Paperboy

In 1960, Tommy became a paperboy-a huge undertaking for a kid who was a blend of wimp and nerd with marginal athletic skills and a poor student. For six years, he delivered the news to eighty-eight houses, creating a catalog of human behavior that is as hilarious as it is poignant.

But this isn't just a nostalgia trip. The paper route was the beginning of a lifetime of observation. Tom, as an older man reflects on a life of four wives, fifty-eight jobs, and a dedicated goal of leisure. Some...