Adventurous life captured in print
It’s hard to believe successful Penticton businessman Adam Baumann lived his first years in a mud hut in a tiny village in Hungary between the two world wars.
From being deported with his family as refugees to Germany to lying about his age to fight for the Germans during the Second World War, Baumann’s life has been one of hardship, perseverance and plenty of adventure.
In fact, his life’s story is so captivating, local resident Roxi Harms wrote a book about him.
“I wanted his story out there so it wouldn’t be lost. I wanted generations to know of this man’s adventures, of the hardships that can be overcome. His life is such an amazing story, full of incredible risk and challenge,” said Harms, who titled the book, “The Upside of Hunger.”
“I met Adam seven years ago when we were both living in Costa Rica. We were neighbours and one day I stuck my head over the fence to introduce myself.
“We met and opened a bottle of wine. Adam is a great story teller. I listened to his stories and each was more captivating from the next and I thought, ‘I have to document this man’s life,’” she said.
But Harms didn’t want the book to be a biography.
“I chose to write a novel of his life. All the events in the book are true, but I created the dialogue after having 400 recorded conversations with Adam.”
The book is dramatic with twists and turns. It’s meant to captivate the reader, just as Baumann’s stories captivated Harms all those years ago.
Baumann is best known in Penticton for building the first mini-golf attraction on Riverside Drive (now Loco Landing) that operated for some 40 years.
He is also responsible for building most of the motels in town.
“He is a real visionary and a true entrepreneur,” she said.
Another layer to the book examines history and politics.
“In all our textbooks, the Germans were the bad guys of the war but it is much more complicated than that,” she said, noting the novel shows the other side of the suffering the Germans went through too.
Baumann immigrated to Canada in the 1950s. He came to Penticton with his wife Jean and became a brick layer. They have three children and grandchildren.
Baumann and his business partners developed the Sage Mesa subdivision, including a local water system, in the ’60s.
He later built the St. Andrews golf course and residential development, as well as OK Mini Storage at the south end of Government Street and what is now Penticton Self-Storage at Government and Industrial Avenue.
But perhaps his proudest project was the striking 86 Lakeshore condominium building opposite Okanagan Lake Park, where he and Jean still live.
The Baumanns recently donated $30,000 to Penticton Hospital.
Harms and Baumann will celebrate release of the novel July 19, 5-7 p.m., at Lindon House in Kelowna, and July 25, 57 p.m., at Leir House in Penticton.
Proceeds from the book will go towards setting up a scholarship for kids who can’t afford to go to college.