Ah, Roger Welsch, how I love you

Many years ago, back when Cliff's interest in old tractors first turned into a hobby, we were at a tractor show in Rollag, Minnesota.  I was browsing through various items at a booth when I notice a stack of books being sold there.

I had never heard of Roger Welsch, but that picture and the words on the cover spoke to me; I had to have it.  

Cliff hates driving long distances, and it's quite a trip from Rollag to home.  I noticed the book laying in the back seat and said, "Let me try reading this book to you.  Maybe that will help pass the time."  

That's the moment I discovered the secret to turning a boring road trip into something more interesting, and I've read myself into laryngitis hundreds of times since.  It's also when I became a fan of Roger Welsch.  Before long I found out he sometimes did little segments on CBS Sunday Morning, but just about that same time, he stopped appearing on the show.  However, those old episodes, "Postcards from Nebraska", are currently being aired on RFDTV, and have resurrected my interest in Roger.  

He's a prolific writer, but most of his books are out of print.  Click HERE to see his Amazon page.  Even the covers and titles of his books make me smile.  Now, there's an advantage to a book being out of print:  You can go to abebooks.com and buy them for $3 or less, including postage.  So I've ordered several of them.  Right now I'm reading "It's Not the End of the Earth, But You Can See It from Here", smiling at every story.

Mr. Welsch only has a couple of recent books currently for sale on Amazon.  This one...

and his most recent work, "Why I'm an Only Child and Other Slightly Naughty Plains Folktales".  

He isn't enough of a best-seller for his books to be in the local library, but most of them can be purchased used at bargain-basement prices.  I am paying the full price on Amazon for the most recent one simply because an author deserves to make a few bucks for his efforts, and I respect that.  The rest of his books, I will buy used and pass on to others who will enjoy them.  They're out of print anyhow, so that's the only way to obtain them.

I recommend his books to anyone with a sense of humor, or even for those of you who don't; you might discover you have one after all!  If you're from a small town, you'll see some of your friends in his stories.