“If you want a romp through history woven like a novel by an enchanting storyteller, you must read That Which Cannot be Denied. From the beginning, the stories grip and engage us so that we feel we accompany the unusual character through his adventures to fascinating places around the globe. A brief introduction to his ancestors explains how their life choices impacted their descendants, including Roger Hughes’ immediate family.

 

Hughes’ lens is through his personal experiences, but the book reads more like a riveting novel than a memoir. His clarity of historical events and how they impacted people are captivating and serve as the backdrop for the stories. The son of a Top-Gun fighter pilot, Hughes uses humor to diffuse some explosive situations he experienced as a military child and later in life as a young man. You’ll find yourself rooting for the protagonist as he guides us through his unusual and compelling observations and encounters. The photographs add even more delight and impact to his entertaining book. Enjoy!”

Nannette Rundle Carroll, Author of The Communication Problem Solver

 

 

“That Which Cannot Be Denied is the compelling memoir of Roger Hughes, a retired lawyer who grew up in the 1950s and 60s as his military-career father shuffled his family across multiple continents. Part homage to his father, an accomplished Marine Corps fighter pilot dedicated to the service of his country, and part nostalgic memories of how his family’s nomadic travels and world events defined his developmental years, this skillfully researched book is a sure-fire hit for history buffs, travel enthusiasts, and fans of coming-of-age narratives.”

Jill Hedgecock, book review columnist for the Diablo Gazette & author of award-winning Rhino in the Room

 

 

“That Which Cannot be Denied is a true story of Roger’s father, Harry J. Hughes, a Marine pilot who served in WWII and the Korean war. He was an American patriot and hero. Harry earned “Top Gun” in every training session. Roger lived in the shadow of his older brother Terry and craved love, compassion, and support from his father. He witnessed his father’s achievements and dangerous experiences as the family lived throughout the world. The classified secrets Harry took to his grave contributed to peace during the Six-Day War in 1967. Roger received the love and support he desperately needed but didn’t receive from his father, from a couple in the Pacific Northwest while his father was still living. This book is filled with adventure that brings tears, laughter, and surprises that lift your spiritual awareness. A MUST read.”

Ken Calvert, Director, Business Development, Peet’s Coffee & Tea (Retired)

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“The real-life saga of the Hughes family, a complex American family with an indomitable spirit, spans over 100 years, five wars, four continents, and many thrilling and hilarious adventures. There are many heroes in the Hughes family. The adventure begins with great grandsire Elsworth Hughes, who worked and fought his way to prominence in Bakersfield, California, earning the reputation as the “meanest man in Bakersfield” in the 1920s.

 

The story then moves on to Elsworth’s son, Harry, a “Marine tough man” who overcame his lack of a college education to become a Marine Corps officer and “Top Gun” Marine pilot. Upon retirement, Harry was an indispensable covert operative for the U.S through the Cold War years traveling all over the world with the family in tow—though the family did not really know what Harry Hughes was doing.

 

Roger, Harry’s younger son, is the book’s author and narrator. He unspools the story of his family as seen through his own eyes and evolving maturity. He shares the “aha!” moments that helped him unlock the family secrets enabling him to now understand his family and himself and the events that shaped them all. Roger shares his personal path to wisdom. Hard-won wisdom requires Hughes’ indomitable spirit to overcome the challenges on his way to becoming one of the best trial lawyers in California and a man of ever-blossoming personal religious faith. That Which Cannot Be Denied is a thrilling ride.”

David Alexander, Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP, Former General Counsel, Port of Oakland

 

 

“Roger Hughes offers a colorful mosaic of memory in That Which Cannot Be Denied. Beginning with the poignant death of his grandfather, he presents first the inner history of the family who formed him and then on to one of the most unique coming-of-age adventures imaginable. In a Forrest Gump manner, Roger, as a result of the mysterious career of his father, appears in a myriad of worldwide places at just the moment that they will supply a story of note.

 

Beginning humbly in Bakersfield, then on to Surf City, the mountains of Utah, Hawaii, Japan, Egypt, East Germany, Paris, Berlin, Florence, Cook’s Inlet, and more, his tale unfolds. Comedy, tragedy, and adventure all serendipitously merge into the kaleidoscope of his memory and the reader’s pleasure. I put the book down, asking myself, “And then?” Such a beginning cries for the closure of knowing the rest of his story.”

Gary Strankman Administrative Presiding Justice, California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division One (Retired)

 

 

“Roger Hughes was my law partner for two decades. Over that time, I came to know him as an adventuresome fun-loving prankster, inspiring to all who crossed his path, and, above all, a genuine and kind man. He loved the law. He was a fierce and powerful advocate. And he was a master storyteller: in the courtroom, in front of a jury, in the office, around a dinner table, in church.

 

He has brought all these qualities to this marvelous memoir about a peripatetic youth, growing up the son of a decorated marine combat flyer and professional spy. That Which Cannot Be Denied is a coming-of-age tale that passes through Bakersfield, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Hawaii; Japan; Irvine, California; Cairo, Egypt; Europe; and the Alaskan Kenai Peninsula. It’s a tale full of adventure that touches on history, ideas, and spirituality. A great read.”

Roland Nikles, Attorney, Writer http://rolandnikles.blogspot.com

 

 

“The author’s grandfather, “The meanest man in Bakersfield,” and his father, a World War II Marine Top-Gun fighter pilot, are right out of Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath and Tom Brokaw’s Greatest Generation. These powerful characters, the author’s muses, form the backdrop of That Which Cannot Be Denied, giving context to a compelling “coming of age” story of a young man groping for direction and meaning in life in the 1960s. Accompanied by well-developed humorous anecdotes involving the perils encountered during the travels of the adventuresome author, the reader tours Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Alaska, wondering how it will end. The serendipitous journey concludes with a powerful discovery."

Monte Lake, Retired lawyer, Non-fiction author

 

 

“That Which Cannot be Denied centers on a young man’s journey from childhood to adulthood, but it’s a much bigger story than that. It is so artfully and richly crafted that it transports readers to a different time and lets them feel the experiences that come from heart-racing adventures around the globe.”

Michael White, Sr. V.P., Strategy & Group Account Director, Young & Rubicam (Retired)

 

 

“History doesn’t always reflect the details of what real people experience. However, in That Which Cannot be Denied, Roger Hughes provides not only the experiences of four generations of his family, but he also delights the reader with his storytelling expertise, making for a captivating reading adventure. Roger skillfully tells their remarkable stories as well as his own with affection, admiration, and a captivating sense of humor. After reading this poignant memoir, you will feel like you were there, experiencing the ups and downs of his family’s everyday lives and their incredible feats of courage as they gave back to their communities and served as examples of what makes America great.”

Loella Haskew, City Council Member, City of Walnut Creek, CA

 

 

“Roger Hughes’s autobiography That Which Cannot Be Denied takes you on his worldwide journey of discovery. Sit down and enjoy the ride.”

Shellye Archambeau, Author of Unapologetically Ambitious, Fortune Top 10 Business Book of 2020

 

 

“Roger Hughes entertains us with his incredible family history and thrilling worldwide travels in That Which Cannot Be Denied. I have known Roger for decades, and after reading this autobiography, I now understand why he is so special. I can’t wait for the next book!”

Roy Van Pelt, Lathrop Construction Associates, Retired Partner

 

 

“Roger’s enthralling book, That Which Cannot be Denied, engages the reader in his and his ancestors’ history. His mix of pithy humor with prosaic accounts of world travel, blended with world events, makes for a compelling read.”

Alan Bailey, Worldwide Travel Advisor, CruisePlanners