During his 88 years on Earth, Doug Drummond has been a Long Beach cop, City Council member, harbor commissioner, criminology teacher and Army paratrooper.<\/p>\n
But did you know he also is a history buff and author?<\/p>\n
His latest book is a fascinating look at what life was like 3,600 years ago: \u201c1,000 B.C. Opening the Atlantic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drummond will talk about it at a book signing at 5 p.m. April 14 at the Boathouse on the Bay restaurant, 190 N. Marina Dr.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been interested in how people lived centuries ago,\u201d Drummond said in an interview. \u201cIn my research, I discovered that one of the major turning points in our history was in 1,000 B.C. so I decided to write a novel about that period.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drummond\u2019s book features Sigurd Jensen, a young man living in a tiny village, Hjerting, half-way up the west coast of Denmark\u2019s Jutland Peninsula.<\/p>\n
The story follows Jensen as he starts a dangerous journey as a trader, shipbuilder and sailor to Greece and Egypt. Along the way, he runs into pirates and raiders who have to be dealt with. He also meets a young woman, Nika, who changes his life.<\/p>\n
In Dummond\u2019s introduction, he points out that there were great differences between the lifestyles of people living in northwest Europe and those living in the cities of the eastern Mediterranean Sea in Greece and Egypt.<\/p>\n
\u201cImagine the culture shock experienced when those people bordering the Atlantic encountered Mediterranean \u2018civilization\u2019 and experienced the differences in climate, lifestyle and culture,\u201d Drummond said. \u201cAnd the Atlantic Ocean was a frightening place. People thought that was the end of the world where you would fall off if you went too far on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Civilization was transitioning from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. Drummond\u2019s novel deals with the significant changes in tools and weaponry as the Iron Age emerges. On the water, boats rowed by oars and single sails evolved into much larger sailing vessels.<\/p>\n
Drummond\u2019s book captures these changes as his hero sails on his journey, trading as he goes and fighting bloody battles with pirates.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t want to spoil the ending, but it is surprising and unexpected as Jensen returns home after his long journey of extraordinary adventures.<\/p>\n
Drummond has had many adventures in his own life. He was raised in poverty in Carmelitos public housing, graduated from Jordan High School and earned bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in public administration and a doctorate degree in criminology. He was in the Long Beach Police Department for 29 years, leaving as a commander. He served on the Long Beach City Council from 1990-98 and then served on the Harbor Commission.<\/p>\n
This book is quite different from Drummond\u2019s first two books which were about Long Beach rookie cops. The first, \u201cCyclone Racer,\u201d dealing with Long Beach in 1959-60, was published in 2003. The second, \u201cWhat Goes Around Comes Around,\u201d was published in 2005.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose books were moments in time I tried to capture from the 20th century,\u201d Drummond said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my latest book, I am trying to capture life in 1,000 B.C. Things were different then, but there are similarities with our time. People have inherited our earth for a long, long, long time. While technology has changed, people have had to struggle with challenges of life. 0ur anxieties, worries and challenges continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
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