On my bookshelf for years because of an inside joke, I never truly intended to pick this book up. But, stuck inside with an assignment to read a book with a prominent father character, I decided finally to give it a go. The story covers a lot of ground, but it ultimately is about the relationship between Buddy and his father, and it was such a touching story that I even teared up at the end. A surprisingly lovely read that resonated with me just right.