Author Z admits his experiences have taught him to face every challenge head-on; fearing nothing, because it is put there to teach you something so you can move on to the next phase of your life. If you ignore it, you're just spinning your wheels. In Missing the Laughter, he explores his life and the challenges he faced head-on. In this memoir, he narrates the details of his eleven-year relationship with Jackson-from their first meeting to their break up and in between. Against the backdrop of the abuse he endured as a child and his battle with a terminal illness, Z shares his emotions and feelings as they years passed by. He intertwines stories of his family history with the present-day to make meaning of his life. Missing the Laughter offers insight into one Italian-American man raised in Pennsylvania as he faces his demons and the consequences of his decisions.