The first word he ever learned to spell was "Pepper." It was on the blackboard in Mrs. John's first-grade classroom at Harwell Elementary in LaGrange.

Since then, words have shaped his life. He has written them. He has spoken them. He has read them. And, in his career as a columnist for The Telegraph in Macon, Ga., he has shared them with a loyal readership.

In Ed's fourth book, "Smack Dab in Dog Crossing," he has assembled a collection of columns that will make you laugh, cry, think and feel. Ed is one of those writers who believes there is a story waiting for him around every bend in the road. That's why he has been referred to as the "Charles Kuralt of Middle Georgia."

Hang around Ed for a while, and you'll meet preachers, teachers and assorted creatures. You'll travel to a few places you've never been or even heard of ? from Mauk to Musella, from Blount to Eudora and from Dry Branch to, of course, Dog Crossing.

It's all here, from a story about a former Miss America to a homeless man who roams Macon?s downtown streets. The legend of Hogzilla. The Shake ?N Bake twins. The lady who has a museum with Elvis' wart and toenail. The preacher who preaches from a casket. Macon's most famous caveman. And the lowdown on outhouses.

If you're a fan of Ed Grisamore's columns, then you've been anxiously waiting for his third collection of columns. If you are new to his writing, then you're in for a treat.