In this first segment of the autobiography, The Iron Puddler: My Life in the Rolling Mills and What Came of It, you will discover the author's, James J. Davis's, Welsh origins and formative values. He recounts whipping a bully after years of humiliation over his homemade, patchwork suit, realizing that self-respect must be defended. His father taught him pride and that success is won only through labor, to "expect no gift from life." His mother provided constant love and consolation, "always working and always singing," lighting his path to the mills.

Lucy Abernathy left an inspiring legacy as a high school teacher, characterized by her dedication, compassion, and unwavering support for generations of students. Working at Chaparrel High School in El Cajon, she became a vital positive adult role model and a source of hope for students whose own families had often given up on them. Facing life's challenges, Lucy maintained a commitment to presenting a model of behavior and utilized transformative training principles from Recovery International to navigate life's difficulties. She beautifully demonstrated that if one's family disappoints, one can choose and adopt a new family, embracing her role as a cherished "big sister" to the Flanagan family. Listen to Lucy’s powerful oral history to absorb her warmth and wisdom, and consider how you, too, can revitalize the memory of a loved one by sharing their story.

Dive deeper into the real-life grit and drama of a true LAPD detective's career by listening to the full podcast of Flip Flanagan's memoir to hear these remarkable stories in his own voice. Read by his son Jerry, Robert C. "Flip" Flanagan served a distinguished, decades-long career with the LAPD, rising to the rank of Investigator III at the highly active 77th Street and Southeast Divisions. His memoir details his early life, his military service in the Navy during the Korean War, and his ultimate passion for police work. Flanagan became a highly effective detective, renowned for his predictive ability in robbery and homicide investigations and his unconventional, successful tactics in Vice. He also demonstrated a profound devotion to his family, working 12 hours every weekend at the Original Pantry Café to pay for his children's tuition and house expansion. He demonstrated uncompromising, old-school integrity until his retirement in 1982 and his love of family until his death in 1999.