LITERARY LAS VEGAS

Advertisement

Las Vegas resident Jim Baldinger shares his wild ride of a life in his memoir "Portrait of a Family."

The story includes his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played two years of varsity football; his work as a pilot in a U.S. Marine attack squadron; his efforts to break the sound barrier in a racecar and his experiences in the Federal Aviation Administration as a test pilot and as an airport inspector.

Along the way, Baldinger makes career choices and moves with his wife of more than 50 years, the former Delores Demko, and their six children in mind. The book also follows the careers of the Baldinger children, especially the family's three sons, Brian, Richard and Gary, who played a total of 32 years in the National Football League.