Phoenix, Arizona Oct 22, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Author Ronald Lex Stout announces the release of his new book, Penelope and Me, an extraordinary story that bridges centuries to explore courage, survival, faith, family history, and the enduring power of legacy.

The book follows the remarkable story of Penelope Stout, an early American settler and direct-line ancestor of Ronald Lex Stout, alongside the author's own extraordinary life experience nearly three centuries later.

Stout identifies himself as the 11th-generation descendant of Richard and Penelope Stout, the original Stout immigrants to the United States. Drawing upon family genealogy and historical research, he brings Penelope's story to life while examining the striking parallels between her experience and his own.

A Story That Spans Generations

At the center of Penelope and Me is an extraordinary connection between two people separated by centuries.

Penelope experienced a near-fatal ordeal at approximately 22 years of age. Ronald Stout experienced his own life-threatening episode at the age of 94. The author describes how these seemingly impossible circumstances ultimately became the inspiration for bringing their stories together.

The book's first portion follows Penelope's journey through hardship, survival, family, migration, and the establishment of a new life in New Jersey. The manuscript portrays her as a woman whose survival shaped her character and whose life became part of a remarkable family legacy.

The second portion turns to Ronald's own life and his 2025 odyssey, including his experiences in hospitals, rehabilitation, returning home, and reflecting on what his life and survival meant for future generations.

From Near Death to a Message of Hope

For Stout, the connection between Penelope's story and his own experience became more than an exercise in genealogy.

He writes that Penelope survived her own ordeal and that he, centuries later, survived his. Their experiences became intertwined in his mind as testimonies of endurance and faith.

The book's conclusion reflects on the scars left by both experiences and the legacy they can represent for descendants: endurance, faith, hope, and providence.

"Penelope and Me" ultimately asks readers to consider how the experiences of one generation can influence another--and how survival can become a testimony that continues long after the original event has passed.

Historical Fiction Meets Personal History

Stout is careful to distinguish the nature of the book's two major sections.

According to the author's preface, Penelope's portion is categorized as historical fiction, with the author's interpretation of how individuals might reasonably have responded to historical circumstances. The later section concerning Ronald Stout is presented as historically accurate.

The book also includes appendices and historical material documenting the Stout family's genealogy and the research of Rear Admiral Herald Franklin Stout, whose work on the Stout family became an important source for descendants researching their ancestry.

About Ronald Lex Stout

Ronald Lex Stout has lived a remarkably diverse life spanning military service, education, finance, agriculture, writing, and Christian ministry.

He attended Occidental College, Life Pacific, USC, and the University of Arizona. He served as a U.S. Navy officer during the Korean War aboard the destroyer USS Gurke (DD-783). His professional career included work as a stockbroker and branch manager of a New York Stock Exchange company.

Later in life, Stout and his wife Corinne planted and nurtured thousands of apple trees and developed Stout's Cider Mill in Willcox, Arizona, which became nationally recognized and was featured on NBC and ABC.

A longtime Christian author, Stout has also published numerous Christian books. Penelope and Me continues his commitment to combining personal experience, faith, history, and storytelling.

Now Available on Amazon

Penelope and Me is now available for readers in both paperback and eBook formats.

Paperback:
Purchase the Paperback on Amazon

Kindle eBook:
Purchase the Kindle eBook on Amazon

Learn more about Ronald Lex Stout:
Visit Ronald Lex Stout's Official Website

About Penelope and Me

Title: Penelope and Me
Author: Ronald Lex Stout
Paperback ISBN: 979-8-89175-238-2
eBook ISBN: 979-8-89175-242-9
Publication Year: 2026

Penelope and Me is a story about two lives separated by centuries yet connected by extraordinary circumstances. Through history, family genealogy, personal experience, and faith, Ronald Lex Stout invites readers to discover how courage can survive across generations--and how a life lived through adversity can become a legacy of hope.

Media Contact

Ronald Lex Stout Books

[email protected]

https://ronaldlex-stout.com/