Newport, Rhode Island was my first Navy home. The town and the Navy there were enchanting then and certainly now.

The third leg of my trip to promote my book, Steel Decks and Glass Ceilings, was back to Newport to give a “Lecture of Opportunity” for the “Leadership and Ethics” column at the Naval War College. It was an honor to be invited.

As with my Vanderbilt presentation to promote my appearance, i had angels who had a major role in getting me there. Noreen Leahy, one of the heroines in my book, graduated in the second class with women at the Naval Academy. She continues to work in New York but spends her weekends in her home in Newport. One of Noreen’s classmates lives in Newport. Margaret “Peg” Klein is a retired Rear Admiral Naval Aviator who currently is the Dean of the Leadership and Ethics College at the Naval War College in Newport. The two met with other classmates when Noreen gave Peg a copy of my book.

Meanwhile Ed Hebert, a retired Captain Surface Warfare Officer and golfing friend read my book. When he saw me at the Sea ‘n Air Golf Course on the North Naval Air Station, North Island, he recommended that i present my book to the Surface Warfare Officer’s (SWO’s) course for newly commissioned officers, also in Newport.

Subsequently, i exchanged emails with Emily Baker Black, another heroine in the book, who independently recommended i make a presentation to the SWO school as well as the department head course, also at the SWO school.

After reading my book, Admiral Klein discussed with me the possibility of my providing a “Lecture of Opportunity” at the Naval War College.

With all of this help, the result was i went to Newport the day after my Vanderbilt presentation and held my “Lecture…” at the Naval War College. It was as, if not more rewarding as the Vanderbilt presentation. Instead of NROTC midshipmen, the preponderance of the audience were Navy officers in the Surface Warfare School’s Department Head course. The others there included a special foursome for me.

One, Andrew Nemethy, came down from Adamant, Vermont. Andrew and i were shipmates on my first ship, USS Hawkins (DD 873), who, along with Rob DeWitt, shared the stateroom in forward officers, roamed the Virginia countrysides in a Fiat Spider and BMW road bike on numerous weekends, along with sharing many adventures in Newport and then Norfolk, Virginia, 1968-69. Andrew and i have been plotting for a number of years on getting together, but one in Vermont and one in San Diego does not make for many opportunities. Andrew took advantage of my trip and made our rendezvous after 53 years.

To make it almost perfect, three of my heroines from Yosemite. Linda Schlesinger, who lives in Carlsbad just up the road from me in the Southwest corner, and i stayed in Noreen and Jim Leahy’s beautiful home in Middletown, intertwined with Newport. Emily Baker Black, who also lives in Newport, was our social director for my four days there. All three of these women officers were leaders then and leaders now. They also came to my lecture.

i was living my span of Navy life with an officer (Andrew) a shipmate on my first ship and three officers on my last ship.

These three, Andrew, and Admiral Klein, added to the discussion in the lecture. Approximately 25 officers who were attending the department head course at the Surface Warfare School were at the lecture. i had attended that course in 1974 when the school house was known as the Destroyer School. But folks, i was home.

Andrew joined us for dinner the first evening. Afterwards, Noreen and Emily took us all over Newport, including some wonderful dining. One was The Black Pearl, which was my hangout every time i went back. When not dining out, Noreen came up with some fantastic meals of her own leading to sea stories late into the evenings. Linda took this photo on one of those evenings. In the foreground is the work of the Yosemite’s carpenter’s shop. It is a wooden yo-yo, another nickname for Yosemite. The photo on the left is of Frank Kerrigan, our ship’s doctor (and my daughter’s godfather), in his improper service dress blues standing into Palma. the other photo is of Linda in the foreground and LT George Sitton behind her in his flight quarters gear. The book is dedicated to George who died way too soon.

My stay in Newport was one of the best four days of my life. i was taken back to days of yore in oh so many ways.

Thanks Andrew, Noreen, Emily, Linda, Peg, and Alicia Carvalho (the course coordinator for the Leadership and Ethics College at the Naval War College who took exceptional care of me.

My time at Vanderbilt and Newport boosted my spirits beyond any expectations.

Dear folks,

After months seeming like years due to my futile battle against the gods of the electronic nether world, i have, with the substantial part of the work belonging to Walker Hicks, managed to figure out how folks can not only buy my book through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online stores but can now get a signed copy using a credit card or Google Pay on my website.

If you would like to get a signed copy, go to the “Books” page on this site, click on Steel Decks and Glass Ceilings. There are four options for purchasing the book, three online: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Above that there is a “Buy Now” button under “Buy Signed Copies.” There are three options for purchasing, select your choice and enter you information.

We are currently working on having a space for your mailing address and any desired comments you would like me to include with my signature. Hopefully that will be included in the next couple of days. If you would like to order a signed copy earlier, please send me an email (jimryejewell@gmail.com) with your mailing/shipping address and desired comment.

The price for a signed copy includes shipping and taxes.

Thanks. Sorry my delay in making this available.

My journey back east provided a second wonderful time for me. And i considered it closure, much needed closure. i had a presentation at Vanderbilt University in the late afternoon, Monday, October 17, 2022.

Andrew Maraniss is the writer in residence in the Vanderbilt Athletic Department, author of four impactful and moving books. He also writes for ESPN. Better yet, Andrew has become a good friend. He sponsored my making this presentation about my book, Steel Decks and Glass Ceilings at Vanderbilt. If not abetted by Candice Storey Lee, Andrew was certainly supported in his efforts by this amazing woman. She has my utmost respect in so, so many ways. Andrew was an incredible host. We toured the athletic facilities at the McGugin Center and the continuing upgrading of Memorial Gymnasium, the unique and rather incredible facility for men and women’s basketball and the upcoming women’s volleyball programs.

