The relationship between a father and a son is at the core of one’s journey to manhood. However, the value of a father’s life lessons often go unrecognized until later in life. For Norman Ollestad, his eccentric father’s love, thirst for life and quest for adventure would all come into play at age 11, when he finds himself alone after a plane crash in the wilderness. Crazy for the Storm, A Memoir of Survival, takes us on a dramatic journey into the life of Norm Jr., raised by a father who wanted his son to experience the might and the danger of life, to learn that you can’t surf a perfect wave without also being a little frightened.

In 1979 their chartered Cessna slammed into the side of Ontario Peak in the middle of a winter storm. Norm Sr., his girlfriend and the pilot were killed, leaving Norm Jr. to fight for his life. Stranded and freezing in the wild, Norm Jr. realized that every one of his father’s bold experiences had taught him lessons about strength and self-reliance that would now save his life. Recently named one of Amazon’s top ten books of 2009, this tale of determination, courage and persistence is nearly impossible to put down. www.crazyforthestorm.com

This entry was posted on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 7:58 am and is filed under Culture.