Title: Half Life Fate Rules
Author: Edwin Hood
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978152456916626
Pages: 627
Genre: Biography
Reviewed by: Susan Milam
Pacific Book Review
Half Life Fate Rules tells the story of Edwin Hood’s journey from an unsettled childhood in Maine to life as a salmon troller off the coast of Alaska. In meticulous detail, Mr. Hood relates the incidents that shaped his independent lifestyle, which is guided by a strong personal code of right and wrong. The author’s attention to time and place enliven the book with specific memories that put readers in Mr. Hood’s shoes and make his words ring with authenticity.
Edwin Hood is born in 1931 to a loving mother and a harsh father who is prone to drink too much. The family moves from cabin to cabin frequently, making money off trapping during the cold months and his father’s mechanical skills during the warmer months. Edwin’s father is a strict disciplinarian, although the son senses a vein of love somewhere deep down in his father. Protected from his father by his mother, as much as she is able, and buoyed by the occasional kindness of others, Edwin makes his way through a difficult childhood and adolescence. Fortunately, a couple of teachers recognize Edwin’s intelligence and a sheriff keeps him out of jail after a teenage prank. Edwin’s aunt pays his way to the University of Maine, and he is ashamed when he drops out after only one term. Driven by the need to make something of himself and help his parents, Edwin joins the Marine Corps and soon finds himself headed to the Korean War. Events there provide Edwin with a strong yet individual moral compass and set him on an off-the-beaten-path approach to life.
Mr. Hood’s recounting of events such as the battle for Hill 812 during the Korean War gives readers an insight into a conflict with which many of them will be unfamiliar. However, the heart of Half Life Fate Rules lies in the personal anecdotes that reveal Mr. Hood’s true character. He speaks of being hard, tough and open to a fight but then talks about his fellow Marines in a way that belies the gruffness he tries to portray in himself. Additionally, throughout the book, Edwin relates his desire to take care of his parents. After leaving the Marines, he vows to treat people according to the strict principles of right and wrong developed by what he saw during the war. Edwin’s softer side is further exposed by his reaction to the shooting of his dog Jake and the care with which he hand-raises a fawn. These are the moments that draw the reader deeper into Mr. Hood’s story and make the book more than a “then this happened” tale. After leaving the Marines, Edwin follows a path that takes him from coast to coast. At each stop, he learns new skills and embarks on new jobs, and he takes his readers along for the ride.
Half Life Fate Rules explores the life of a man who sets his own course undergirded by a self-directed set of moral principles. Not many people would be up to the constant changes in scenery and occupation that Mr. Hood tackles. However, the book is more than just a tale about Mr. Hood’s peripatetic lifestyle; it is also the story of a man who grows with each step along his path, and readers will find his journey interesting and enlightening.
