Looking Back: An Autobiography

The author blends family memoir, frontier reminiscence, travel narrative, and imaginative historical reconstruction. He recalls ancestral roots and rural childhood scenes, episodes involving Jim Hall and other pioneer relatives, and local community life; then describes athletic exploits and early Chicago years before embarking on wide travels across the Pacific, Australia, New Guinea, Mesopotamia, and Arabia, including encounters with Bedouin culture. Interwoven is a dramatized retelling of Mary Magdalene and scenes around Jesus, plus reflections on religion, imagination, and critiques of materialism. The work closes with later-life reflections, portraits of family members, and memories of long hikes and homecomings.