The story of Carol and George Bauer is that of two people who met in the city where they were both born, St. Louis, Missouri. At the time, both were college students, both strong-minded folks. Their lives came together as one and flowed as naturally as the waters of the mighty Mississippi. Their lives contain many interesting themes: the advance of technology and its challenges, the interaction of business and religion, the role of ecumenicalism. There are deep questions explored here—the meaning of “calling” and how that translated into the Bauers’ lives. What is our responsibility to those less fortunate? Are we really our brothers’ keepers? How do we deal with ethical challenges?

There are geo-political issues here, from apartheid South Africa to our own civil rights movement. We will travel to many interesting places, from cosmopolitan St. Louis to the rough-hewn foothills of the Ozarks. Then there is Milwaukee, Chicago, Armonk, Paris, London, behind the Iron Curtain, to Thailand, Japan, and many others. You will meet great historical figures, from Napoleon Bonaparte and the Reverend William Staughton to business leaders Thomas Watson and James McDonnell. Like a scrumptious buffet, there is something for everyone, no matter your taste.