Lead and Guide Me Along the Way

by James Barnett

“James Barnett was born in a little town in the state of Arkansas
and raised in Marion, Indiana, where he dreamed big about
a life far away from the fields of the Midwest. Keen interest
in flying and the ocean would lead him into a career centered
on his dreams. Lead and Guide Me Along the Way is the
culmination of a career tied to both aviation and sea. This
book will appeal to those who either have a similar interest
or passion for exploration. These stories told through Mr.
Barnett’s poetic prose form are a tribute to those men and
women who make America’s transportation industry great.”
– Mr. Kenneth Eugene Curl
Retired King County Executive
“James Barnett is a retired longshoreman, a man of faith,
a working man, a Black man, and a veteran of the US Air
Force. He is all of these things, and he is also a gifted writer.
Full of stirring words and illustrated with colorful photos of
the working waterfront, Lead and Guide Me Along the Way
chronicles Barnett’s life around the world, from the Arkansas
Delta to Indiana and Chicago, across the Atlantic Ocean
and back, to—at last—the shores of the Puget Sound and
the Pacific Ocean. Through poetry and personal vignettes,
Barnett reflects on his life, civil rights and labor rights, the
history of the United States, and the enduring solidarity of the
International Longshore and Warehouse Union.”

Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2022