John McManamy

John McManamy is a retired mental health writer, late-life nature mystic, and accidental Buddhist who took to the road when life fell apart—and just kept going. At 66, fresh off bypass surgery, eviction, and financial ruin, he loaded three didgeridoos and other necessities into a ’98 Passat and drove 13,000 miles around America.

He recounts that journey in his memoir: My Rather Improbable 2O17.

Seven years later, now living in a van called The Taj Mahal Disco Fun Palace, he experienced another heart attack, this time in a desert parked beside a rig with Buddhist in the signage.

That led to joining Dani and her Buddhist Nomads in a forest in northern Arizona, which resulted in high Dharma drama, some unexpected awakenings, and a rendezvous with a friendly skunk.

He recounts these experiences in My Rather Improbable 2024. Together, the two memoirs - comprising The Improbable Nomad Series - tell a much larger story.

Blending Zen‑tinted road philosophy with absurdist travel mishaps, McManamy writes with unsentimental humor and hard‑won insight about aging, mental health, and starting over when you thought the story was over. His work is perfect for readers who enjoy the wit of Bill Bryson, the spiritual curiosity of Robert Pirsig, and the emotional honesty of Cheryl Strayed—and who suspect the best miles might still be ahead.

McManamy is currently planning other media projects based on his nearly ten years as an improbable nomad. Stay tuned …

(Author photo: Autumn Jerumbo)