An Epistolary Autobiography is a day-to-day writing about events in a person’s life—my observations of America during a twenty-five thousand-mile trip around the country. My trip started in Indio, California, took along the South to the Southeast, then to the Northeast, then back along a Northern route to the Midwest, the Northwest, and then full circle back home.

The trip was intended to do three things: allow me to check off some of my bucket list items, meet with my first cousins to present information about the origin of our grandparents, and explore those places I always wanted to see as a teacher of American Literature and history. While traveling through the country, I made some observations about America that may differ from other points of view, but these observations are what I saw on my trip.

I share those with the reader as part of the interest of the book. I also wanted to share my perceptions of the great writers of American Literature and what they stood for.

I was also checking off my bucket list and sharing my experiences doing those things, like visiting the boyhood home of Mark Twain, one of my favorite writers. I taught these writers for thirty-seven years and wanted to see the ground they walked on.

Literature was an important part of my life; seeing the hallowed grounds where some of our literary giants stood was also a goal for this adventure. I wanted to see Old Faithful go off, drive in Yellowstone National Park, see Mount Rushmore, and play golf at some exclusive golf courses here in America.

. .