Dale Kovar recounts his 50-year career working at weekly newspapers, weaving together reprints of original news articles, interesting feature stories, pointed opinion columns, and colorful anecdotes.
Step into a time when truth mattered, small towns bustled, and local newspapers were the heartbeat of Minnesota's Main Streets.
Joseph Wore Tennis Shoes: Stories From Small Town Journalism
is not your typical media memoir. It's a deeply human journey through decades of headlines, deadlines, and stories that stuck long after the ink dried. It's a joyride, not an ego trip.
Showcasing his best writing in a variety of styles and spanning numerous topics, Kovar covers his ups and downs in the news industry with notes of lessons learned and personal ties to people and places. A fierce advocate for free speech, Kovar holds nothing back in criticizing the big media and government for their shortcomings. Throughout, his strong Christian faith is on display.
From the top of a water tower to an upside down gymnast; from a day in kindergarten to a state political convention; from a six-overtime basketball game to an April Fool's front page; from getting burned by a phony letter to the editor to an actual office fire.
It's real people, real towns, and real moments - told with sharp wit, deep compassion, and a little mischief. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be challenged to think for yourself. In a time when truth feels negotiable, this book reminds us what it looks like to care - intensely - about getting it right. Rediscover a world where the stories may be small . . . but the heart behind them is anything but.