"The ability to evoke a spectrum of emotions in the reader is what makes Osborn a master storyteller. With laugh-a-minute humor and wistful recollections, this is a truly uplifting book." -- Reader Views Gold Star Review
Welcome to The Ding Dong Altar Boy,a riotous, heartfelt collection of true stories straight from the dusty back roads, curious towns, and unforgettable moments of rural America.
Perfect for fans of memoir and folks who love legendary barroom tales, this collection will make you laugh until your sides hurt and remember your own mischief along the way. It's like Stranger Things meets Napoleon Dynamite, only real!
But it’s not just funny—it’s human. With wit, warmth, and the kind of insight that makes you smile and pause in the same sentence, this book brings the messy, magical reality of a small-town life to vivid life.
Grab a drink, settle in, and enjoy the rollercoaster of mischief and mayhem from the plains of Nebraska.
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Listen While you Read
This book comes with a carefully curated Spotify playlist handpicked by Donald to accompany each story. Two original songs by the author are featured, "Drunk on Wine," and "Kenny in the Tree."
Welcome, book clubs! Whether you meet in a living room, a library, or over drinks at the local bar, this guide is designed to spark lively conversation, laughter, and maybe a few “remember when…” moments of your own.
As you read and discuss, we invite you to reflect on the themes beneath the mischief—friendship, resilience, growing up, and the kinds of stories that become legend in every family or friend group. This guide offers questions to get your club talking, laughing, and maybe even sharing a few personal adventures of your own.
So settle in, pass the snacks, and let the stories roll.
Book Clubs
Curious how a 1909 painting became the face of a book about mayhem, mischief, and memory? Spoiler: It involves vandalism, Pinterest, and a healthy sense of humor. Get the scoop here.
Behind the Scenes: Cover Design
What People are Saying about The Ding Dong Altar Boy
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HUMOR AND EAGLE-EYED INSIGHT
It has been said that a day without laughter is a day wasted, a saying that the authors of The Ding-Dong Altar Boy: And Other Tales of an Affirmation Junkie know only too well. Coauthoring this book with his talented sister, Anna Schmidt, author Donald Osborn immerses the reader in the quirky world of his small hometown of Chadron, Nebraska. With a unique blend of humor and eagle-eyed insight, these side-splitting short stories cover a range of topics—from first-time car ownership to the perils of hang gliding, and almost everything else in between.
Written from a first-person point of view, the narrative is engaging. The tongue-in-cheek, oftentimes flippant tone elicits plenty of laughs throughout. What makes this book stand out is the skillful blending of lighthearted humor with wistful reflection, making this a profoundly immersive collection that manages to delve beneath the surface. A good example of this is the amusing, youthful shenanigans at the Starlite Drive-In, an anecdote that is counterbalanced with an undercurrent of nostalgia that tugs at the heartstrings.
This book will appeal to fans of humorous fiction and memoirs. The short story format is an ideal stage for each standalone chapter to play out, with the reader being taken on an emotionally compelling, thought-provoking journey. Puns, allusions, and wordplay are skillfully interwoven, creating a playful and inventive narrative style. One of the chapters, for example, is titled “Not So Great Expectations.” Cultural references and the inclusion of factual information—such as estimates indicating that 50 percent of people pursued similar careers to their parents in the 1970s—combine facts with anecdotes, broadening out the context.
These individual chapters in the author’s life are told in a non-linear style, with time shifts between childhood and adulthood. The result is a dynamic, colorful collection of short stories. One of my personal favorites is “Haunted by the Friendly Ghost.” This is a funny, touching story that revolves around a coveted plush toy at Christmastime. The author skillfully portrays the events with the authentic voice of a young boy, then as a mature adult, capable of viewing the situation in a new light. Touching upon family dynamics, the challenges of being a single parent, as well as many other relevant topics—such as Osborn’s fascinating experiences as a pilot and songwriter—this collection covers a vast range of topics.
Interestingly, the book is accompanied by its own Spotify playlist. Iconic songs, such as “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Junior and Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” set a lighthearted and amusing tone, interacting with the content of each individual chapter. This interplay between music and words works well, enhancing my overall enjoyment of the book.
The ability to evoke a spectrum of emotions in the reader is what makes Osborn a master storyteller. With laugh-a-minute humor and wistful recollections, this is a truly uplifting book. Charmingly told with wit and empathy, the hilarious, touchingly poignant stories in The Ding-Dong Altar Boy are guaranteed to make you laugh until your sides hurt.
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MOVED TO TEARS AND LAUGHTER
This book was a gem to read! The book is a compilation of several short stories written based on the memories of the author about growing up and about life into adulthood. I’ve smiled with a smirk, laughed to myself and out loud, felt a degree of sadness, been nostalgic remembering growing up, and had a few tears. At one point, I just had to put it down to allow my emotions to catch up. Loved this book!
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ANECDOTES AND NOSTALGIA
This is a fun book, well written and easy to engage with. It's more of an amusing childhood memoir than anything else, full of anecdotes and nostalgia, some funny, some touching. Since the author and I are about the same age, many of the stories were easy for me to relate to. There is nothing heavy here; just a quick and welcomed peek back to a simpler time with enough detail to make the stories memorable and real. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," I often caught myself thinking.
His Casper story seemed to come from my own childhood, but instead of Casper, my doll of choice was the G.I. Joe I never got and a Christmas ruined because of it. Ha!
