Larry Kilham

Destiny Strikes Twice Larry Kilham

James L. Breese was the flight engineer on the first transatlantic flight in 1919 and then developed 130 patents for home and military space heaters. Dismissing a high society Long Island life, Jim moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1929 to start fresh in the unencumbered west. There he built his oil burner business with sales in the millions of dollars. His marriages, however, presented challenges that were hard to overcome. Destiny Strikes Twice is told with the insight of an inventor in the Breese family who interviewed family members, friends, and employees. The twists and turns through his adventure-packed life reveal lessons for everyone including many insights for aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs. Many illustrations are from unpublished family collections.