Just One Question: A Road Trip Memoir

by Ty Ty Sassaman

If you could ask everyone you met just one question what would you ask? At 35 and smack in the middle of a crossroads in his life, Ty Sassaman embarked on a journey to find himself, come to terms with his past, and look to the future. He ventured into the world with a single question, one he hoped would help him uncover a fundamental truth of his own—not knowing it would continually reveal the honesty, humor, and thoughtfulness of those he met along the way. From Boston to Burning Man, into the wilds of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters and out to the beaches of sunny California, readers are invited along on Sassaman’s expansive, free-wheeling road trip, all in the pursuit of Just One Question. Along the way, Sassaman reflects on the thoughts of Americans, what they dream, what they fear, and most of all, the questions they ask. Postcards sprinkled throughout contain questions from participants such as Phyllis Diller, Al Franken, Dave Barry, and even Dear Abby. “A rare example of a personal story that raises more questions than it answers, and deliberately so. As readers turn the pages, they’ll inevitably find themselves trying to answer their own version of Sassaman’s question.”

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2018

Reviews

[Cory Pavicich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a personal connection with this book that made me particularly enjoy reading Just One Question. I finished the same graduate program as Ty the same year, took at least one of the same courses, and ended up going to Burning Man before getting a job afterwards.

Ty writes of a moment of transition in his life, finishing school and not yet ready to join the larger professional world. (And not really sure that's even what's next.) He writes with smooth prose and vivid emotional descriptions of his various encounters with friends, family, and strangers and left me compelled to move forward through the book. Also, I think it's impossible to read the book without having to answer the question for yourself. I am humbled to realize this is Ty's first book, as both his writing and pacing demonstrate a quality that only comes from writing in hiding for many years.

If I didn't share so much in common with Ty (whom I believe I've met before, but I don't know personally) I probably would have only given this four stars. I was left feeling that Ty felt obligated to have a resolution to his journey, and provide a clear meaning for the trip. Maybe this is what actually happened in his life, but I suspect, like most lives, it's much more complicated than can be captured in two short chapters. But parallels in Ty's experience with my own life will make this a book that sticks with me for months to come. And what's better than literature in which you can see yourself? :-) Thank you!