Soon to be republished
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Monday, November 11, 2024
Veterans Day
In 1967, I was drafted into the US Army. This was interesting since I had been rejected for military service, not long before that, because at 6 feet 4 inches tall, I didn’t weigh enough to join. That never mattered to my local draft board.
Most of my time was spent with an armor battalion in the Mannheim, Germany area. Since I already had a brother in Vietnam, a second family member wouldn’t automatically be sent there. In any case, it was an honor to serve this great country over those two years. I have the deepest respect for anyone who was called upon to serve in combat. So make sure to let those veterans in your family, or circle of friends, know how much you appreciate their service on your behalf and on behalf of this great nation.
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Excellent Christmas idea for someone special
Limited Edition African Wildlife Art - Signed and Numbered
Note! Folds across images are from a scan of a printed brochure.
By Artist Philip Lasz
It was my distinct honor to know and work with Philip Lasz for several years. Phil was a missionary in Kenya, with an immense talent for capturing African animals on canvas. Sadly, he lost his battle with cancer, but his love for the animals that God created, lives on in his work. Peace Before the Storm (From edition of 1000 - Signed & Numbered in person by the artist.)
(34" × 21")
Elephant Herd on the Move (From edition of 1000 - Signed & Numbered in person by the artist.)
(34" × 21")
His Majesty (From edition of 1000 - Signed & Numbered in person by the artist.)
(34" × 21")
Greater Kudu (From edition of 1000 - Signed & Numbered in person by the artist.)
(34" × 21")Signed & Numbered by the artist.
I still have a small supply of his beautiful, Limited Edition, signed and numbered lithographs are available for $199.95 each. These large (34" × 21") impressive works of art are perfect for the living room, den, or office. We'll pay shipping/handling.
Send your check to:
Max Anderson
P.O. Box 4126
Rockford, IL 61110
Friday, August 30, 2024
A middle grade book some young readers have compared to “Old Yeller”
A middle grade book some young readers have compared to “Old Yeller”
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
The Wrong Vietnam Rice Paddy
It’s not unusual to be asked, “Where do your book ideas come from?” My books are primarily adventures and mysteries for readers 8 and up. That makes answering this question easy. My life has been filled with adventures. Many of these come from real life experiences on film and video productions in America and around the world.
One such experience took place in Vietnam right in the middle of the conflict.
I had been drafted and took my basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, home of the 101st Airborne Division. We often looked up in the sky to see hundreds of paratroopers dropping out of airplanes. Helicopters flew, like dragonflies, everywhere.
Even though preparing for fighting in Vietnam - most of my instructors had served there for one or more tours - my path of service took me to Germany instead where I was assigned to an armor battalion.
That’s right. I rode around in a big tank, firing the main gun and two machine guns. At the end of my time there, I returned to the US and began working again on the productions of dramatic films and documentaries. That’s what I had been doing before getting drafted.
The very first project, after returning to work, was following a Venture For Victory basketball team through Asia. Our schedule took us to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and…can you believe it…Vietnam. That was an extremely traumatic experience for someone like me, just recently released from active duty in the Army.
Looking out of the plane window, as we approached Saigon, the ground looked almost like the surface of the moon from all the shelling and bombs.
One of the filming locations happened to be the second least secure province. I won’t relate some of what I saw and heard, but the war was fully going on there. At night we heard artillery shelling going off, and could smell the smoke.
Next day, two helicopters were dispatched to take the crew and three of the basketball players to another location. And for some unknown reason I wound up, all by myself with a heavy motion picture camera and bulky, wooden tripod, in the second chopper.
The flight was interesting since both doors remained open. A machine gunner kept an eagle eye out for any danger from the ground.
Suddenly our ship descended and touched down in the middle of several rice paddies. Someone yelled over the sound of the jet engine, “This is the place.” So…I scrambled out with the heavy equipment, moved away from the helicopter, covered my eyes, and it quickly disappeared into the distance.
Looking around, I soon noticed the second chopper was nowhere in sight. So there I stood, all six-feet-four inches of me, on the footpath of a rice paddy. But it was the wrong rice paddy. Several Vietnamese farmers, dressed in black and wearing pointed, straw hats, had stopped their work and now stared directly at me.
What to do now?
In the distance I could see traffic on a road, but it was a long way off and I usually didn’t carry that much equipment, over a long distance, by myself. In addition to the camera and tripod, I had two heavy battery belts, light meters, and a few other things. But all I could do was slowly make my way toward that road in the hot sun and humidity. As soon as I reached the road, an army troop truck, in a small convoy, stopped.
“What are you doing way out here,” a gruff voice demanded from the cab.
“They left me off in the wrong place,” I answered.
“Get in the back.”
The truck thundered off down a dusty road until it came to a stop near the next village. When it stopped, that same voice said, “This is it. Get out.”
I was never more relieved to find the rest of my group standing near the road. When I reached them, the director asked, “Where have you been?”
“That’s a long story,” I answered. “They let me out at the wrong rice paddy."
Find my books on Amazon:
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Keep ‘em READING this summer. Adventures and mysteries kids love.
Keep ‘em READING this summer. Adventures and mysteries kids love. “Reading one of these books is like being in an exciting movie!” https://www.amazon.com/s?k=max+elliot+anderson+books&crid=26J1MMVZUUNBE&sprefix=,aps,173&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_1_0_recent
Friday, March 29, 2024
Marijuana - A Warning To Kids
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS - “The suspect in a killing spree that claimed the lives of four people and left at least seven people injured told police that he became paranoid after smoking #marijuana that may have been laced with another drug.”
You might have read about it, or seen it on TV. It happened here in Rockford, Illinois, but not close to where we live.
“The look in his eyes was like he was the devil reincarnated,” one of the injured said.
Let me tell you about another young person from Rockford who began experimenting with alcohol when she was very young. She soon moved on to marijuana and then harder drugs. “Oh, marijuana can’t hurt you,” she once said, “It’s just a harmless little joint.”
Alcohol and drugs ruined Tracy’s life, ultimately leading to a miserable death due to AIDS complications.
Her story, “Tracy’s Choices,” serves as a warning to any young person, or parent, about the dangers of early drug use. Order “Tracy’s Choices” today for someone you know, or who you love in your own family. It might be the key to put them on the right track.
Drugs can kill, and marijuana was the primary cause in the killing of these people - including a postal worker simply out delivering mail in the neighborhood - and the injuring of several others, in Rockford, Illinois, on a sunny, spring afternoon.
Order a DVD for your school or church youth group - http://maxbooks.mysite.com/photo2.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
