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Students are taught to expect conflict, climax, and resolution in the classic five-act structure of writing. Yet sometimes it can be more relaxing just to read an uplifting, feel-good kind of book. This brief compilation of short stories contains almost entirely that kind of storytelling, ranging from a "movie" story about a national operation to make the world a more comfortable and peaceful place to childhood memories of growing up in the early twentieth century and making a homemade radio. Each of these stories is a brief glimpse into a simpler kind of existence, whether imaginary and fantastic or hearkening back to earlier times when people's worlds were just a little bit smaller. With five different stories, the reader is sure to experience a spectrum of ideas that all hold interest without the stress of a sharp twist in the tale.
Employing a writing style that reads conversationally, the author uses narrating characters in these stories who shine with authenticity, telling their perspectives in their own unique ways. The entire read is pleasant, allowing readers to use their imagination to envision the wildly different locales and characters from story to story. The longest of the offerings is only a few dozen pages, making this an easy read for a single day without taking up too much time. The final two stories are more historical accounts given to the author by family members, providing some storytelling rooted in reality but still different enough to fit in with the other assorted tales. Crossing several genres, the line between fiction and non-fiction, and various times and places, this short but pleasant journey will take the reader's mind off anything that might be troubling them.