Not an Ordinary Life: from Class Enemy to the Hall of Fame and a Lifetime in Between

Publisher Marketing: I am grateful for the work Les Hody has put in to write his biography. He dedicates much of his story to his basketball experiences, but the way in which he describes life in Hungary during those dreadful years of his youth and the way in which he describes his family, his business ventures, his love for his brother, John and his conversion to Christianity, is a story that could easily be attracted to a Hollywood film maker. It is a story that despite the odds has a happy ending. Lindsay Gaze OAM 'Not an Ordinary Life' is packed full of anecdotes, some funny and uplifting, others sometimes brutal and sad spanning eighty years of Les Hody's life. By taking risks and never looking back he has certainly lived an extraordinary life. Melanie Zuben, Author A compelling and adventurous story that unfolds in Hungary, a country caught up in frightening political and social issues of the 1940's and 50's. Les' early life was one of privilege, but it quickly turned and found him and his family 'enemies of the state.' Yet, through incredible determination and endurance he reached the pinnacle of basketball success and popularity. At the peak of his sporting prowess and despite his status as a European champion and Olympian, Les at twenty two made one of his most difficult decisions and fled Hungary during the 1956 uprising against communism, to an uncertain future as a refugee. A will of steel, helped him adapt and succeed to triumph once again to become an Olympian, this time for his adopted country, Australia. Anecdotes of ambition, hope, courage and humor enliven the bleak backdrop of his impoverished circumstances as he begins to eke out a new life in Australia, finally finding peace in his religious faith. Agnes Zillner OAM ***