Book Review: Mailman, by Stephen Starring Grant

Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home
by Stephen Starring Grant
Published 2025 by Simon & Schuster

As someone who champions the Heartspoken Movement—encouraging handwritten notes sent by mail—I couldn’t resist a book titled Mailman. The premise sounded promising, but I wasn’t prepared for just how gifted a storyteller Stephen Grant is. Even after learning the premise—marketing executive loses his job during COVID and gets a job delivering mail in his Appalachian hometown to keep his family finances afloat—I was prepared for an interesting story, but I was not prepared for delightful reading experience the book turned out to be.

Through his keen observations, thoughtful insights, self-deprecating humor, and honest introspection, his experience became vivid and the southwest Virginia mountains came alive: rushing creeks, rocky valleys, bears and deer, weathered cabins, and imposing mansions.

I have always appreciated my mail carrier, Wendy. During COVID, she was a lifeline, delivering mail and parcels safely when the outside world felt dangerous. Grant’s story deepened that appreciation, revealing the unseen dedication and daily challenges faced by those who keep our mail moving.

The unexpected gift of this book was Grant’s spiritual journey, which turned his mail route into something far more than just a temporary job or career interlude.

Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home is memoir at its finest.

Order your copy today:

Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home
by Stephen Starring Grant

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