Andrew Taylor-Troutman, This is the Day

What does a slab of bacon have to do with marital fidelity? Who wrote the Chicken Dance? Why are there two days to celebrate eating ice cream for breakfast? Did Jesus have a tattoo?

This Is the Day is a yearlong journal of observing national days for things as diverse and weird as bobbleheads, Yo-Yos, hairball awareness, and serendipity. Taylor-Troutman explores his local North Carolina community and delves into ancient history. Alongside his family, friends, and church congregation, he finds hope in the ordinary, faith in small things, and joy in grief. He writes cheesy limericks, plays the ukulele, and prays with people in prison. He also learns new appreciation for hairdressers, mail carriers, and middle children. Taylor-Troutman even discovers the answers to questions he had never thought to ask, such as “What is the technical name of a flock of zebras?”

Andrew Taylor-Troutman has published seven books in creative nonfiction and poetry. He is a regular columnist for a variety of national publications and serves as the pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church. Taylor-Troutman lives in Chapel Hill and occasionally stumbles upon the wondrous while in search of his next cup of coffee.