Claude Vargo
Beyond My Horizon is the story of one man's journey, from falling in love with the lifestyle of one of the world's most beautiful hotels, to barely surviving the absolute hell-hole siege of Khe Sanh and Viet Nam, to arriving beneath the stone archway of Cornell University on a chilly May evening, and beyond. It is a tale of determination, drive, and a courageous ride through life that you will not want to stop reading.
In this engaging, compelling, and inspiring book, Claude Vargo eloquently describes the events of his life and the hard work that led to his accomplishment of transforming from a youthful academic failure to graduating summa cum laude in midlife from the Hilton College in just two years while also attending Cornell.
Vargo starts recounting his story near the end, in a classroom setting that symbolizes the achievement of a lifelong goal. The reader is immediately aware of Vargo's strengths and weaknesses, becoming energized and empowered by his fierce determination to succeed in college despite his sometimes overwhelming war-related physical and mental challenges.
Next, Vargo mesmerizes the reader with tales of working at Houston's Shamrock Hilton in his teenage years. He describes every detail with such passion that the reader can almost taste the food he serves and drinks he mixes and hear the sound of the glasses and silverware tinkling.
Vargo's tale then moves to when, at the age of nineteen, he gave up everything he loved to join the U.S. Marines and serve his country. This autobiographical memoir references the author but also focuses on his fellow Marines. The description of Vargo's military career is a very realistic, sometimes rough, but very human look at war.
When Vargo talks of his future wife, Gloria, the reader can tell he is completely in love.
Finally, the author focuses on the academic aspects of his life. What he emphasizes repeatedly is not his character or accomplishments but the hard effort, work, and desire for perfection it took to accomplish his goals. The author's discussion of his educational experience is an invaluable guide on how to approach college, study effectively, take tests, present materials, and work "your academic ass off" to succeed in college.
Beyond My Horizon is a must-read for anyone who has a real desire go back to college, do well in college, or finally make a change in life and pursue any lifelong dream. Vargo's odyssey not only is a heartfelt and sincere effort to inspire the reader to go after life goals but also succeeds in making the reader believe he or she really can accomplish those goals.
Beyond My Horizon is the story of one man's journey, from falling in love with the lifestyle of one of the world's most beautiful hotels, to barely surviving the absolute hell-hole siege of Khe Sanh and Viet Nam, to arriving beneath the stone archway of Cornell University on a chilly May evening, and beyond. It is a tale of determination, drive, and a courageous ride through life that you will not want to stop reading.
In this engaging, compelling, and inspiring book, Claude Vargo eloquently describes the events of his life and the hard work that led to his accomplishment of transforming from a youthful academic failure to graduating summa cum laude in midlife from the Hilton College in just two years while also attending Cornell.
Vargo starts recounting his story near the end, in a classroom setting that symbolizes the achievement of a lifelong goal. The reader is immediately aware of Vargo's strengths and weaknesses, becoming energized and empowered by his fierce determination to succeed in college despite his sometimes overwhelming war-related physical and mental challenges.
Next, Vargo mesmerizes the reader with tales of working at Houston's Shamrock Hilton in his teenage years. He describes every detail with such passion that the reader can almost taste the food he serves and drinks he mixes and hear the sound of the glasses and silverware tinkling.
Vargo's tale then moves to when, at the age of nineteen, he gave up everything he loved to join the U.S. Marines and serve his country. This autobiographical memoir references the author but also focuses on his fellow Marines. The description of Vargo's military career is a very realistic, sometimes rough, but very human look at war.
When Vargo talks of his future wife, Gloria, the reader can tell he is completely in love.
Finally, the author focuses on the academic aspects of his life. What he emphasizes repeatedly is not his character or accomplishments but the hard effort, work, and desire for perfection it took to accomplish his goals. The author's discussion of his educational experience is an invaluable guide on how to approach college, study effectively, take tests, present materials, and work "your academic ass off" to succeed in college.
Beyond My Horizon is a must-read for anyone who has a real desire go back to college, do well in college, or finally make a change in life and pursue any lifelong dream. Vargo's odyssey not only is a heartfelt and sincere effort to inspire the reader to go after life goals but also succeeds in making the reader believe he or she really can accomplish those goals.
