Never a Dull Moment

Extraordinary people lead extraordinary lives and, from the beginning, even before he had any control over his life, John Meigs' life was extraordinary: kidnapped by his father, never to see his mother again. Once on his own, he tried his hand as a reporter in Los Angeles in 1936, and then in Honolulu, where he got drawn into the art world, becoming one of the original designers of the Hawaiian aloha shirts. Those pursuits were interrupted with the onset of World War II and John's enlistment in the Navy. After a serendipitous escape of death and military duty in Florida, John returned to Hawaii, where he met New Mexico artist Peter Hurd. That encounter led John to New Mexico and to interactions with a wide variety of notable people, including painters Andrew Wyeth and Georgia O'Keeffe, poet Witter Bynner, oilman and cattleman Robert O. Anderson, and actor Vincent Price. With the notable artist Rolf Armstrong, of "pin-up girl" calendar fame, John traveled to Paris in 1952 where his off-beat nature led him to Alice B. Toklas. After returning to New Mexico, numerous opportunities knocked on John's door, beckoning him in different directions all at the same time. In 1979, his travels led to a particularly significant development in John's life when he picked up a hitchhiker, who became a complicated fixture in his life as both a sidekick and a love object. Meig's fascinating life continued to unfold, garnering attention and impacting those close to him. As can happen, though, even with the most accomplished and creative, eventually, a sad, slow mental decline set in. * * * MARK FULLER's penchant for adventure has taken him down unanticipated roads, most notably when he was tempted to join the Army for a bit of fun and travel. For nine years, that's what he got: lots of good times and travels to both usual and not so usual destinations. After leaving active duty with the Army and becoming a defense contractor in the Washington, DC area, he led a far quieter life. When those contracts came to an end, he volunteered for intermittent Army Reserve assignments and became involved with a business overseas, in Paris. Life became a bit fuller of fun, travel and adventure again. After years of writing journals of his travels and experiences, this is his first biography, an account of the fascinating life of his deceased friend, John Liggett Meigs.