For What He Could Become

by Jim Misko

When Bill Williams, a half Irish, half Athabaskan Indian, left his native Alaskan village after a disastrous bear hunt, he left behind not only the only home he had ever known, but also the girl he loved. It was then that the true adventure of his life began. He worked on a Yukon riverboat, searched for gold, and took a job building the Alaskan Highway. When the country became involved in World War II, Bill signed up to fight and was immediately sent overseas. The experiences of war were devastating and the trauma left him with deep indelible scars. After surviving the Battle of the Bulge, Bill returned home only to discover that his girlfriend was married to his brother and the village was no longer a welcome place for him. At this point, Bill’s life takes a downward plunge into a world of alcoholism, unemployment, and homelessness. But an unlikely series of events suddenly sheds a beacon of light on the hopelessness of his life, and he is given a second chance at love and happiness―but only if he rises to the challenge. 

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Jim Misko grew up in Ord, Nebraska, moved to Oregon, and then to Alaska in 1974. He has worked as an oil field roughneck, logger, forest service lookout, planer mill hand, truck driver, mink rancher, journalist, school teacher and real estate broker.

This is his third novel. His previous publications include Creative Financing of Real Estate; How to Finance Any Real Estate, Any Place, Any Time; and How to Finance Any Real Estate, Any Place, Any Time - Strategies That Work!

Jim and his wife Patti live in Alaska in the summer and California in the winter.

Reviews

[John Smelcer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In For What He Could Become, Jim Misko takes readers on a sweeping epic from Alaska to the war in Europe during WWII, and back home to Alaska. It is a coming-of-age novel in some ways, but not like what you expect. It is a story of who we think we are, who we think we should be, and who the world tells us to be. From the opening scene with its bear attack to the last scene of a musher on the trail, the story moves swiftly as if on snow and ice.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man is he good or what?!

[Danalli Calhoun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok book. It was very slow to get into, and I was waiting for more excitment, but sadly, that didn't happen. I think the other did a good job with the story line, and some of the plot points. I just wanted more out of this book.

[Rochelle McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For What He Could Become" is the story of Bill Williams, a young Irish-Athabaskan man with a plan. He's going to leave his village, get out of his older brother's shadow, and make his fortune working on the Alaska Canada(AlCan)Highway. Then, he will return home to marry the girl he loves. Wait! You can't just have happily ever after so easily. While he is working on the highway, Bill receives an invitation from Uncle Sam, to report to the European Theater during World War II. After being away for three years, he returns home to find things have mainly stayed the same, but he can no longer marry the girl he loves.
With nothing in the village to keep him there, Bill decides to take his military separation pay and look for work in the big city (Anchorage). Soon after getting a good job, he is introduced to the nemesis that few Native Alaskans have any resistance to: Alcohol. That same night, he is beaten and robbed and, as a result, he loses his direction, becoming part of the system. Along the way, there is the tantalizing prospect of gold (if he can find the spot).
When he thinks he's at his lowest point, Bill finds himself recruited as a last minute replacement musher in the first Iditarod race. Bill may not have been able to see the potential for what he could become, but his friends could. Can Bill make it over a thousand miles to the finish line, or does alcohol have too strong a hold on him? Follow this action packed adventure to the end, to find out.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. The problem was that I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen, but really there wasn't a big AH HA moment in the book. It just kind of keep going just like the sled race. It was definitely well done and I love reading about other cultures and their experiences but this book didn't WOW me. It was a nice story about a guy doing the sled race and kind of trying to get his life back on track along the way.