A story teller's story : $b The tale of an American writer's journey through his own imaginative world and through the world of facts, with many of his experiences and impressions among other writers

A youthful voice sketches a Mid‑American upbringing where modest means are mixed with a father’s larger‑than‑life imagination. The narrator recalls the family’s sign‑writing outings: a spring‑towed wagon, a hidden log in the woods, and the way his father turned a simple fence job into a tale of daring Civil‑War messengers. Those moments blend the ordinary labor of a small town with a lingering sense of romance, showing how even the smallest tasks can feel epic when seen through an inventive eye.

From that foundation the writer moves toward the world of literature, noting how the early lessons of “training in poverty” and keen observation become a compass for his later encounters with other authors. The book weaves together personal anecdotes, reflective notes, and a keen awareness of the gap between fact and imagination, offering listeners a candid portrait of an artist learning to balance humble origins with the restless pursuit of story.