Some books come along and unexpectedly push the happy button. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why. Maybe it was the fun, the weirdness, the absolute difference and unpredictability within its pages. Most likely, it was all of that combined. Whatever. It's not the reason that matters. It's the result. 
 Here's the beginning of the story: Ben, a thirty-eight year old travelling vendor, husband, and father of three children steps out the back door of the latest hotel he is visiting in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and onto a hiking trail that will become a nightmare, a fantasy, a quest and definitely a mystery for both him and the reader. Between this point and the end of the book, there were some of the funniest and wackiest moments that I've read in a long time. To me that equaled = good. The thing with a book like this, all fun could be monotonous. Thankfully, Ben's path was tempered with some heartbreaking occurrences which brought depth and with it a meaningful purpose to his journey. Being fully truthful, there was a moment, still early in, that I thought this hike was simply becoming a left step followed by the right, but then the 
 crab 
 came along. A brilliant move on the part of the author. And that's all I can say about that. 
 ( Dad speaking to son): "No, I mean I'm fucked up. But I got my reasons. I know I never did anything good for you, Ben. But just remember that everything bad can be made good if you know how to use it." 
 The end may not be what you expect it to be. I expected an analogy. I did not get one, not exactly anyway. Yeah well, expecting is like assuming, and we all know that little saying about the word assume. One more thing to share: There came a point, near the end, that I couldn't help but picture George Bailey running down the street of Bedford Falls yelling, "Hello Emporium! Hello, you old Building and Loan!" Happy button engaged. Enough said. 
 Stay on the Path.