Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Hobo Sapien





A few years ago in one of my adult writing classes, I had the great and good fortune to meet Wayne Iverson, certainly one of the most interesting people I've ever met.  At times in his life, he's been a freight train riding hobo, a zen buddhist monk, a teacher, a city planner, a truck driver, and went to university at Yale.  He's also from Minnesota, where my wife is from, and which is a state that seems to grow interesting people by the bushelful.

When I was talking with Wayne, he didn't really want to write fiction but he wanted to write something.  After listening to his history, I suggested he write an article on "catching out," hopping a train without benefit of a ticket.  :)

That article started something, a need to write, a need to explain, and a desire to teach compassion.  Now, years later, Wayne showed up in my office and handed me a copy of his book.

If you want something different, something that offers you looks at things off the beaten path, or to take a look at everyday things with new eyes, Hobo Sapien is the book for you.  It's been compared to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Congrats, Wayne!

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