Living Positive with Imperfection

A Memoir

Robert Bob Pattons book, a memoir, the personal story of his fifty-nine-year career as an educator, a state representative, and a public servant, contains details of three generations of a family that worked the soil, built community, and took responsibility for their own welfare, like many similar families, and made this country one of the greatest in the world. Bobs personal progression from a high school teacher to professor in a state university, state representative, and a public servant is evidence of a highly competent, and well-motivated individual who achieved significant accomplishments. He is to be particularly admired for his lack of bitterness, despite divorces, life as a single parent, political defeat, and job loss. His only complaint is against politicians who will do anything to remain in power no matter whether it is morally right or wrong or good for society or not. Although well past retirement age, he continues to work for the Tennessee legislature despite being displaced in one position when the opposing party gained control of the legislature. Mervin Perry, PhD, professor emeritus, East Tennessee State University