Shirley's Story: A Life of Finesse

Shirley's Story: A Life of Finesse, a collaborative memoir, opens a window to an intimate look at a woman who lived 100 years. Shirley was born on August 24, 1920, the year that women in the United States were allowed the vote. She takes us through history, her early years, joining the Navy as a WAVE in 1943 attending officer training at Smith College, Massachusetts, a wartime romance and marriage, striving to live the American dream with her sweetheart and husband, while being a helpmate to his real estate business, but longing to be a writer and artist. During the process of reading and editing Shirley's writing to create a book, her son and daughter discover clues that start the search into Shirley's secret that was kept for 77 years. Shirley Whitehouse Akerman, Lieutenant j.g., was sworn to secrecy, not to tell anyone that she was part of the code breakers mission helping to win World War II.
Shirley Whitehouse Akerman was an artist of life, curious about all things; a visual artist, a writer, bridge player, meditator, political junky, business woman, tai chi practitioner, a lover of books and world traveler. Before there was such a thing as blogging, Shirley filled her journals with her thoughts and feelings about American politics. She wanted to know about people and their lives, how they lived and what they thought. She develops a philosophy of how to live and sticks to it, active right up until her 101st year.