Where Excuses Go to Die

From a child described as "insightful," "creative," and "sensitive" to a teen known as "mouthy," "rebellious," and "misdirected," Nelson needed a serious wake-up call to learn what "too smart for his own good" meant. So maybe it's no surprise he stuck a prop .38 in his waistband and politely robbed a series of chain bookstores, or that California State prison was where his own excuses finally went to die.

Nelson uses humor and the eccentricities of an otherwise law-abiding family to set a broader context for his tale. In a memoir that will resonate strongly with those who have struggled up mountains of their own, he examines his mistakes with emotional honesty. Ultimately a tale of triumph over our own worst instincts, Where Excuses Go to Die will leave readers rethinking their own choices on the way to "getting character or becoming one."