Jack Vance's memoir shares his many real world interests detailing a life spent building boats and houses, traveling the world and seeking out all sorts of fascinating experiences. From a California childhood marked largely by an absent father, he writes about finding work, joining the war effort in WWII, and seeing the world. There is no master plan to Vance's life - he and his wife Norma spend years refining a piece of property around their home, they build a box with friends because it seems like fun and they live in various countries for months at a time just to see what it is like. 'Our old wanderlust' Vance refers to it as, and on every occasion this drive to live someplace new is embraced and enjoyed. The birth of their son John does not in any way make them turn to a more sedentary lifestyle. John is packed up along with everything else and goes along for the ride. In the end Vance considers that perhaps he should have discussed his writing more but that isn't the point of his book - other than the fact that the writing could and did take place anywhere in the world.

Edition features:

• Extensive photo section
• Insight into his craft