Ain't All Good Ain't All Bad: That's The Way It Was

Tom Frisby III has seen a lot in his eighty-plus years. And just as the times have changed, so has he. A boy who lived through the Great Depression became a grown man who adopted twins in his sixties.

Upon reflection on his eightieth birthday, Frisby realized that the stories housed in his mind didn't belong to him alone. Through anecdotes passed on from his parents and grandparents, he had firsthand accounts of 150 years of American history.

Frisby's memoir, Ain't All Good, Ain't All Bad, looks back at his own life's trajectory-including family lore going back several generations. With sharp wisdom and a touch of wry humor, he explores changing social dynamics around race, homosexuality, women's rights, and domestic abuse.

Some stories are fun and quirky, like when Frisby's brother tried to bury him alive. And while he celebrates the good times, he doesn't mince words about the bad. As the title indicates, life is a mishmash of ups and downs. Through it all, Frisby recognizes the truly important things: family, tenacity, and the ability to learn from mistakes and grow as a human being.