Louis L'Amour

Louis L'Amour is the main character in his memoir, "Education of a Wandering Man." The story begins with sixteen-year-old L'Amour going off on a seafaring vessel heading across the Atlantic. Louis' high school class back in his hometown of Jamestown, North Dakota was preparing to graduate when he was hanging out in a bar in Singapore with a crew of rugged and seasoned sailors.

Louis had to leave school to help support himself. It was pre-Depression days, but the depression had already hit a lot of families including the L'Amours. Louis was actually happy to leave school because he had an innate sense that the education he was receiving at school was standing in the way of a real "education."

Louis worked as a Western Union messenger, seaman, cattle skinner, mine caretaker, harvester, and any odd job he could find to support himself. He was a hobo...