Into The Blue Far Distance

About the Book

On April 26,2001, Michael Burns left his home in California. In July, after a journey that took him across the United States, he returned home. Michael is a paraplegic. He cannot walk or stand. He has used a wheelchair since 1967. His van was his only constant companion.

His writings speak of landscapes and towns, and the people he met, the ordinary yet fascinating people of wisdom, courage, humor and practical nature. He found the places where many live and dream; where the history is rich; the resources many; the traditions unyielding; and the beauty magnificent. It is about small towns where he tried to understand the context in which people live in very small places.

It is about campgrounds and the day's journey, and observations at stops along the way. It is about the perils of the solo journey of a middle-aged paraplegic as he makes his way across the country and back. At times it is a very personal trip, but it is always the observations of a man, traveling alone in extraordinary circumstances trying to be quite ordinary.

About the Author

Michael Burns was born in the New York City area and served as an Aviator in the U.S. Navy after receiving his BA from St. Michael's College in Vermont. He was injured on active duty in 1967.

After rehabilitation, he served on the Committee Staffs of Senators Alan Cranston of California and Robert Stafford of Vermont. He left Washington to become the Assistant to the Director of the Veterans Hospital in San Diego. He returned to Washington DC in 1990 and was the Program Director for the Senate Veterans Affairs' Committee. He came back to San Diego and served as the Assistant to the Medical Director until he retired in 2001.He lives in Carlsbad, California. This is his first book.