"Scoria Roads" with a subtitle of "Twenty Houses in Twenty-One Years" is a memoir and more set mostly in western North Dakota. In heart-rending short stories (titled names of songs) set from 1942 to 1963, it shows how living with loss, abuse, poverty, and domestic violence can give life lessons. This memoir, including letters to a sister, is filled with towns and landscapes changed from the sweet safe 40s, 50s, and 60s to the chaotic world today caused by the blistering oil boom. Throughout, the reader learns tidbits about North Dakota's and our nation's histories, the Norwegian immigration and their early mores and traditions, and how extended family can provide a safety net, binding a family together. Ultimately, this memoir, with photos, maps, and graphs, is a profound affirmation of the importance of hope, love, caring teachers, and resiliency.