These world-renowned national park travelers will visit Hot Springs National Park!
Author Brad Ryan and his grandmother, Grandma Joy, will appear at Emporium Bookstore at Lamar Bath House in Hot Springs on July 9, from 1:00–3:00 PM, to celebrate the release of Ryan’s new Simon & Schuster memoir, Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing, One National Park at a Time.
Their story began when Grandma Joy, then 85, revealed that she had never seen a mountain. That single confession launched an extraordinary seven-and-a-half-year journey to all 63 U.S. National Parks—an adventure that made Grandma Joy the oldest person to visit every national park and captured the hearts of millions around the world.
But Ryan’s memoir is about much more than checking parks off a list. At its heart, Grandma Joy and Me explores the deeper “why” behind the journey: healing, forgiveness, family trauma, loneliness, aging, and the life-changing power of intergenerational connection.
What began as one grandson’s attempt to give his grandmother the adventure of a lifetime became a path toward repairing old wounds and finding common ground.
Guests are invited to meet author Brad Ryan and Grandma Joy at Emporium Bookstore at Lamar Bath House, located at 515 Central Ave, Hot Springs. For more information, visit https://doctorbradryan.com or contact: @grandmajoysroadtrip.
