The Bookworm: Dad by Steven Manchester
- Title: Dad
- Author: Steven Manchester
- Format: 336 pages
- Publisher: The Story Plant
- Published: 14th of September 2021
- Genre: Fiction
- ISBN 10: 1611883083
- ISBN 13: 9781611883084
- Source: E-book gifted for Review
- Buy: Amazon * Book Depository
- Goodreads: Link here
In an apple core (The Bookworm’s version of a nutshell)
A book that gives new meaning to the word Dad. Told from different perspectives, from people in different phases in their life, yet all intertwined.
Summary
Three generations of dads, playing traditional roles in each other’s lives, arrive simultaneously at significant crossroads. The decisions they make and the actions they take will directly – and eternally – affect each other.
After a life of hard work and raising children, Robert is enjoying his well-deserved retirement when he discovers that he has an illness he might not be able to beat. At 19, Jonah is sprinting across the threshold of adulthood when he learns, stunningly, that he’s going to become a father. And Oliver – Robert’s son and Jonah’s dad – has entered middle age and is paying its demanding price. While reconciling the time and effort it has taken him to reach an unfulfilling career and an even less satisfying marriage, he realizes that it’s imperative that he keep it all together for the two men who mean everything to him.
When different perspectives lead to misunderstandings that remain unspoken – sometimes for years – it takes great strength and even more love to travel beyond the resentment.
Dad: A Novel chronicles the sacred legacy of fatherhood.
My Thoughts
If you’re an adventurous reader like I sometimes am, you tend to auto-buy or auto-read a certain handful of authors. What I mean is that with certain authors, just pass me the book and I’ll read it, no questions asked, no blurb needing to be read. With some special authors, you just need to have a little faith and press that Buy button cause you know they’ll bring the magic.
So here I was upon seeing the book title of Steven Manchester’s latest contribution to the written word. Dad. Just one word was all it took to explain this book. And yet silly me thought it was just written from a perspective of a Dad. In truth, I wasn’t wrong on one count, but then this book is so much bigger than that. And if you, unlike me, have read the blurb, you’ll know that this book introduces us to more than 1 person called Dad. Three in fact! And while this isn’t Steven’s first venture into multi-generational books, this is the first one I remember where three generations actually have a real voice in the book.
So here goes: What do I think of this book so simply yet aptly titled Dad. The saying “When life gives you lemons” is probably the most perfect way to sum up this book if you ask me. So you have two choices. Either you accept that you’ve been drawn some bad cards in life, or you make lemonade out of it! And of course, that’s exactly what Steven’s characters do. In fact, they made lemonade, lemon popsicles, lemon cakes, and even more lemony goodness!
From one Dad on the last leg of his life, trying to make up for lost time with his remaining family members, to his son, struggling and fighting for his rocky marriage, who is stuck in his hole of a 9 to 5 job just to pay the bills, to his grandson, on the cusp of his own new adventure who at first isn’t even bothered with anything except playing video games and relying on his parents to cook his food and do his laundry. One of the magically elements this author brings to the table every time is his realistic portrayal of the lives and paths his characters go through. Just like the grandson’s, honestly, most of us have been there at some point in our lives.
Without giving too much away as is my style of book reviewing, with Steven’s books, the only true way to enjoy them is to read them yourself, because how else do you explain and condense a whole rollercoaster of a book into a few paragraphs? With Dad, you’ll get to live three very different lives and see that although we are all on our own separate paths, our lives are more intertwined than we think. And that there is so much to learn from each generation that comes before and after ours. And as with Steven’s books, he crafts little snippets of military life into his stories in the most respectful way, paying tribute to their dedication and bravery.
Dad is yet another book worthy of a place on everyone’s bookshelves, to be revisited on a regular basis. If you feel lost in life, read this book. If you need a bit of joy in your life, read this book. And if you feel like you need a good cry, read this book, and don’t forget the box of Kleenex. And no matter if you’re feeling these emotions, or maybe none at all, just read this book. You won’t regret it. I sure don’t!
Steven Manchester is the published author of the #1 best seller, Twelve Months, as well as A Christmas Wish (the holiday prequel to Goodnight, Brian). He has also written Pressed Pennies, The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy and Jacob Evans, as well as several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of his short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Check out Steven’s other books:
