Home and Away

“James Duane Bolin, in his work Home and Away: A Professor’s Journal, gives us a nostalgic look at the impactful experiences of his life spanning from his childhood through his day in the classroom as a college professor. His stories evoke a sense of gratitude for the events of the human experience, both intimate and casual, which weave the fabric of our existence and determine to a large degree our view of ourselves and how we fit into the world around us. His autobiographical glimpses are heartwarming and provocative, bringing the reader an enjoyable and reflective reminiscence of their own life’s journey.”

“Dr. Bolin has the uncanny ability to weave small town histories, attributes, and traditions with current events. His insights, marked with a genteel writing style, are a joy to read and deliver a poignant message.”

“Like all truly gifted essayists, Bolin’s style is uniquely his. He speaks in his own voice. Yet, in common with the best essayists, he shares that rare capacity to tell a vivid, compelling story with very few, eloquent words. No reader will be unmoved by these remarkable essays. Readers will almost certainly take away new, deeper insights and renewed inspiration from Bolin’s luminous work.”

“Home and Away: A Professor’s Journal provides readers with inspiring and compelling essays that capture the human experience. Dr. Bolin’s love of family, passion for teaching and learning, and historical observations come together perfectly in this volume. From his vivid accounts of his childhood in Dixon, Kentucky, to his global experiences in China and England, Dr. Bolin’s essays resonate with warmth and a deep love of life.”

“As a faithful reader of his columns for more than a decade, I have often encouraged Duane Bolin to issue a compilation of his “best” work. What an impressive feat he has accomplished with this volume because everything he writes merits that adjective. Readers are certain to savor each essay for its clarity, scholarship, and humanity.”

“Pull up a chair, get comfortable, and prepare for a conversation. It’s an unusual conversation because you have to read it, but it’s a conversation nonetheless. Duane Bolin’s Home and Away: A Professor’s Journal invites you into a warm, heartfelt dialogue on family, education, faith, small-town America, and journeys − both physical and metaphysical. His essays draw you into his conversation in such a way that you’ll want to have the same conversation with your family and friends. The collection is one that you will pick up time and time again as you ponder your own questions on the human condition.”