Stormy Weather is a relaxed and unpretentious memoir that begins on the precipice of adulthood. After graduation, Ranaildo is asked what his plans for the future are. After a lot of contemplation, he decides to forge ahead with a career as a Marine. Family and friends doubt his resolve until the moment Ranaildo cuts off his Samson-like hair and boards the bus for Basic Training. Timms details some of the stresses of the three phases of boot camp, the qualifications for combat training and eventually deployment. Then, just about as quickly as it began, deployment ends with some surprising news and a missed opportunity.
The feeling I got most from Stormy Weather is that Timms seems like the kind of guy you want to tell you a story. His casual, forthright manner is easy to read and difficult to put down. True, there were moments where I wanted more from him. If the book were a conversation, I would’ve had a lot of questions. The story’s inclusion of many relationships in Timms’ life, such as when he met Liz, moments with family, and his friendship with West, made for a nice change of pace from all the military training. It adds in the relatable bit of humanity that is vital for a Marine. The pacing of the narrative moves in bursts and ends rather abruptly and dramatically. For a down-to-earth memoir about starting a career in the military, Ranaildo Timms has a fresh and honest voice that reads like a letter from an old friend.
