Grandma Joy and Me: Author Event with Brad Ryan

Author Brad Ryan will be at Pack Library to discuss their newly published memoir, Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing, One National Park at a Time. In Grandma Joy and Me Ryan chronicles their cross-country adventure and the healing that unfolded along the way. Raised in Appalachia, Grandma Joy’s life was shaped by hardship and limited opportunity. Brad, meanwhile, carried the weight of family rifts, unresolved pain, and the challenges of growing up gay in rural America. Together, they set out not only to explore the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes—from Denali’s towering peaks to the Everglades’ subtropical wilderness—but also to confront long-standing wounds and generational misunderstandings.