C.I.A. Brat

Tells the true story of a boy, from birth to age 22, who changed schools 11 times, located in five countries, employing four languages. Dad was a career CIA man who had segued from OSS after WWII. Mom was not-so-typical housewife of the 50's and 60's who, among other odd things, tried getting her three boys hooked on cigarettes before their teen years. Musical influences affected the boy showcased in the memoir, at many junctures in his life. He started gigging on blues guitar in smoky blues clubs before the age of 17. Recorded with a band of Spanish Gypsies, and later fronted a six piece R&B band - gigging all over the Wash. DC region. That band had a 3-piece horn section and half the songs were originals. The reference to 'drugs' in the subtitle pertains to the mind-altering drugs which most youngsters dealt with in those heady times. Drugs can be used to 'get kicks' for sure, but the CIA story delves deeper, and articulates how some drugs can enhance spiritual explorations.
The 'C.I.A. Brat' book includes a dedication, primarily to young black and brown folks, and here’s the gist of why: Young people of color grow up thinking white kids who grow up in well-off neighborhoods have all sorts of advantages over them. Granted, on average, white kids in comfortable suburbs have more money behind them, but money is only one slice of the pie of life. There are more important things in life than how much a person is worth in dollars, or how impressive the gifts are on birthdays and Christmas. Family get-togethers with genuine camaraderie counts for more than money, as does nurturing and kindness.