Turnaround Summer: How Real Men Launched a Lost Boy Into Manhood

Mentorship can be defined as a supportive relationship established between individuals where knowledge, skills, and experience are shared. Sounds so simple yet in today's age of technology, distractions and busy lives we often forget how powerful this simple task can be for those around us. Paul delightfully guides us through his journey and adventure during his cherished summer in the wilderness. This book captivated my family as I read it out loud to them on a recent car trip. The children may not have soaked up the message and importance of the experience but definitely enjoyed the adventures around every corner. As parents, we can appreciate the adventure and message held within this book as it reminds us of how the smallest things we do for our children can have the greatest impact. Thank you Paul for sharing your adventure, insight and inspiring others through your memory of a life changing summer.

Though targeted at the influence of two particular men on a boy's total growth, Paul's book gives us all a lesson of how our own values can influence a child. With grace, humor, and insight, he takes us beyond ourselves to the power of a greater realm. This book is not just a "must read", it's a book that must be shared with all those who have been children, seekers, dreamers, and mentors.

I simply couldn't put this book down. Paul writes in a way that brings the Canadian wilderness alive and speaks directly to the masculine heart. At a time in our culture when the masculine heart has suffered a negative onslaught, Paul's book is an important call to the deep places in a male. By God, we are imprinted with great nobility, strength and most of all love. Turnaround Summer reminds us our true self is still there and available! Thanks Paul for the laughs, breath taking and tears.

Although Mr. Hansen tells of his journey through an incredible summer that changed his life, this book is a must read for anyone nurturing, parenting or mentoring a child, boy or girl. Despite or because of the insecuities of a childhood fraught with turmoil, Mr. Hansen's father was astute enough to give his son a summer of joy, hard work and a true sense of self, some not discovered until he was a grown man with his own family. Sometimes it takes someone other than family to help break a cycle, to help us become the best we can be. Looking back, I believe we can all find that someone who made a difference. For Mr. Hansen, it was an entire clan. This book will be top's on my Christmas giving list. Dianne A very well written and insightful discription of an awesome summer of working on a ranch with access to wonderful wilderness experience. All of this is woven in with the mentoring of a truely kind and wise man. What young person would not benefit greatly from all of this? I only wish I could have read this book when raising our children. Rich Dianne and Richard Forth Monroe, Wa.

Turnaround Summer is a poignant true story of a fifteen year old boys transition to manhood. It is especially relevant in our present culture because it depicts the acknowledgement by a busy father that there was no time to model the behavior so needed by a boy in their transitional years and his recognition of a viable surrogate situation that would provide this learning experience. The environment chosen was a working farm with horses, backpacking, trail rides, fishing experiences, plenty of hard grueling work, and adventures that expedited the transition to manhood. And best of all these experiences occurred in an environment only dreamed of by most fifteen year old boys. I highly recommend this book to all members of a family and especially to busy fathers and young men trying to find their identity in our complex world. Meredith Ward Ed.D