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.

Robert W. Phillips was born in Eureka, Kansas located in the great Flint Hills where he spent most of his formative years. As a young child on afarm near Virgil, he acquired the values that have influenced him throughout his life. As his mother always said, "Country people are good people."After graduating from Maize High School, he attended Kansas State University and Kentucky University, finally earning his degree from Wichita State in 1969. He also received a commission as a Second Lieutenant from ROTC and spent three years in the military, including a tour in Viet Nam.After retiring from a successful career in business, writing became his passion. It provided him with a way to keep his mind active and allowed his creative skills to run rampant. He currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife Beverly and a cat named Simon.