Never Put a Ten-Dollar Tree in a Ten-Cent Hole. and Other Stories

When he was a teenager, Ed Grisamore was convinced his father

would never achieve true happiness until had moved every tree and shrub on the property at least twice. Not only did his father instill

in him a strong work ethic, he set high standards for the job.

"In my haste to finish, I sometimes would try to get by with the least amount of effort,'' writes Grisamore, an award-winning columnist with the Macon Telegraph. "My holes would be too shallow or not wide enough to accommodate the tree's roots.''

Taking the title from his dad's sage advice, Grisamore's seventh book, Never Put a 10-Dollar Tree in a 10-Cent Hole, pays tribute to everything from fatherhood to everyday heroes, good sports and Good Samaritans in a collection of more than 100 newspaper columns and essays. He puts a human face on every story and his themes cover every slice of life from faith, food, animals, music, school, travel, children, veterans and the wisdom of the generations.

Ed Grisamore is a columnist for the Macon Telegraph and recipient of the 2010 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, presented by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Grisamore is the author of six other books, including

Once You Step in Elephant Manure You're in the Circus Forever: The Life and Sometimes of Durwood 'Mr. Doubletalk'

Fincher. His 2006 audiobook, Gris & That, was nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Spoken Word" category.