autobiographical essays focused mostly but not entirely on his childhood and adolescence. Engaging writer, able to make fairly typical scenarios (e.g., what does it feel like to be a part of a large group of kids who are in trouble, when you were not the perp? How about gaining concrete evidence of acceptance by a group when you feared no one really liked you, as when he's elected to the leadership council of a church youth group?) really come to life.

Ultimately, a drag on enjoyment of such a personal book, for me, was not really liking the author, as he presents himself here anyhow. He seems to be a major misanthrope -- ex-wife and parents probably get the worst of it, but he really dislikes people in general. Main sentimental attachment, per the final essay, is to birds -- he's upset about climate change only because of the implications for birds.

In short, while I wouldn't seek out other books by the author, I'll definitely remember the extended description of a high school prank in which he and friends tried to get an old car tire around the 40-foot-high flag pole at their school.