Author Description

Product description I'll tell you what's so good about Stronger Than Dirt, what distinguishes it from the long catalogue of damnably boring memoirs and deadening business books lining our bookstore shelves. I'll tell you why it matters. It's simple really. It's about people, not money! It's about one inspiring person and his remarkable and tenacious fight for his independence. The governing artistic value here is honesty. Andy Vladimir may want to tell us about his brilliant career in advertising, about his brush with the stars-the Beatles, the Pope-the man has met everyone who's anyone-and he does a marvelous job at just that, but he tells us something much more important. He tells us about himself and his struggle against a devastating disease, his struggle and his ultimate victory, and in so doing he tells us all we need to know about courage, dignity, and heroism. Stronger Than Dirt is such stuff as dreams and nightmares are made of.-John Dufresne, author of Deep in the Shade of Paradise"Unlike most memoirs this one is written by someone who truly lived a rich life and knows it. It penetrates every sentence-and the gracious learning curve of the fallen is so deftly told that others want life to throw them a curve or two, just so they can overcome it."-Donna Schaper, author of Sacred Speech-A Practical Guide for Keeping Spirit in Your Speech About the Author Andy Vladimir is a prolific travel writer, who has written over 200 newspaper and magazine articles. He is Contributing Editor of QUEST Magazine, the official publication of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. His books on hospitality, marketing, and the cruise industry are sold all over the world.Vladimir is Associate Professor Emeritus at Florida International University?s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, where he taught hospitality management, marketing and advertising, cruise line management, and ethics. He is also the former Director of Tourism of Bermuda, the only expatriate to hold that jo