{"id":88,"date":"2026-05-27T20:13:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/?page_id=88"},"modified":"2026-05-27T20:19:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:19:10","slug":"the-roundabout-way","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/?page_id=88","title":{"rendered":"The Roundabout Way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- THE ROUNDABOUT WAY BOOK PAGE -->\n<section class=\"job-book-page\">\n  <style>\n    .job-book-page {\n      max-width: 1100px;\n      margin: 0 auto;\n      padding: 56px 20px;\n      font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;\n      color: #222;\n      line-height: 1.65;\n    }\n\n    .job-book-hero {\n      display: grid;\n      grid-template-columns: 310px 1fr;\n      gap: 42px;\n      align-items: start;\n    }\n\n    .job-book-cover {\n      width: 100%;\n      max-width: 310px;\n      border-radius: 5px;\n      box-shadow: 0 8px 26px rgba(0,0,0,.22);\n    }\n\n    .job-book-page h1 {\n      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.job-kenburns {\n  margin-left: 0 !important;\n  margin-right: auto !important;\n  width: 100% !important;\n  max-width: 760px !important;\n  }\n}\n  <\/style>\n\n  <div class=\"job-book-hero\">\n    <div>\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"job-book-cover\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Final-Cover-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Cover of The Roundabout Way by Jack O\u2019Brien\">\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div>\n      <h1><em>The Roundabout Way<\/em><\/h1>\n\n      <p>This is the book retirees give their children when the kids ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s it really like living in The Villages?\u201d<\/p>\n\n      <p>A warm and often hilarious collection of short stories about fictional residents of America\u2019s most famous retirement community, <em>The Roundabout Way<\/em> captures the humor, heartbreak, reinvention, and quiet courage that come with growing older.<\/p>\n\n      <p>For years the best-selling work of fiction by a local author in The Villages, the book explores the strange dilemma of finally having the freedom to enjoy life\u2014just as time, health, and security begin to feel more precious.<\/p>\n\n      <p>Filled with wit, pathos, affection, and sharp observation, <em>The Roundabout Way<\/em> resonates with anyone over fifty\u2014or anyone who hopes they someday will be.<\/p>\n\n      <div class=\"job-book-actions\">\n        <a class=\"job-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Roundabout-Way-Stories-Villages-Florida-ebook\/dp\/B09NB3DW8W\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Buy on Amazon<\/a>\n        <a class=\"job-button secondary\" href=\"\/#books\">Back to Books<\/a>\n      <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"job-kenburns\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golf-course-sunset.png\" alt=\"Golf course sunset in The Villages\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Golf-and-Gator.png\" alt=\"Woman retrieving golf ball near gator\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dancing-with-his-daughter.png\" alt=\"Father dancing with daughter\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Kissing-seniors.png\" alt=\"Senior couple kissing\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/suit-in-pool.png\" alt=\"Suit floating in pool\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jackobrienbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/duck-and-golf-ball.png\" alt=\"Duck beside golf ball\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"job-caption\">\n  A visual journey through the humor, romance, absurdity, and quiet reinvention of life in The Villages.\n<\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Roundabout Way This is the book retirees give their children when the kids ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s it really like living 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