Humorous but poignant autobiography of a young man trying to find order in a world that sometimes seemed to make no sense. Covers seventeen years of the author's life, from his upbringing in a small Virginia town to his three-year tour of duty with the U.S. Army.

By the age of ten, John Browning thought he was strange: his middle name was Bagby, he kept a diary, he didn't excel in sports, he was more attracted to maps than to girls, and for his birthday, instead of giving him a friendly spanking, his parents picked him up and banged his head against a living room chair.

Life in Flint Hill, Virginia, where the most exciting event of the year was the annual fireman's carnival, was usually simple enough, but once John entered college and then the U.S. Army, he discovered that change was a daily challenge, and almost nothing followed his rules. John Browning, armed with a diary, a wry sense of humor, an ever-increasing cynical view of the world, and a sometimes overwhelming sense of frustration and alienation, gradually learned, as everyone must, to either trudge through or do his best to avoid what life tossed his way. And he did so while keeping a wistful eye on events that were occurring in his hometown, "Flint Hill."

**NOTE: This book is very large and comes in two volumes. Shipping will be $8.00 in the US, $17.00 international.**