"Grandpa's Journey" is an engaging, heart-warming story about a grandfather's weeklong summer camping trip with his teenaged grandson in beautiful eastern Oregon. It had been three years since Frank last saw his grandson Brian. They both looked forward to their special adventure on the road before meeting up with the rest of their family. Their journey together is a delight to follow as Tony. D'Agnese takes us through scenic Oregon highlights, nostalgic New York City remembrances, and reflections on core values and character attributes that he suggests, convincingly, are valuable landmarks on the roadmap to the art of living well.I especially enjoyed this story because Tony D'Agnese and I attended the same Jesuit high school (Brooklyn Prep) at roughly the same time (I graduated a year or two earlier) -- therefore much of his look-back discussion resonates with me. In addition, I too enjoy road trip adventures and now have two granddaughters (albeit much younger than Brian), so I like those parts of this story too. In addition to Tony's delightful narration style and his authentic dialogue and character development, here are a few highlights for me from Tony's take how to live well.The story's framework seems to me to be Grandpa Frank's chance to tweak his approach to nurturing a beloved younger family member -something like a grandparent's "do-over" chance at course correction the second time around. Frank wonders whether, as a parent to his son Robert, he might have been too demanding, dogmatic, and/or judgmental about some things. That won't happen with Brian on the road.Frank greets Brian at the train station where a little girl bursts into tears because the balloon bouquet she brought to welcome her mom home slipped from her hand and rose high in the sky. Brian heard his Grandpa comfort the little girl and change her perspective by suggesting that the whole town could now see the balloons and know how happy the little girl was to see her mom again. Brian is impressed that his Grandpa's tweak in perspective -- how they looked at the balloon escape -- helped turn calamity to celebration for the little girl and her appreciative mom. NiceI've never been to this part of eastern Oregon, but feel I now need to get there. Tony D'Agnese's sharp eye for detail and appreciation of natural wonders present an inviting draw to a beautiful region that includes the North Umpqua River, the Cascades, and Crater and Fish Lakes.Love the valuable life lessons that Frank describes to Brian from Frank's first real job back on Rockaway Boulevard in New York City (Queens) with deli/grocery store owners, Tony and Rose, at the Appetitto Shop. Good service honors and respects their customers and is fundamental to doing business well. Keep the inventory fresh by regular rotation and clean shelves. Take pride in your work. Always. Excellence is a process and a habit. What worked for Frank in NYC will work for Brian in California or Oregon or wherever, no matter the job. Brian's on board with that.Empathy. Brian and Frank dine at a restaurant on the road that is short-handed and overwhelmed. So what do they do? Complain? Nope. They pitch in and help get the restaurant's owners and staff get over the hump. The restaurant crew is grateful. Frank and Brian feel satisfied and happy. Nice.Grandpa's Journey contains many other vignettes that are uplifting and inspiring. And it has a bulletin board list at the end of Grandpa's greatest hits in good life lessons. Who doesn't like lists, especially meaningful ones. This book is a wonderful read..