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The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown: A Memoir of Life and Loss

Blake Bell

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<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta name="keywords" content="The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown, J.R. Moehringer, memoir, Middletown, Ohio, family, loss, memory, Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"> <p>In the summer of 1971, J.R. Moehringer was a 14-year-old boy living in Middletown, Ohio, a struggling Rust Belt town. His father had recently left the family, and his mother was working two jobs to make ends meet. Moehringer and his younger brother, Michael, were left to fend for themselves, spending their days playing in the woods and getting into trouble. One day, Moehringer's mother got a call from the local newspaper. They were looking for a boy to ride along on the last press bus out of town. The bus was following the presidential campaign of George McGovern, and Moehringer's mother thought it would be a good opportunity for him to see something of the world. Moehringer reluctantly agreed, and the next day he found himself on the bus with a group of reporters and photographers. The bus traveled across the country, following McGovern's campaign from one small town to the next. Moehringer got to see the country up close, and he met a variety of interesting people, including McGovern himself. But the trip was not all fun and games. Moehringer also saw the poverty and despair that was rampant in many parts of the country. He saw people who had lost their jobs, their homes, and their hope. He also saw the racism and discrimination that was still rampant in many parts of the country. The trip was a transformative experience for Moehringer. He saw the best and worst of America, and he came to a new understanding of his own place in the world. When he returned to Middletown, he was a different person. He was more mature, more compassionate, and more determined to make a difference in the world. Moehringer's memoir of his experience, *The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown*, is a beautifully written and deeply moving account of a boy's coming-of-age in a turbulent time. It is a story of family, loss, and memory, and it is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. In 2000, *The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown* won the Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography. It has been praised by critics for its lyrical prose, its vivid storytelling, and its insightful exploration of the complexities of human life. *The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown* is a must-read for anyone who is interested in American history, the Rust Belt, or the power of memoir. It is a story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. ## Further Reading * [The Last Press Bus Out of Middletown on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Last-Press-Bus-Middletown-Memoir/dp/0316022137) * [The Pulitzer Prize for Autobiography](https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/251) * [J.R. Moehringer's website](https://www.jrmmoehringer.com/)