All the Colors Came Out

A Father, a Daughter, and a Lifetime of Lessons

By: Kate Fagan

Narrated by: Kathleen Fagan, Kate Fagan

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

This "love story for the ages" from a #1 New York Times bestselling author comes as an unforgettable story about basketball and the enduring bonds between a father and daughter that "will heal relationships and hearts" (Glennon Doyle).

Kate Fagan and her father forged their relationship on the basketball court, bonded by sweaty high fives and a dedication to the New York Knicks. But as Kate got older, her love of the sport and her closeness with her father grew complicated. The formerly inseparable pair drifted apart. The lessons that her father instilled in her about the game, and all her memories of sharing the court with him over the years, were a distant memory.

When Chris Fagan was diagnosed with ALS, Kate decided that something had to change. Leaving a high-profile job at ESPN to be closer to her mother and father and take part in his care, Kate Fagan spent the last year of her father’s life determined to return to him the kind of joy they once shared on the court. All the Colors Came Out is Kate Fagan’s completely original reflection on the very specific bond that one father and daughter shared, forged in the love of a sport which over time came to mean so much more.

Studded with unforgettable scenes of humor, pain and hope, Kate Fagan has written a book that plumbs the mysteries of the unique gifts fathers gives daughters, ones that resonate across time and circumstance.

©2021 Kate Fagan (P)2021 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“This is a book about basketball, yes, and fandom and home, and about fathers and daughters, to be sure - about all parents and children, really - but most of all it is a story about the fierce and redemptive power of love.” (Wright Thompson, author of Pappyland)

"While the world screams for our attention, Kate Fagan arrives, quietly hands us All The Colors Came Out, and we remember what matters. Fagan is an artist, so I knew this book would be brilliant. What I didn’t expect was her gut wrenching and soul cleansing honesty about the complications and confusions of familial love. I finished feeling understood, less alone, and committed to being braver with my own father. This book will help heal relationships and hearts. All the Colors Came Out is a love story for the ages." (Glennon Doyle, author of the number-one best seller Untamed and the founder of Together Rising)

"Like many women in my field, I inherited my love for sports from my dad, and the parallels between our bond and the one Fagan recounts here jumped off the page. But All the Colors Came Out isn't just about fathers and daughters - it's about the ways in which human connection shapes identity, and how those ties can be quietly frayed, and then, in the face of devastating adversity, repaired. It's a story of heartbreak and healing, and one that will sit with me for a long time." (Mina Kimes, senior writer at ESPN and co-host of NFL Live)

“This book. I read it straight through, barely moving until the last word on the last page. Here is a deeply affecting story about a father and daughter, human failings and human forgiveness, and finding an unflinching heart when you need it most. It is written with such love and honesty you won’t soon forget it.” (Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Book of Longings)

Vibrant and heartbreaking, with a lot of love mixed in.

Brilliant book, so glad I listened to it as Kate’s voice added an extra special layer to the book. I am not conventionally sporty, yet the sports references were very relatable and created a great visual to go with the book.

Wonderful!!

A wonderfully emotional book. This is the third book that I’ve read from Ms. Fagan. I hope there are many more.

The narrator’s are excellent, too. Both Ms Fagan and her Mother could narrate other books. Nice voices.

WOW!!!

What a wonderful tribute to a father from a daughter so very well written and spoken by the author.

Beyond Basketball

I’ve spent many years coaching and pretty consumed by basketball. Kate Fagan and her Dad were familiar local names. I likely would not have chose this book otherwise.
What a hugely missed opportunity that would have been. Kate Fagan has written a deeply heartfelt family tribute and is an enormous talent. I have daughters. This book is profoundly moving, regardless of your family makeup. Thank you Kate Fagan.

Sad and life affirming in the best way

Kate Fagan tells the story of her father, Chris, and the story of their strong father-daughter relationship. Much of that relationship involved their shared love of basketball. When Chris is diagnosed with ALS, Kate reexamined her life and her relationship with her father, and this powerful memoir was born. I am a father and an athlete with three athletic children, so this book seemed written for me. It went beyond my very high expectations. While many parts of this are sad, it is also incredibly life affirming and entertaining. This engaging book can be an important read for anyone. It was for me.

Powerful, Passionate, Painful

It's difficult to rate this review because the love story is so powerful, touching and heartbreaking. Anyone grieving the loss of a loved one can relate to all of Kate's "What Ifs"; however, the memoir was too long and too repetitive. It was a very long good-bye that I couldn't stop listening to even when I wanted to. I truly felt the anguish and deep sorrow so for that I gave Kate Fagan a 5-star rating for her ability to gut through the reading of her tribute to the man that is forever alive and vibrant in her heart.

Amazing

The expression of love that Kate delivered not only on her writing, but deliverance of the story was amazing. Her expressions of guiltand regret iin her missed moments resonate to any child who has a parent that longs for more time with them. one of my favorite books.

All The Feels

This is a beautiful recount of love, laughter, failures, successes, family, hardships truth, realizations, & loss between a daughter, her father, & the rest of their family. Kate's choice of words, phrases, & organization helps bring their many stories to life. I laughed & cried many times while listening to this book. Whether or not you have lost a loved one to ALS or another terminal disease, this book will help you remember to "do what you love with those you love" every chance you get.

Dad's rule!!!

This book inspired lots of memories of my own beloved Dad. There's something super special about daughters and dads. This book was raw, honest, and shared valuable insights on life. Authors as narrators aren't always great, but she did a wonderful job.

Father-Daughter Bond, Basketball, and So Much More

I was hooked and already crying during the Foreword, written/read by her Mom. I’m obsessed with her statement about being vividly remembered serving as proof that we are loved. This vivid remembering is the ultimate love letter from a devoted, grateful daughter. In the beginning of the book, I realized Fagan had an exceptional Dad and a special bond with him. Later, I realized it’s more than that - it’s also a credit to her perspective, memory, and storytelling abilities. Ultimately, I came to recognize and appreciate the beauty of their close, complicated, imperfect relationship that had a perfect relationship cycle. I ❤️ this book and strongly recommend it. Especially if, like me, you have a complicated relationship with your Dad and a lifetime of basketball memories together! Also recommended for anyone who can appreciate vivid remembering and loving of someone gone too soon! This book has forever changed me and will impact the way I interact with both of my parents and everyone else I love and appreciate. Thank you for sharing your stories with the world!