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TRIP THROUGH MY EARLY YEARS
I received a physical ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Ding Dong Altar Boy was a trip through my early years. I laughed so much reading the stories of Donalds escapades told through his point of view. These are laugh out loud tales of mischief and sometimes mayhem in a small town. A very relatable book full of short stories that will take you back to your childhood where screwing up happened and life went on. This would be a great book club choice as the discussion would be easy and fun, with every reader finding something relatable in Donalds stories of growing up. Chock full of heart and humor, The Ding Dong Altar Boy is a book you will want to share with friends and family.
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YOU’LL FIND YOURSELF SMILING
I received a physical ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Ding Dong Altar Boy was a wonderful read and yes, I finished it in one sitting. Firstly, the “The Ding Dong Altar Boy” chapter was absolutely hilarious. But it’s not just that, this book is full of little stories that transport you straight back to your childhood or younger days, no matter what age you are now. You’ll be surprised by how much you find yourself smiling, or even laughing out loud. This book has become one of the true refreshers on my bookshelf. Please give it a try, it will surely make you smile.
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SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
I just finished this amazing book that truly has a little something for everyone! I can't believe we all made it through the '70s—these hilarious stories had me in stitches! Seriously, they're the perfect escape from all life’s stresses. And get this, there's even a really great Spotify playlist to go along with it! I was vibing hard to classics like “Mustang Sally” and “Jailhouse Rock.” The way the music and storytelling intertwine really took my enjoyment to the next level! You definitely need to check out this really good book.
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GOOD DOSE OF MEDICINE
This book has blissful doses of the good medicine known as laughter interspersed throughout it! Donald's stories are a contagion you will want to spread! His ability to pull off pranks flabbergasted me! I was glad he lived through his stunts to tell these tales. As I read them, I vicariously experienced entertainment that can only be provided by an older gentleman who chuckles as he recounts his antics.
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RIVETING STORIES
Riveting stories from a nostalgic time in a small town not too far away…we laughed our way through this book. It was light-hearted at times, unexpected at others, and and a bit shocking a time or two. My husband and I both loved this book, and are giving away copies.
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FINISHED TOO FAST!
Finished too fast, couldn’t resist the next caramel in the box, very easy, fun read, grateful for the honesty and vulnerability. Marvelous ability: succinctness, timing, and excellent word choice. Very Dave Barryesque with much more fortitude and actual life experience. I’m immediately handing the book down to all my reader friends with great confidence that they will enjoy it as much as I. Maybe they can read it a bit slower, or twice if they like, deservedly so. Bon appetit!
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AN EXCITING AND RANDOM LIFE
A collection of real-life short stories that showcase just how exciting (and random) a single person's life can be!
After reading the first memoir written by Donald and Anna, "Where We Land," I was so happy to learn that these two have more stories to share with the world! This one is a collection of short stories that showcase a variety of different life experiences. Some of them are insane (like stumbling across a dead body on a run or diving headfirst into a wildfire) where others are more down to Earth and relatable (such as sneaking into the movies with a truckload of friends or enduring an extreme meltdown from a grouchy little sister). As with any collection, some of these stories truly shine while others aren't quite as brilliant.
I enjoyed learning more about Don and his family; there was so many things that caught me completely off guard despite the fact I've read an entire memoir about him already. Reading about his early years had me alarmed that some people can be this stupid, but I also see how taking risks really can build character. Don certainly grew up in a different era than I (I mean, he grew up in the 70s and I grew up in the early 2000s, so that's no surprise), and I found reading about his childhood to be quite enlightening. The way that this memoir recollects weird instances that occur over Don's entire life is pretty neat; there's a little something for everyone!
One of my favorite parts about this memoir is the simple fact that it really shows that everyone has a story to tell. Yes, Don has done some crazy things that most people will never experience (such as compete in a demo derby or heck, even fly a plane), but the majority of these stories are something that the average person can relate to themselves. Even if you don't do anything that you view as spectacular during your time on this planet, so many instances make for an amazing story if you know how to tell it right. I think this is a really neat sentiment and I hope that other people will feel just as comforted reading about Don's life as I did.
I read this one a few stories a night before bed, which I think is honestly the perfect way to read this memoir. There are so many different lessons and experiences to dig into, and I think digesting them slowly over time is the best way to consume them.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with "The Ding-Dong Altar Boy." Some of these stories are pretty insane, but this memoir does a fantastic job at making even the most mundane parts of life seem extraordinary. I am so glad that I have forged a connection with Anna online and that I had the opportunity to join her street team. I look forward to seeing what other stories that this dynamic duo has to share with the world. As long as they'll keep sending stories my way, I'll keep on reading them!
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ANOTHER GEM FROM DON
A collection of life experiences from an extraordinary life. The stories are heartwarming and laugh out loud funny.
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PERFECT WINDOWS INTO A LIFE
Love The Ding Dong Altar Boy!! The short stories are perfect windows into the life of the author’s brother, who can only be described as having real Main Character Energy 😅 like from a 1980s Spielberg adventure drama featuring a plucky kid who can do anything he puts his mind to (well except maybe fly 😅). I love this story telling combination of a brother and sister working together to make use of their wild lives as kids. The descriptions and storytelling are top notch - you feel like you’re there!
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HIGHLY RECOMMEND
This book is so good! 5 stars. It made me laugh & is SO heartwarming