When Bruce Feiler is diagnosed with cancer, he wonders what his two young daughters would do if he wasn’t around. That led to his idea of forming a “council of dads” to be his voice.
The Council of Dads is not at all maudlin, as a book written by a guy at a time when he is pondering/fearing his own death might be. It’s really a story about men — men’s friendships and fatherhood specifically.
Feiler tells the story of his “lost year” (the year he underwent treatment) with letters that he wrote to friends detailing how the family was handling each step of treatment, chapters introducing each of the men he invites to join the council and telling about how he met them, and flashbacks to early life with his wife and daughters.
It was well-written, interesting, and not overly self-indulgent. There aren’t many books that look at a man’s life in this way. I recommend it.
It would probably make a great gift for a father — yours or the father of your children, or perhaps better still a great read for women like me who long to understand the elusive nature of men’s relationships.
We have two copies to give away (U.S. residents only). Please leave a comment to enter. We’ll announce the winners on May 26.
Jennifer Donovan has never made up a council of moms, however she is so thankful for all those friends who come alongside her in her parenting journey. She blogs at Snapshot when she’s not writing local news stories or book reviews.
Sounds very interesting! Count me in. I’d love to win.
My dad died of cancer last fall. It’s made me think a lot of the things my kids will miss that I thought my dad would provide for them. I’d love to read this book.
My dad also died of cancer, but it’s been a little over 2 years now. This sounds like a great book. Send it MY way!
I would love to read this and pass it to my grand son in-law.
Terrific! Please count me in.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
This book has been on my wish list for a few weeks! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Count me in.
This sounds very interesting…sign me up
The Council Of Dads is perfect for book clubs,I hope to convince my book club to read it and share it with the men in their lives.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com
I read the review, front and back cover, first pages, the excerpts, and now I am hooked. I have similar questions about ancestors, about my voice, about how to pass it on to my grandchildren.
Count me in.
Oh wow!! I am intrigued by this book. It sounds really interesting!
This looks like a sad but good one, thanks.