JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A book of more than 600 stories from every town in North Dakota took one man more 14 years of work and over 113,000 miles of travel.

But author Jim Puppe says sharing the stories of North Dakotans made it all worth it. And it’s his first book.

He says his inspiration to begin writing and creating this book came from his experience with the Veterans Administration as a coordinator for former prisoners of war.

Puppe says he likened this to the great “unsung heroes” of North Dakota.

What this lead to was a book of 617 stories from every town in North Dakota.

In order to collect stories, Puppe would arrive in a town, approach someone he thought might be local and introduce himself. He would ask that person to identify someone in town that portrayed “human spirit, optimism, good morals, and integrity.”

Puppe says most interviews would take place at a kitchen table, with many leaving him feeling like part of the family. He says the book is all about the voices of the people, allowing them to tell their own stories and views of their past.

You can learn more about Jim Puppe and his book “Dakota Attitude” at dakotaattitude.com. The book is also available locally at the Dakota Store in Jamestown.

Listen to a full Let’s Talk About It with Jim Puppe below: