The Places That Built Me is a literary memoir about growing up working class and learning life beyond the classroom. Born into poverty and marked early as a child who did not fit the system, Michael Reed finds his education in the world around him-through labour, movement, risk, and responsibility.From cramped homes and schoolroom corners to fairgrounds, boxing tents, and long stretches of road, Reed's life is shaped by environments that demand attention and endurance. As he moves through these hard places, he encounters people who leave lasting impressions and learns lessons that cannot be taught from books: how to work, how to listen, how to stand his ground, and how to keep moving forward.Written with honesty and restraint, this memoir offers a clear-eyed portrait of working-class life and the quiet formation of character. The Places That Built Me is a reflection on how identity is shaped not by comfort or approval, but by experience-and how direction is often found by those who learn to trust the road ahead.