It is always a joy for me to visit the athletic complex at Vandy. i keep thinking about my gym at Lebanon Junior High, 1956-58 and the Castle Heights gym, 1958-62. Both housed the dressing rooms for football, basketball, and Heights’ baseball dressing room was in the Heights gym. They were, compared to Vanderbilt’s facility…how to say this? Perhaps rudimentary. Yet the most impressive thing about Vanderbilt’s facilities was not the sophisticated manner in which they provided the utmost of support for the the athletes, but how they reflect the vision of David Williams, the late Vice Chancellor of Athletics, who said, “We do it the right way, the Vandy way, when addressing Vanderbilt’s dedication to ensure the Commodore athletes are provided an education and a full student-athlete experience, preparing them for life after athletics or pursuing their dreams in their sport at the professional level. i could go on and on, but i will just say i believe in Vanderbilt because Williams’ dream is being realized through the ongoing efforts of Candice Lee, the Vanderbilt head coaches in all of their sports, Andrew Maraniss, and a host of staff dedicated to success, not necessarily defined by always winning. Someday, as Clark Lea, the relative new coach of the football team has said they just might be moving towards winning at the highest level of major and minor collegiate sports. i believe in the Vandy way.

That tour Andrew gave me led to my presentation to about 30 midshipmen (men and women) from Vanderbilt’s NROTC program; their commanding officer, Captain Brian Erickson; the coordinator for military and veteran students, Jill Stratton; and Catherine Hooper, the Vanderbilt staffer who has been working on her novel (coming out soon) parallel to my working on my book who also has become a good friend. Candice.

Middle Tennessee State University Dean of English, Stephen E. Severn, came from Murfreesboro as well. i graduated with a BA in English from MTSU. After the turn of the year, Dr. Severn and i will have a “zoom” discussion about the Dean of English in my time, Scott Peck, and Bill Holland, my professor and friend who gave me insight into the Romantics and especially Wordsworth. The two of them were two of the most impactful people in my life. The discussion will add to the oral history of the MTSU English Department Dr. Severn is creating.

i also received one of the best compliments i have ever received in my life at the conclusion of my presentation. It came from one of the more impressive people i’ve come across: Candice Storey Lee, Phd, Vice Chancellor of Athletics, former basketball star, and a disciple of David Williams.

Candice spoke to the group and said, “It’s easy for someone in a minority to speak up for a minority. It is much more difficult for someone in the majority to speak up for a minority. Jim has done that with his book.”

A final note. In August 1964, i left Vanderbilt and NROTC with my tail between my legs. i was within one course of being the first person to flunk out (and lose my Navy scholarship) without failing a course. i had an amazing 14 D’s in four semesters, failing civil engineering “statics” in the spring semester of 1964. There are many reasons, but that failure has haunted me for my entire life. It also put me on a rather amazing path through life. i have sought closure a number of times and never quite reached it. But going back to present my book to the august group of folks who attended and especially NROTC men and women midshipmen served a closure for me.

Thank you, Andrew, Candice, Catherine, Jill, Captain Erickson, Dean Severn, and all of the midshipmen for making my day.

i began this journey in October. It lasted ten days. i’ve been trying to capture my feelings about the journey since then, beginning a narrative at least five times. Now, it is time to move forward.

October 11, 2022, i went on a tortuous airline trip back home. And i mean “home.” I had pushed for a marketing trip to produce sales for my book, Steels Decks and Glass Ceilings. Through the gracious help of several good folks, it happened…in spades. The trip turned into more than a marketing trip. It became an ego booster and reconnection journey, beginning with a stop at “home.”

That first stop was Lebanon, Tennessee. i grew up there, leaving when i was 24 for the Navy’s Officer Candidate School. i stayed in the home that was my other home, about two blocks from the house where i grew up. From our births, Henry, as in George Henry Harding, IV, and i have been close. We were Christened at the First Methodist Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, before it had added on the extra wing; before the church moved to West Main when Jim Horn Hankins, H.M. Byars, and my father bought the property and tore down the sanctuary and the old wing, and turned the new wing into offices; and before it was torn down by the First Baptist Church, which eventually bought the property.

That Christening took place on Sunday, May 6, 1945, two days before Victory in Europe (VE) day. The service program saluted the coming VE celebration.

From the beginning of school in 1950’s, Henry and i ran together, even when Henry went to Lebanon High School and i went to Castle Heights Military Academy.

On this trip, my stay was in the house where he and i spent countless hours with his maternal grandparents and his mother and father, and his brother Jim, or as we called him, “Beetle.” Henry’s wife Brenda was not only a positive addition to the Harding family, but she is one remarkable woman, and one of the best hostesses for a houseguest ever.

i was planning extensive time seeing other folks and traveling around. Didn’t happen. i went out to dinner with my other good friends forever, Eddie and Brenda Callis, and the Hardings. i saw James Cason at Sammy B’s in what had been Castle Heights superintendent’s home. James and i consider ourselves the Lebanon experts on the Goat Man, and i have spent several martinis discussing the subject with him for many years. i signed books for three people at Sammy B’s on Saturday, including a classmate, Laverne Patterson Griffin and Beetle, who dropped by.

That was it. Oh yes, Henry and his Brenda and i went to the local Cracker Barrel, which is headquartered in Lebanon where it started by Danny Evans, a Castle Heights alumnus.

But i chose to remain in that wonderful old home with my compadres. Brenda’s food was terrific, which included Henry’s remarkable barbecue. And we spent many hours on the open and enclosed back porches just talking except for watching Tennessee beat Alabama, and in the den with Henry putting up with me watching Padre playoff baseball.

It was one of the most peaceful, restful stays at home that i can remember. A return to history.

Thank you, Henry and Brenda, and everyone else in Lebanon. Next time, i will visit with more of you.