From Small-Town Wonder to Global Wanderer. One Boy's Journey Through Life's Turbulence, Triumphs, and Truths.

In Running to the Moon, Port R. Martin invites readers on an extraordinary memoir spanning decades of discovery, adventure, and personal evolution. From a curious boy growing up in Walla Walla, Washington, to a man who traversed four continents, flew helicopters, earned multiple degrees, and confronted the challenges of war and racial injustice, Martin's story is a heartfelt and often humorous reflection on a life richly lived. With the narrative charm of a seasoned storyteller, Martin recounts his early misadventures in a "Marquis de Sade" fire engine, enduring the sights and sounds of childhood in post-World War II America. He explores family history rooted in revolution and royalty, the innocence of young friendships, the trials of piano lessons and appendectomies, and the relentless energy that earned him the nickname "little atomic bomb." Yet this is more than a nostalgic journey, it is a candid examination of identity, education, politics, prejudice, and the quiet power of perseverance. Through poetic reflections and thoughtful observations, Martin considers what it means to grow up, serve, love, and question the world around you. Brimming with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Running to the Moon is both a deeply personal memoir and a universal coming-of-age tale. It's a book for anyone who has ever wondered what lies beyond the horizon, and for those who are still running toward their own version of the moon.