Letters to Zerky: A Father's Legacy to a Lost Son . . . and a Road Trip Around the World - Hardcover

Bill Raney dropped out of college in 1959 to become a beatnik in San Francisco’s North Beach district. In the late 1960s, he founded the Nickelodeon Theatre, a local art theatre still alive and successful today. He lives in Santa Cruz, California. JoAnne Walker Raney moved to Paris in 1955 and from there went hitchhiking through Yugoslavia during the 1956 Hungarian Uprising. She returned to San Francisco in the late 1950s to buy and remodel a small art theatre, The Movie.

Bill, JoAnne, their 18-month old son Zerky and their fearless dachshund Tarzan packed into their VW van to set-off to see the world. Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sikkim, Assam, Nepal, Thailand, China. Bill takes you along on that rugged ride. Letters to Zerky captures those innocent times in this touching blast to the past and tender tribute to a son.”  Brandon Wilson, Lowell Thomas Award-Winning author of Along the Templar Trail and Yak Butter Blues

That rare travelogue with no ego and a true sense of discovery. A compelling and poignant read. The glimpses into Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and China are invaluable.”  Kyle Wagner, The Denver Post

A testament to the power of the human spirit to wonder, endure and remember. The adventure quotient here is high, but the main ballast of the book is emotional, a testament to the power of the human spirit to wander, endure and remember. A chronicle of travels through a bygone world.”  Kirkus Reviews