Dear Father, Dear Son

Two Lives…Eight Hours

De: Larry Elder

Narrado por: Neal Ghant

Stunning...a wonderful listen...a handbook for life. Those words of advance praise from another celebrated author scarcely convey just how powerfully mesmerizing is the latest book by New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Larry Elder.

Dear Father, Dear Son is a personal memoir of Elder's troubled - one might even say tortured - relationship with his father, and the astonishing outcome that develops when Elder, at long last, confronts him.

Says Elder: A man's relationship with his father - every boy, every man lucky enough to have a father in his life has to figure that out. My own father? I thought I knew him - even though he seldom talked about himself. And what I knew I hated - really, really hated. Cold, ill-tempered, thin-skinned, my father always seemed on the brink of erupting. Scared to death of him, I kept telling myself to find the courage to "stand up to him". When I was 15, I did. After that, said Elder, we did not speak to each other for 10 years.

And then we did - for eight hours. The result can't be described. It has to be experienced.

As reflected in the book's subtitle - Two Lives...Eight Hours - one extraordinary, all-day conversation between Elder and his long-estranged father utterly transformed their relationship. It is no exaggeration to say the book will likewise transform listeners.

Indeed, calling it stunning, Burt Boyar, co-author of the best-selling autobiography on Sammy Davis, Jr., says of Dear Father, Dear Son: "Above all it is a wonderful read. I am tempted to call it a page-turner but in my case I hated to turn every page because that meant I was getting closer to the end and I did not want it to end.... The book is filled with emotion. It is, of course, a handbook for life. I guess it is that above all things. Any kid who reads it and follows the advice of how to live his life just has to come out well."

Dear Father, Dear Son is the story of one man discovering a son he never really knew. And of the son finding a man, a friend, a father who had really been there all along.

©2012 Larry Elder (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

A true relational masterpiece

So many of the situations that Larry and his dad went threw are relatable to me. Not the abusive part but my dad was a truck driver and never saw him either and always had to steer clear and keep quiet. But alas, at least he was able to connect with his dad way before he passed, I was not able to and regret it to this day. Larry and his family have truly been directed by God and my father too had the same mentality as his father, treat everyone with love and respect and you get out of life what you put in to it. A celebration of a great lives of his mother and father. Too many people have been programmed to be less than, and will never know what could of been. May God bless his mother, father and his brothers. And above all Larry, a true patriot and loving human being, God Bless my brother from another mother!!

Couldn't put it down

This story transcends race and could be about any family in similar circumstances. I highly recommend this book for your library.

I hardly know how to put this into words...

I have just finished the book, after devouring it in one sitting. I didn't really know anything about Larry Elder prior to "reading" it other than he is the reason Dave Rubin began questioning a lot of his leftist thinking.

This book is revelatory. It's inspiring. It's touching. And having had my own tense relationship with my mother, is so valuable as it gives such a good look at both sides of a parent-child troublesome dynamic, where both sides are right and wrong. It's one of the best books I've ever read.

Greatly spoken personal story.

Family relations described in detail. I am sure many can find some to relate to.

Wonderful story!

I always enjoyed watching Larry before I read this book! His humor and infectious laugh is amazing. His family story gives insight to his strength and determination!

Great book.... best of the year so far for me...

Listening to this book, I found similar parallels between Larry’s father and my own: walking on my tiptoes because my dad had just gotten off shift work and was sleeping during the day; the leather belt in his dresser drawer, always on standby to give me a whack, and the many times he would say, “You’d better stop crying or I’m going to give you something to really cry about.”
I, too, often wondered why my father had kids, when it seemed like he was always so mean and disappointed with my sister and me. We could never do anything right or enough to please him. My sister moved away to go to college the day after high school graduation and never returned. To this day, she has only come back to visit him about 5-6 times in the last 35 years (while only living 2 hours away). Luckily for me, I took the route Larry did and got to know my father, and also learned some of the reasons why he parented the way he did. This book brought back so many memories (good and bad). I am glad I got to discover it on Audible.

Second time reading it!

Second time through and still can’t get enough of it! I love this book! The narrator did a FANTASTIC job! You really understand everything they both went through. It’s a must read!😊

beautiful story

Larry writes a very comprehensive look at his childhood through multiple points of view which allows the story to evolve as well as everybody's point of view in the story. so fascinating finding out about family histories.

Wow!

This book is an eye opener a must read. Thank you Mr. Elder for sharing your life with us.

A wow book

It Elders wrote a masterpiece about father son relationships. a must read for anyone who wonders how conservative values can shape a family.