The Quiet Journey

Book excerpt: The Quiet Journey is one person's life story told in amusing and authentic memoirs from 1936 until 2000. The author, writing to his grandchildren, shares candid childhood stories about Saturday afternoon movies, reading contests, and threshing runs. The memoirs capture a glimpse of attending a one room rural school, growing up on a farm, and living without electricity. Older readers may recall their own memories of catching and killing a rooster for Sunday dinner, or playing fox and geese in the snow. Others may identify with the author as he tells of his first date and learning how to dance. A few may even remember the surprises that awaited them at college. Those who served in the navy during the 1950s may have experienced challenging shore patrol duty in places like Olongapo, Philippines, or visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. In addition, former sailors may remember some of their more amusing experiences when at sea. All of these experiences are captured in The Quiet Journey, along with humorous and challenging experiences of teaching in Urbana, Postville, Story City, and Dubuque, Iowa. However, everyone reading The Quiet Journey, will sense the importance of the second half of the twentieth century.