This heartfelt memoir captures the joys and hardships of a boyhood shaped by love, labor, and the unyielding land. Childhood isn't always easy. With two older sisters at home-spoiling him one moment and teasing him the next-Robert learns to navigate the joys and sorrows of growing up. His mother's words, "Big boys don't cry," echo in his ears as he strives to be as strong and resilient as his hardworking father. Caught between childhood tenderness and the expectation to be "tough like Dad." His days were filled with simple pleasures: chasing barn cats, raising a bottle calf, and dreaming of becoming a cowboy. That dream came true, if only briefly, when he joined a cattle roundup, riding tall on a horse he could finally call his own. This deeply personal memoir paints a vivid picture of a bygone era, where the spirit of the American farm family shine through every challenge. Big Boys Don't Cry is more than just a coming-of-age story-it's a testament to the unbreakable bond of family and the relentless pursuit of a dream, no matter the odds. The first in a duology, Big Boys Don't Cry has a sequel which traces the rise and fall of the community that shaped his life-from hopeful settlement to forgotten ghost town.