Norm Smith is a master of the straight, clear, declarative narrative, a skill that is all too rare in literature today. It is also the perfect vehicle for this highly entertaining, focused, and unusual introspective look at life itself. Norm carefully mixes deceptively simple stories of childhood and youth with enlightening experiences of substantial time spent in three separate occupations. To this concoction he adds colorful insights gained from decades of careful observation of our foibles and ourselves.

The result is often amusing, invariably insightful, and at times profound, and before we know it we have been led, subtly though logically, to face up to the serious questions we all too o en tend to avoid. Still Learning is a personal trek that somehow manages to uncover for all of us truly unexpected and pro table lessons from the past, present, and the future. At times a walk in the park, at times a bit of a steep climb, the whole journey, twists and turns included, is more than worth the trip.