The Road Home by Richard Paul Evans

Travel the last half of Route 66 with Charles James, the famous Chicago pitchman that everyone believes was killed in a plane crash. Dying, for Charles, was an eye-opener. He decides to walk from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA, In The Road Home by Richard Paul Evans, readers join Charles about two hours from Amarillo, TX. Each chapter begins with a quote from the protagonist. The quotes are like chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven. I savored the flavors of wisdom, humor, insight, connection, and growth! Here’s a sampling: “On the road again. Blisters and fatigue. Willie Nelson made it sound much nicer.” “Abandoned buildings along an abandoned road stand (barely) as a testament to the truth that nothing this side of heaven lasts forever.” “Today I came across a man I thought was killing another man. He was trying to save his life. How poor our judgment is. Too often we open our eyes wide to condemn others.” “I wrote my own Burma Shave poem: He who lives/ like he won’t die/ won’t find a mansion/ In the sky.” “In the oddity of today’s culture, some create false battles just so they can choose a side.” “I feel like Frodo in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy–his errand more difficult, each footstep heavier, as he nears his destination.” “Don’t give up. Everyone who got to where they are had to start from where they were.” As Charles helps others, he ends up helping himself. He evolves into his best self. Humility made his transformation possible. As he told the jilted Uber driver, “It is always good to process things to help us, not hurt us. Don’t play the victim.” We use our challenges to grow us, move us beyond being the weak link in a relationship. The Uber driver asked Charles if he was a marriage counselor to which he replied, “No. I am a weak link.” This book will stretch you, entertain you, and impact you! Enjoy the journey, dear readers!