About the Book
A Route of Surprises: A Soldier’s Story of Strength, Service, and Discovery is the memoir of an Army officer whose life took an improbable journey to the highest levels of military leadership. Growing up amid barriers and expectations that constrained African American life in the era, Larry R. Jordan would go on to serve thirty-five years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a three-star general. His story unfolds through moments of challenge, discovery, and unexpected connection. As one of the few African American cadets at West Point in the 1960s—and later as an officer who often served as a minority—LTG Jordan navigated a profession that tested both character and resolve. Interwoven with Jordan’s journey is the revelation of a six-generation family legacy of African American military service, beginning with the Civil War. Brief vignettes, at times humorous and at times deeply moving, capture the intersections of military life, family, and mentorship. A Route of Surprises is a reflective memoir about leadership, perseverance, and the unforeseen turns that shape a life in service.
LTG Larry R. Jordan takes readers on a route of surprises as he reflects on his career in the U.S. Army. Along the way, Jordan explores his family’s legacy of military service, shares the leadership lessons that shaped his career, and recounts his journey to becoming one of the few African American officers of his rank in the U.S. Army at the time.
Readers interested in memoir, military leadership, family stories, and history spanning the Vietnam War through the post–Cold War era will want to pick up a copy of A Route of Surprises.
A Route of Surprises is an Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Book Program title.
Release Details
This title is releasing September 8, 2026. Be the first to order your copy upon release by visiting the UNG Press Bookstore.
Leave a Reply