Title: Pro Deo, Rege Et Patria
Subtitle: For God, King and Country
Author: Stuart McDouall
Publisher: Author House
ISBN: 979-8-8230-9063-6
Pages: 149
Genre: Memoir
Reviewer: Arthur Thares

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Pro Deo Rege Et Patria is a memoir of a life well lived. While it is unique as each of us have life details, and it is one of the more uniquely formatted ones you’ll read. Author Stuart McDouall shares segments of his own interesting life that seem to be broken into distinct portions, but he also lends a few chapters to some important people in his life. Perhaps the most interesting part about this memoir isn’t who wrote it, but where it took place and all the unique experiences the setting put McDouall in.

Before addressing McDouall’s contributions to the book, others’ contributions deserve some credit. McDouall was kind enough to lend a few chapters to friends to tell their stories and their accolades. In one chapter, McDouall eulogizes a late friend using the friend’s own words. In another chapter, he lends the proverbial stage to Evelyn Lam so she can tell her story of becoming the first female police chief for the Wanchai police district in Hong Kong. Stuart McDouall is no slouch himself. This memoir covers three distinctly important aspects of the author’s life: His time in the Hong Kong PD, his work with growing the Boy Scouts in Hong Kong, and his membership and rising through the ranks of Freemasonry.

This memoir was clearly written by an accomplished man looking back at a life worth being proud of and wanting to memorialize it. While there are no heart-racing shootouts or come-from-behind victories, there is still much to enjoy and learn from the pages of this book. Learning about Hong Kong throughout the time McDouall was there, and his contributions to the island. One of the best parts about this book is the visual aids he includes. These links to the past help visualize the setting, offer more information, and remind us of times past.

Memoirs like this are fantastic because they fill in the gaps on a personal level. You can read history books about the fascinating history of Hong Kong and its territorial turmoil, but that doesn’t give you the human story of lived experiences. It was equally fascinating to get an inside look at law enforcement and Freemasonry through McDouall’s eyes. Through all of his adventures, the most lasting achievement of his was probably creating multiple scouting troops to teach and develop Hong Kong youth. No matter which part of the story interests you the most, it is obvious to say that Stuart McDouall lived an interesting life full of lofty goals and impressive achievements.   Through deeply personal experiences, he examines the balance between obligation and identity, sacrifice and self-discovery. Thoughtful and compelling, this memoir invites readers to consider their own values, and what they would stand for when tested.