Title: Meet Dave Lassam, The Man for the Job: My 39 Years Service in the Royal Australian Navy
Author: Dave Lassam
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 978-1669889069
Pages: 300
Genre: Non-Fiction / Biographies & Memoirs
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
The impact those who serve their country through a career in the military is something few people take the time to contemplate in life. The training and work these soldiers and military leaders around the world take on overseas is one thing altogether, but the work which happens in their country of origin in everyday life as well makes the impact even deeper than most people would ever realize. Finding stories of courage, passion, and dedication are inspiring and must be recognized in the face of so many other stories of disservice that are sadly more prevalent in the public eye.
In author Dave Lassam’s Meet Dave Lassam, The Man for the Job: My 39 Years Service in the Royal Australian Navy, the author shares a lifetime of experiences he had while working as a medical administration officer in the Royal Australian Navy. Covering everything from his work at car accident sites, helping those who had heart attacks, to working in disaster zones, to give humanitarian aid and more, the author shares some
of the highlights of his military service, including his work rescuing Australian nationals during the Bali Bombings and missions he served on with the U.S. Navy during humanitarian missions to the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Finally, the author shares his battle with both PTSD and Prostrate cancer, which would ultimately lead to his retirement.
The author did an incredible job of crafting a memoir and non-fiction read that was both honest and engaging. The author’s background and history, along with their culture as an Australian national, could all be felt in the author’s tone and writing style, giving this a unique perspective which isn’t always seen in American non-fiction military memoirs. The attention to detail and the technical background of the author’s work as a Naval officer and medical officer both speak to the expertise and intrigue the author’s life story gave, and the imagery found in the author’s writing really brought the lifetime of experiences and the impact of those experiences front and center in the reader’s mind.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy non-fiction books, in particular those who enjoy memoirs from military officers who served in their respective nation’s military. The honest and captivating stories the author relates to the reader and the knowledge the reader is granted from the author’s stories and the viewpoints of both the international settings and the ways in which Australian Navy officers operate made this a compelling book.
Engaging, thought-provoking, and gripping, author Dave Lassam’s Meet Dave Lassam, The Man for the Job: My 39 Years Service in the Royal Australian Navy is a must-read non-fiction memoir readers won’t want to put down. The attention the author pays to the treatment both physically and mentally to those who serve in the Australian Royal Navy – and all armed services as a whole – were an added bit of intrigue and knowledge. The heartfelt connection the author was able to make with readers as a whole made this quite the compelling reading experience.
