Although Ralph Wallis has worked as a business manager in the College of Engineering for 27 years, his recently published autobiography tells little of his career.

“The Memoirs of a Rambling Mind” tells Wallis’ story of growing up in a small town, going to Vietnam and the friendships made along the way.

Wallis said he wouldn’t describe his life as very interesting; his book was written mostly for his family and friends who know him.

“Now I have two new grandchildren. If someday I’m not around, they can read about who I was,” he said.

A high school friend’s published autobiography inspired Wallis to write one of his own as a Christmas present for his family.

From November 2003 to June 2004, Wallis spent almost every night in his basement writing at least two or three pages of the book.

Wallis, who said he isn’t a very emotional person, used the book as a “thank you” to his parents. He said the book was his way of saying the things he should have said over the years.

“The most exciting thing was when I was finished, and my parents read it, and they thoroughly enjoyed it, and that made it all worthwhile for me,” Wallis said.

Wallis said he felt the title of the book was fitting since he jumped around through the different parts of his life while writing it.

The hardest part about writing the book was trying to remember every little detail, he said. The book goes all the way back to Wallis’ kindergarten days and covers much of his childhood, which he described as carefree and a good time to grow.

“I was growing up when everyone left their doors unlocked. You would stop by at the neighbor’s to say ‘hello,’” Wallis said.

In his book, Wallis also covers his time in the Marine Corps and going to Vietnam.

“I was in the military for three years, three months, 21 days and 12 hours – not that I was counting,” he said with a laugh. “I always remember right down to the twelve hours; I got out at noon.”

“I started to write about something that happened in my grade school or high school days and then I would think about something that happened in the military so I’d skip over and write something about that. When I got done I put it in chronological order,” Wallis said.

Wallis said his book has been available to purchase since early September at www.buybooksontheweb.com. He said there were so many things he left out he could even write another after he retires.