A Leaf in the Stream

By: Stephan Foust

Narrated by: Mark Souza

Length: 41 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on the real-life experiences of the author, A Leaf in the Stream tells the story of a young history teacher and coach from Indiana who, on a student’s dare, quits his job to walk across the country during the economic turmoil of the Carter years. While set in the late 1970s, the book also delves into the more distant past, as protagonist Jonathan Allen follows the footsteps of westward moving emigrants, including the Donner Party and those who traveled the Santa Fe Trail.

Alone, Jonathan faces the terrifying power of a Great Plains lightning storm, the bitter cold of a Rocky Mountain blizzard, the brutal pounding of a desert sandstorm, the terror of an approaching forest fire, and the attack of a gang of violent miscreants. Riddled with self-doubt, he is ultimately forced to confront his demons and find a hidden inner strength, all thanks to the love and support of the many good people he meets along the way.

A Leaf in the Stream is the rousing adventure story of a person alone and on foot. The three-part saga also takes you, the listener, on a trek through the American current events and popular culture of the 70s, including the music, literature, and personalities that help define the zeitgeist of the time period and influence the countless decisions—both good and bad—that the youthful walker must make along the way. Jonathan’s many encounters while enroute include a circus performer who, in her own way, has traveled Jonathan’s path before him, a recently pardoned convict and his wife who understand the true meaning of giving, a hard-edged park ranger tasked with turning a group of inexperienced volunteers into an efficient team of back-country fire fighters, an adventurer and environmentalist who knows the ways of the desert, a high school teacher who also manages a local brothel, and a crusty old timer who at one time helped carve the granite faces on Mount Rushmore.

There is also more to the narrative than just what unfolds on the road. Jonathan’s choice to quit his job, blow up his life, and leave behind his family, friends, and loved ones unleashes a powerful ripple effect. Affected the most are his understanding girlfriend, Annette, and his favorite student, Weebel. Their corresponding stories, along with those of his parents, Bosse and Peg, and his best friend, Jim, underscore how no one—no matter how independent and self-sufficient—goes through life truly alone, and how an individual’s personal decisions can also significantly and unintentionally impact the lives of others in profoundly life-altering ways.

Funny, frightening, and fascinating, A Leaf in the Stream will challenge your thinking as you accompany young Jonathan Allen step-by-step-by-step on his 3500-mile journey of discovery. His long walk across the United States opened his eyes to a world of possibility. It just may have the same effect on you.

©2022 Stephan Foust (P)2023 Stephan Foust

long but worth it

I was hesitant to start this book simply because of the length, but I listened to it on daily walks. What a great cast of characters, all animated by the sole narrator. Kudos to both author and narrator.