Jackhammered: A Life Of Adventure

Jackhammered is a story of hope and redemption, told with candor by a man who had a complicated childhood, joined the Marines when he was 18, became a special agent of the FBI, and then a prosecuting attorney. In 1978, against all odds, Ed Bethune won a seat in the United States House of Representatives. His story is unlike any memoir you have ever read because it tells of a young life nearly lost, a love found, and a lifelong struggle to wash away troubles by living out dreams of adventure. His successes--in politics, in the courtroom defending the poorest of the poor, and as a high profile ethics lawyer for Speaker Newt Gingrich and Majority Leader Tom DeLay--soothe his quest for identity. But it is not until he and his wife encounter a fearsome storm while trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a 31-foot sailboat that he solves the riddle that has haunted him all his life. For millions of young people, especially those who are dealing with shame or embarrassment of one kind or another, Jackhammered is a Godsend. The author tells of his childhood struggle with bedwetting. His story teaches us all to take heart and to live out our dreams ... even those that may be a size too big.

Ed Bethune grew up in Arkansas. He joined the Marines when he was eighteen years old and rose to the rank of sergeant. He received an honorable discharge in 1957 and then earned two degrees from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, a bachelor of science from the School of Business Administration and a juris doctorate from the School of Law. He served four years as a special agent of the FBI and then became a prosecuting attorney in his hometown of Searcy, Arkansas. As a private attorney, he was lead counsel in the trial of many important cases, both civil and criminal. In 1978, against all odds, he won a seat in the United States House of Representatives, the first Republican to hold that seat in 104 years. He served three terms in Congress and then lost a campaign for a seat in the United States Senate. After Congress, Bethune joined the law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani in Washington, D. C. and became a high profile ethics lawyer, representing Speaker Newt Gingrich, Majority Leader Tom DeLay and others. He and his wife Lana reside in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have two children and eight granddaughters.