Von Drehle always dreamed of writing a fantasy novel for his children to enjoy, but never succeeded in finishing one. Although this book is very different, he believes that his children will need to learn the lessons it contains. Von Drehle argues that The Book of Charlie shows how one person managed to thrive in a rapidly changing world, making it relevant for today’s younger generations, who will also experience significant societal and technological change.

Von Drehle has lived through the digital revolution. However, he feels that he does not know enough about surviving significant change to mentor his children about being resilient to these major shifts. He argues that people born in the early 1900s who have lived into the 21st century have a unique perspective; they have witnessed numerous massive societal and technological changes during their lifetimes, including the introduction of accessible electricity and running water, better medical care, universal education, civil rights, women’s rights, the world wars, and exploration of the world and space. Von Drehle wonders how they coped with such intense upheaval and disruption. As he was pondering these issues, he was surprised to meet a new neighbor who had lived through all of these events.