"Reflections of a Successful Dropout" is a story that promises to appeal to young and old entrepreneurs, and others who possess a strong desire to succeed in all facets of their existence. Within the covers of this exciting memoir is a unique guide to a happy, fulfilled life. We know that the achievement of lofty goals requires hard work, long hours and relentless dedication, but those attributes alone do not guarantee victory. Many of the experiences that gave Val Barry all he'd ever wished for are detailed within this fascinating manual. His father-a severe alcoholic-and mother divorced when Val was eleven. He had always endured economic deprivation and it just kept getting worse. A high school dropout, Val married a month after his eighteenth birthday. At that point he had few marketable skills. The only employment available to him came in the form of mind-numbing factory work. Shortly after reaching the age of twenty-two Val had already fathered three children. While in his early twenties, it came to Val that even as disadvantaged as he was, there existed within himself a power capable of helping him escape the stifling shackles of poverty. He voraciously read numerous self-help books, observed and studied people who had experienced the "rags to riches" phenomenon, and developed strategies and plans that he believed would cause his cherished dreams to reach fruition. During his self-improvement journey he developed a mindset he would later coin as "Deep Desire." Val learned that once "Deep Desire" becomes imbedded within one's psyche, achievement of that person's goals were inevitable. Though it surely wasn't painless, and he encountered some heartbreak along the way, by his thirty-seventh birthday Val realized he had acquired sufficient wealth to be able to comfortably retire if he so chose; which he didn't. He is keenly aware that money isn't everything, but it definitely helps smooth out life's rough edges. Val enjoys excellent health and celebrated his seventieth birthday by completing the Boston Marathon. He and his lovely wife, Julie, live exactly how and where they wish. Among their greatest joys is to exercise their ability to be of help to those they love. The motivation for writing this book stems from Val's belief that it can instill the magic of "Deep Desire" within the hearts of many who long to accomplish the "good life." And otherwise ... it's a very interesting story.