Note: The following post was is a book I reviewed on Reedsy Discovery. Check out the review on Reedsy Discovery here. Be sure to check out Reedsy Discovery for high-quality reviews of new indie book releases in all genres.
Of all the underrated traits in our current era, I reckon civic involvement is the leading candidate for most underrated. Fortunately for us, Dr. Robert Kimball's memoir A Road Less Travelled makes a strong case for being involved in one's community. This book details a lifelong masterclass in the virtues of civic involvement and how to respond to those taking shortcuts.
Dr. Kimball's life story is chock-full of engaging themes and recurring motifs: the aforementioned importance of civic involvement, finding a rewarding career, not taking familial relations for granted, the iron shackles of poverty, and much more. However, where this memoir shines brightest is when Dr. Kimball recalls his encounters with short-sighted, unethical, and otherwise incompetent individuals. Dr. Kimball's life takes him around the world, from battlefields of Vietnam to the heart of America's classrooms. And yet in all those circumstances, somebody—be it a superior, colleague or passing acquaintance— is engaging in myopic and egotistical conduct that endangers others. The constant reappearance of selfishness gives Dr. Kimball 20/20 vision when it comes to a dark side of the American character. This motif and others make a rich memoir describing an equally rich life.
In keeping with my usual reviewing style, I believe the book's greatest asset is also its greatest liability. The wide variety of life experiences that make the memoir a rich read also hinder the memoir from tying those motifs together across chapters. The amount of detail required to provide accurate context in many scenarios is extensive. As such, certain chapters are so autonomous they feel isolated from the rest of the memoir. Few characters beyond the author's immediate family appear in more than one circumstance, further weakening the connection between one chapter and the next.
Dr. Robert Kimball's life is quintessentially American and its retelling here provides a badly needed celebration of civic involvement. The author gives us a window into several bygone eras, all to the reader's benefit. Recommended reading for non-fiction readers interested in: socio-economic, military history, military strategy, education, and ethics.