Career
His most recent book, Defiant, about prisoners of war and Prisoner Of War families during the Vietnam era, is his fourth nationally-acclaimed work. He debuted with his best-selling book Legacy of Honor: The Values and Influence of America"s Eagle Scouts (Street Martin"s Press, New York, 2007), a story of his cross-country journey, during which he met Eagle Scouts from all walks of life. In 2009 Townley released Spirit of Adventure: Eagle Scouts and the Making of America"s Future.
lieutenant features Ron Young, an Army helicopter pilot and former Prisoner Of War in the 2003 Gulf military action against Iraq who later became a contestant in the reality show The Amazing Race 7.
In Summer 2011, Saint Martin"s Press released Townley"s third book, FLY NAVY: Discovering the Enduring Spirit and Extraordinary People of Naval Aviation. To write the book, he traveled to bases across the country and also visited five aircraft carriers in three oceans, meeting the people of naval aviation - past and present, officers and enlisted.
The book defines the individuals and values that underlie America"s naval air power. The book received praise from The New York Times, John McCain, Jimmy Carter, and many others and earned him Author of the Year honors from the Georgia Writers Association.
There, he was active in student government and the cross-country and track teams.
He interned in the United States. House of Representatives, then went to work for Arthur Andersen Limited Liability Partnership, where he managed responsibilities for global strategy and communication in their Worldwide Executive Office. The well-known Eagle Scouts Townley met include Michael Bloomberg, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Ross Perot, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, William H. Gates, Senior, J.W. Marriott, Junior., Bill Bradley, and Jim Lovell of Apollo 13. Others include Tuskegee Airman Percy Sutton, former Prisoner Of War George Thomas Coker, National Basketball Association forward Mark Madsen, an New York City Police Department September 11 hero, and a crew of Hurricane Katrina relief workers.
The books received positive reviews from numerous figures, including President Jimmy Carter and novelist Tom Wolfe.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates called his first book “inspirational,” and President Jimmy Carter said, “These Eagle Scouts will inspire readers to become leaders in serving others” NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning said, "Spirit of Adventure tells a compelling story about a new generation and America"s future." The New York Times called Defiant "gripping."
Alvin resides in Atlanta, Georgia.
