Former Chandler journalist and businessman John S. Wolfe will hold a book-signing event Saturday, Nov. 30, in front of d’Vine Gourmet, 72 S. San Marcos Place in Downtown Chandler.

Wolfe and his wife, Michelle, operated the Sibley’s West gift shop in that space from 2010 to 2021. He recently published the book “Around the World in Sixty Years.”

“Denise and Andrew were supportive of the idea to return to the store on Small Business Saturday, which was always one of our happiest days,” Wolfe said. “I’ll have a table out front next to Cee Cee the Ostrich from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and hope to see a lot of old friends.”

After the Wolfes retired, they took a “bucket list” trip around the world on the Queen Victoria in 2023.

Wolfe decided to use his background in journalism with Independent Newspapers to put together “Around the World in Sixty Years.”

Wolfe, 60, approached gentlemen his age in ports across six continents. The book aggregates responses to a questionnaire on life, work and family.

He attracted 101 participants from 65 countries, including places as varied as Nepal, Iceland, Morocco, Vietnam, Bali and Iran.

“It was an enlightening project,” Wolfe said. “I thought I would be lucky to get 35 men to take part but as I started, the responses were so interesting that I wanted to include more countries.”

In summary, the book shows we have more in common than in conflict.

“At this stage of life, for most of the men family is what counts,” Wolfe said. “It doesn’t matter if they are single, married, divorced, remarried or in a same-sex relationship.”

For example, the New Zealand participant, a Maori gentleman in Auckland, noted the blessings of coming from a large family.

“But when loss occurs, it hits hard,” Will Topia writes. “And then you think, there are more to come.”

“Around the World” includes three profiles of men with ties to Arizona.

One is Gilbert’s Eric Knutson, lead singer of the thrash-metal band Flotsam and Jetsam.  Another is Anthony Gleich of Chandler and the third is Jim Warne of San Diego, who played football at Arizona State in the 1980s.

Each participant answered 13 questions, including “What is the most important event to occur in your country in your lifetime?”; “What is the best decision you made?”; and “What advice do you have for the next generation?”

The book includes a “Now It’s Your Turn” blank questionnaire at the back to encourage families to use the book as a way to memorialize their parents’ experiences for grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“Around the World in Sixty Years” is available at aroundtheworldbooks.org and will soon be in bookshops. The hard-cover book is $49.95. The eBook is $30.

Potential buyers can learn more about the book and order it at this link.

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