All in All: Stepping into Butters’ world

All in All, the autobiography of Saipan resident Joseph “Jody” Butters, tells of life growing up in a small town in Massachusetts and his travels to a number of exotic places, including finding his soul mate and adopting several children with her.

Butters, now 72, said he wrote the book after reading one written by a friend.

“It came to my mind that my children, all being adopted, knew nothing of where I came from or about my childhood. As stated in the book, this is the main reason for my writing,” he said.

Butters grew up in a small town called Hull, where life was as innocent and picturesque as kittens in a basket. He wrote of the close ties among the residents and the abundance of friendship he shared with his closest buddies. If you’ve watched the 1993 film The Sandlot, then you’ll know exactly what it is that I’m talking about.

As he got older, Butters joined the U.S. Navy where he was named a Mustang. He said the military is not for everyone, but it provided a good life for him and his family.

“We traveled the world and met a lot of interesting people. By the grace of God or gods, whatever your bent is, I survived Vietnam both physically and mentally and was able to continue with a normal life,” Buttters said.

One of the places he visited was Cavite City in the Philippines where he found his wife of more than 50 years. Together they adopted 11 children and had just adopted one more last week.

Years ago, one of his adopted children was killed in a car accident. He wrote a poem for her, which is also included in the book. He also shares with readers several poems he wrote.

Butters dedicated the book to a number of people in his life—from high school friends, to his mom and dad.

Butters has already sold more than 300 copies of his autobiography and is working on selling more. A copy can be obtained at www.bookstopquincy.com or email jbutters@pticom.com

He has also started another book about him and his wife going to the land of “Whip-per-will.”

“I don’t suppose I will ever finish it, and if I do, I don’t know that it would ever be printed,” he sighed.

According to his blurb on the bookstopquincy website, Butters is also an accomplished photographer.

“All in All is written from the heart very much as he speaks. A retired 31-year Navy veteran, he has seen the world and all the human generated problems. He prays that one of the generations that comes along will finally get it right,” it says.