Outrageous Hero the B.t. Collins Story

by Maureen Collins Baker

A book about the life of California's maverick politico, B.T. Collins, war hero, public servant, and double amputee.Definitely not a war story, but the story of a warrior, a chronicle of a hero in the making, of courage beyond the battlefield, and a love of country that transcended any political party. Poignant, often hilarious tale of a life lived with gusto, of an American original who touched you to the very raw. Irascible, irreverent,and annoyingly politically incorrect, B.T. made you laugh when you wanted to cry, cry when you had never cried before over things like the "Stars and Strips" or the "Star Spangled Banner." He was brutally honest and unyielding when it came to principles. No one was ever blase about B.T. Collins.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[Joan Countryman]

Maureen Collins Baker is a fine writer. Her account of the life of her brother, B.T. Collins, Vietnam War era warrior, California politician, drop-out, lawyer, Republican chief of staff for California Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, State Assemblyman, champion of the cause of battered women, makes compelling reading. Brien Collins will fascinate, enrage, and inspire you. Outrageous Hero invites you to rethink your assumptions, perhaps as B.T. Collins did.

[Susan Ward]

This is a wonderful story about an ordinary man who became an extraordinary person. If you enjoy politics, the sixties and overcoming challenges, this is the book for you. A true story about a man much loved in Sacramento and missed.