Marty’s Writings / Journal

By: J. R. Caldwell

Narrated by: Eddie Zapata

In 1954, there were three major newspapers printed daily in Pittsburgh, all with vast subscriptions. Hundreds of adolescent boys and girls delivered them throughout the day. Marty Rinehart had just turned 12 when Mark, a neighbor and his older sister’s unofficial boyfriend, handed down his Post-Gazette evening route to him. It was also the year that a well-liked teacher in his seventh grade inspired her class to write. Marty asked his mom to buy him a large blue notebook and began, many nights after bedtime under the covers with a flashlight, to journal his first year as a carrier.

Jump on your own bicycle and ride along with Marty on this unsophisticated, sometimes funny, sometimes scary and conflicted, emerging and emotional awakening into maturity.

©2020 J. R. Caldwell (P)2022 James R. Caldwell

Voice and story match up perfectly.

I loved this- coming of age, Americana life in the 1950s, rich character development. The narration was lively and full of character but not theatrically exhausting, the voice reminds me of a flannel shirt on a kid in the fall, riding his bike through Main Street, USA. A gentle but realistic view of racism in the Midwest and the joy of budding friendship. I loved the details to characters, settings, everyday life.

Pure enjoyment

Very enjoyable story. The Narrator Mr Zapata captured the voice of a young man and the story by Caldwell brought me back to being a kid. The new bike and the break in the winter for use brought me back to a very similar situation I had growing up. As a kid I delivered the Southtown Economist a Chicago based afternoon newspaper this could be my life story, albeit 30 years later ha ha. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.