This book is a perfect Father's Day gift: a road trip story of a man trying to bond with his son, while reflecting on his own father, his other significant relationships, and his personal triumphs and failures. It is heartfelt and powerful and a little sappy and a little funny.. and I love it passionately.

The skeleton of Bissinger's book is a road trip that he designs as an opportunity to get to know one of his sons, a young man who suffered brain damage at birth and grew up Different. Zach is a complicated person, mentally retarded on certain tests but with an uncanny memory for facts, and Buzz creates an epic journey to revisit places from Zach's history. Buzz acknowledges early in the book that the trip is a selfish one, considering the relational pressures of exhausting days in a minivan together and Zach's strong preference for routine, but he has undeniably unselfish goals as well. The trip turns out to be something beautiful, with the moments of transcendence and disaster that accompany any good long drive, and some fascinating glimpses into a rapidly developing father-son relationship.

One of the surprising strengths of the book is Buzz's relentless honesty. He makes hard admissions about the difficulties of having a son with disabilities, especially a son whose twin brother is Normal. He transcribes conversations where his temper is disturbing or where he doesn't have the right answer to one of Zach's questions or where he isn't doing the Right Thing in a given situation. I found myself angry with Buzz on multiple occasions, as he would build up his hopes for a plan that could only end in catastrophe, only to recognize his error and start to make it again. The honesty, though, really hit me in those moments - Buzz's imperfections and failures helped me understand his perspectives on fatherhood more than a sanitized vacation summary would have.

This is an amazing book, a father's heart poured onto paper with all of its flaws on display. It will encourage anyone who cares for individuals who are Different, and anyone who has ever been a father (or a son) should read it.