In 1960, Tommy became a paperboy-a huge undertaking for a kid who was a blend of wimp and nerd with marginal athletic skills and a poor student. For six years, he delivered the news to eighty-eight houses, creating a catalog of human behavior that is as hilarious as it is poignant.
But this isn't just a nostalgia trip. The paper route was the beginning of a lifetime of observation. Tom, as an older man reflects on a life of four wives, fifty-eight jobs, and a dedicated goal of leisure. Someone who has never met a responsibility he couldn't put off, Tom offers a collection of thoughts on everything from decision-making-which he considers a "pain in the ass"-to a guide to surviving life's absurdities.
Paperboy feels like a comedic rant delivered by an old friend. A story that is blissfully irreverent and unexpectedly wise, dissecting human behavior with humor and heart. It is a funny, insightful look at a life spent trying to understand the universe, Paperboy is a comedic expedition into the world of growing up and the greater absurdity of growing old.
Praise for Paperboy
"Glenn, this is your mother. I thought I made it clear you should never be rude. And then you embarrass the entire family with this Paperboy thing."
--Anonymous