Highway 80 Revisited by Tom Bohnhorst

Tales of Boyhood and Coming of Age

Highway 80 Revisited: Traverse City Author Debuts Humorous Memoir

Traverse City, Michigan—Traverse City writer and semi-international adventurer shares stories through his debut memoir, Highway 80 Revisited: Tales of Boyhood and Coming of Age. A collection of thirteen tales that take place everywhere from Turkey to Georgia and Indiana, readers follow Tom Bohnhorst as he lives through his own coming-of-age: complete with mistakes, misadventures, and the life lessons found in-between. 

Growing up across Georgia, Indiana, and Turkey during the 50s to early 70s, Bohnhorst is uniquely poised to tell stories of his own growth and also of the segregated South. The collection features much of his father’s influence, with the book exploring his journey from a young boy to adulthood.  He manages to find humor in recounting his difficulties— a habit he’s cultivated over a lifetime. 

Stories for the Ages

“I'm the third of four kids and, for better or worse, took on the role as the family comedian. I've always looked for the funny in life and that still shows in much of what I write about,” he said. “Laughter is one thing. I hope I've painted compelling and vivid scenes for people that they will revisit in their imaginations.”

Bohnhorst found his love for writing for an audience at a young age, but this book was born out of a slightly different directive: mock family Christmas letters that he began writing in the ‘90s, which soon became a 30-plus-year tradition that led to him documenting memories from adolescence. 

“I didn't set out to write this book, per se. I started writing these stories when I joined the Old Town Writers Group in Traverse City about ten years ago. With the group's encouragement, I submitted a set of random stories, some autobiographical, some not, to Mission Point Press. My ‘book coach’ there suggested I pare the stories down by selecting those that could act as a unified whole. I did as suggested and two years later, this book came into being,” Bohnhorst explained. 

Highway 80 Revisited: Tales of Boyhood and Coming of Age invites readers to view adolescence through a lens tinted with humor, humility—and to enjoy stories that will stay with them. 

“It's amazing to experience the timelessness inside a creative writing zone. I suppose most writers experience that. I also love reading my stories to a captive audience (as long as they laugh or cry at the appropriate places). For some reason, my stories do well when read aloud,” he said. 

Advanced Praise

The evolution of Bohnhorst throughout these pieces mirrors the evolving structure of the collection itself, and advance reviews for the book celebrate his success in achieving it. 

“Bohnhorst brings to this memoir a full-bodied, beautifully composed operatic history starring 1970s long-haired hitchhikers, looking only for ‘experience’ not answers, on a ‘quest for the fabulous.’ That quest led Bohnhorst, while living in Turkey, to ‘large quantities of hashish … down dangerous Turkish alleyways.’ But also, after years of hitchhiking Europe and the US, to a ‘cast of charitable characters.’ But it is the writing itself that is the most compelling. Every sentence, a generous gift of delight.” — Joy Gaines-Friedler, author of Secular Audacity and the award-winning Capture Theory 

“A poignant mix of travelogue, coming-of-age, and late ’60s cultural history, Bohnhorst’s road is populated with crazy characters, adventure, and danger. Recounted with smatterings of laugh-out-loud humor and emotional resonance, the America and Europe he traverses feel mythical. I hated to say adieu at the end of this journey and can only hope for a sequel.” — Karen Mulvahill, author of The Lost Woman, a Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2025

The Author

It all started in 1966 when Tom Bohnhorst at age 14 presented to his parents' Unitarian Church a parody of a well-known poem. It began, “’Twas the night before Christmas when all through the pad, not a cool cat was stirring, know what I mean, Dad?" The congregants howled mightily which made young Tom feel very special. And thus was born a person trying to get a rise out of people with his written word.

Tom Bohnhorst is a semi-retired social worker and counselor. He is a grandfather, golf addict, fisherman, and CPAP user. He has been a teacher, counselor, carpenter's helper, cherry crop harvester, actor, court order enforcer, newspaper writer, cotton candy maker, and world traveler.

Tom started a blog, Poop Ederim, years ago, and then joined a local writers group. A number of his essays and stories have been published, even a poem. 

Tom lives in Traverse City, Michigan, with his somewhat disloyal dog, Max.

The Book

Highway 80 Revisited: Tales of Boyhood and Coming of Age 

Tom Bohnhorst

144 pages, 6 x 9 inches, B/W

Memoirs, Essays and Travelogues, Travel, Adolescence, Family 

ISBN: 978-1-968761-32-5, $22.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN:978-1-968761-33-2, $16.95 (Softcover) 

Publication Date: 06/11/26

Mission Point Press

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org, Amazon, and other online retailers. On its June 11 publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at tombohn2@yahoo.com.