num_pages: 231
description: P.J. doesn’t get angry about a mother who imposes strict religious beliefs on him or a father who is so frugal that he expects him to pay his way in almost every category-he gets busy. In this personal memoir about growing up during World War II, Paul Johnson shows that in uncertain times, hard work pays off. The boy from Durant, Oklahoma, pedaled his way through the era on his bike, The Adventurer, while delivering the Durant Daily Democrat, throwing circulars for Montgomery Ward, helping his dad sell vanilla, and starting his own worm business. The result is a respectable bank balance, which buys a healthy measure of self-esteem when he proves able to help his father. Johnson, a retired university professor, is a licensed professional counselor who illustrates in this memoir the importance of male mentors for boys. His story also reminds us of the strength and support a small community can offer, especially in time of war.
language: English
title: P.J.'s Route: A Memoir
titlecomplete: P.J.'s Route: A Memoir
publisher: Eakin Pr