Rajah's Follies

Rajah's Follies tells the story of Roger Sommers, whose life of well meaning failure is

changed, when after standing alone next to a battered suitcase and Army duffle

bag, he accepts a ride in a white limousine in the early morning rain on Highway 101

in California. His host is Cy Goldman, the acknowledged leader of the Trade Show

Industry. Rajah, a childhood sobriquet that he never abandons, is offered a

ride as far as San Jose. His ride leads to a thirty year career with Twentieth Century

Exhibitions. Rajah advances a role as a fill-in hire to Cy Goldman's surrogate son and

eventual successor in a turbulent relationship where he is many times fired at the end of

a day only to rehired in the morning. Rajah has opportunities to move, but always

chooses to stay. Cy Goldman, a larger than life figure, dies suddenly, and Rajah\

represents the only short term choice to succeed Cy in Trade Show industry turbulence

of post 9-11-01. He faces a year of industry predators, rebellious family shareholders,

the memories of a lost love, and near death. Rajah find himself holding a position on the

career game board that he never wanted but can't elude, and faces treachery from both

expected and unexpected sources.

Dwight Foster writes of men and women whose lives have been allowed to be gripped

firmly by business organizations. Rajah Sommers reminisces at book's end, “I'm like a

drunk who's walked through six lanes of freeway traffic during rush hour. Now I'm

trying to figure out how I did it.”

Dwight Foster is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota and the father of two adult

children. He is married to Dorothy Choitz Foster, a well known trade journalist and