Books by Stan Crader

Legacies are not easily built. They take dedicated individuals who are willing to risk everything, work hard, and be examples of excellence. The eclectic group of pioneers who laid the foundation for Stihl's success in America could not have been more different from each other. But they shared the common drive and character that has proven the test of time. Stihl American features the amazing stories of these pioneers, including: A descendant of Daniel Boone's sister who first sold Stihl saws in America during the 1930s. A Jersey boy who, after fighting his way across France and Germany, found himself near the spot where the chainsaw was invented. Twenty years later he secured a one-page contract to sell Stihl in North America. A young Native American boy, orphaned during the Osage Reign of Terror, who grew to be an Osage Indian Chief and introduced Stihl to loggers in the Rockies. A rambunctious Missourian, who, after a stint with the OSS flying B17 bombers during WWII, assisted her husband to establish Stihl in the high plains. An Arkansas lawyer, who, after losing an eye during the apprehension of a mass murderer, partnered with a timber buyer and introduced Stihl to America's Southwest. A lefty from Ohio, scouted by baseball's legendary Eddy Stanky, who chose to introduce Stihl to New England rather than play professional baseball. The husband of a former Miss New Hampshire who had the entire United States as his sales territory and became the first Man of Stihl in America. A piano player from a tiny town in Missouri who became Stihl's largest independent distributor. A Canadian born Scotsman who started as a low-level Stihl employee and eventually rose to the position of president, leading the company to decades of record-setting sales.This is the exemplary heritage of STIHL in America!

Like all of his friends, Tommy Thompson dreams of obtaining the ultimate ticket to freedom: a driver's license.Unlike all of his friends, Tommy has just turned fifteen. He'll have to watch everybody else pass their tests before he's old enough to take his.But life goes on for the band of boys despite Tommy's consuming obsession. His best friend, Booger, takes up the guitar. His buddy, Everett, dates a girl from a rival school and discovers that her classmates aren't altogether happy about it. Longtime romantic interest, Melody, tests her newly minted driving skills on the railroad tracks. And Tommy receives an unexpected gift -- one that just might make the longest year of his life go by a little quicker.The third in Stan Crader's Colby series, The Longest Year will bring a smile to your face as you remember the trials and tribulations of your own youth.