Larry Neff 's new memoir, "Rigger: A Memoir from High-School to High Steel" is a fascinating, behind the scenes look at his 27-year career at Bethlehem Steel Corporation. In 1972, Neff left behind high school and a further two years of odd jobs to work at Bethlehem Steel just as his father and brother did. At the time, many of Neff's friends went off to fight in the Vietnam War.

But despite inherent danger either way, Neff says he made the right choice. "It compared to the Army in one significant way: the horrible way some workers died in accidents. I witnessed a few deadly incidents and saw the aftermath of others. On a few occasions I left work wondering if I would return the following day. At least I had that choice.

"In the Army, I wouldn't have had that option. I truly believe that, at that time, my chances of surviving were much better than being in the Army. "

Not only was there the danger of the work itself, but co-workers often used violence to settle conflicts. Neff explains, "Bethlehem Steel was basically a city within a city. It had its own police force, fire department and medical facilities. Bethlehem police even had to be escorted in the plant if there was a reason for them to be there. The rough justice that was meted out on a few occasions was not something that was ahead of its time. It was more of a throwback to the Wild West. Technically, you would be terminated for fighting or any violent act, but it was rarely enforced."

In the book, Neff relates a story about management's attempts to discourage a woman from moving up to a better job. Old prejudices died hard with the old timers, Neff observes. "It seemed to me that the discouragement of women working in the steel plant came mostly from the older generation of workers. It seems ironic, since these were the men who had worked alongside women during the war years. I believe the younger generation can work together without the gender bias."

Neff also tells us of his experiences as a rigger: They learned specialized skills for moving and lifting objects weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds; repaired, cleaned or moved material in the most extreme environments in the plant; and did the jobs no one else would do. The riggers were trained as millwrights and repairmen and did their work …at heights as great as 300 feet, or next to volatile materials. Team members depended on each other to stay alive.

Neff says, "There are many more stories that can and should be told. I would love to see more memoirs written and published. I believe it is a time issue for many prospective writers. I worked on my book for three years, with an additional six months of editing. But whether it's written down, or part of an oral history project like the Steelworkers' Archives, or just sharing stories with your family, it's important that they be told so they aren't lost."

Larry Neff's "Rigger: A Memoir from High School to Steel" is available in digital and book format at: www.amazon.com/author/larryjamesneff.