining. Larry Welch
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