W. M. Coffman

This is the autobiography of W. M. (Bill) Coffman. A man who left home at the age of 17 to make his own way in the world and ended by causing several millions of dollars to be donated to the Shriner's Hospitals.

Coffman's life is the classic Horatio Alger tale come to life (only perhaps with less moralizing, I haven't read Alger yet). After a childhood of getting into one trouble or another, he sets out to discover the world and what is in it for him. He tries the hobo life, ends up in the slums of New York City, then travels across the country trying his hand as a Shepherd along the way. When he finally makes it to his dream of San Francisco, California, he manages to get Shanghaied onto a British sailing vessel headed back to Britain by way of the Horn.

This book reads a bit like a suspense novel in that well over half way through, the reader can't imagine how this young man will survive, let alone become a man who could contribute so much to the Shriner cause. He makes about every wrong choice a young man can. In typical sailor fashion, losing any money he earns the same night he is paid. He managed to be present during the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906, and live to tell about it, then go on to help rebuild the city.

Coffman mentions that he kissed the Blarney Stone at one point in his travels. It must have worked. He managed to talk himself out of one trouble after another, and into jobs he was in no way qualified for. Then he excelled at them. It shows also in the writing of this book. It is a straight telling of the life he lived with no apologies for bad behavior. He manages not to glorify or vilify his early years and there is no moralizing. The story of his life is gripping. I didn't want to put it down. I do happen to love sea adventures, and Coffman focuses on 1902 - 1910, the years he spent at sea on sailing ships. After that, he talked his way into jobs and volunteered with service organizations until he became the Pacific District Manager of the Underwood Corporation and the Managing Director of the annual East-West All-Star football for charity game sponsored by the Shriners. The football team rosters and play-by-plays in the last chapter were a bit of a snooze to me, but perhaps would appeal to anyone interested in the early years of football.

This review in no way covers all of Coffman's jobs and adventures, but I tried to show the variety of his experiences.… (meer)