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Faith of My Fathers
Books by politicians are not often worth reading, but John McCain's Faith of My Fathers is an astonishing exception to the rule. The Republican senator from Arizona has a remarkable story to tell--better than just about any of his peers--and he tells it well, with crisp prose and an unexpected sense for narrative pacing. The first half of the book concerns his naval forbears: his grandfather commanded an aircraft carrier in the Second World War, while his father presided over all naval forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War. They were the first father-son admirals in American history. Young John McCain knew he had enormous shoes to fill and rebelled against many of the expectations set for him. At the Naval Academy, he was nearly expelled, graduating fifth from the bottom of his class. He never became an admiral, but achieved fame another way: as a naval aviator in 1967, he was shot down over North Vietnam and spent several years in POW camps, where he was beaten, tortured, and nearly allowed to die. McCain describes the awful details of his imprisonment and tells how he stayed mentally strong during seemingly endless months of solitary confinement and how he communicated in code with fellow captives. Faith of My Fathers concludes with McCain's release and contains no information about his subsequent political career. It is, nonetheless, a complete and compelling memoir of individual heroism--one that will interest both political and military history buffs. --John J. Miller.
Price: $8.91
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My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir
Provocative, inspiring, and unflinchingly honest, My Grandfather's Son is the story of one of America's most remarkable and controversial leaders, Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, told in his own words. Thomas was born in rural Georgia on June 23, 1948, into a life marked by poverty and hunger. His parents divorced when Thomas was still a baby, and his father moved north to Philadelphia, leaving his young mother to raise him and his brother and sister on the ten dollars a week she earned as a maid. At age seven, Thomas and his six-year-old brother were sent to live with his mother's father, Myers Anderson, and her stepmother in their Savannah home. It was a move that would forever change Thomas's life. His grandfather, whom he called "Daddy," was a black man with a strict work ethic, trying to raise a family in the years of Jim Crow. Thomas witnessed his grandparents' steadfastness despite injustices, their hopefulness despite bigotry, and their deep love for their country. His own quiet ambition would propel him to Holy Cross and Yale Law School, and eventually—despite a bitter, highly contested public confirmation—to the highest court in the land. In this candid and deeply moving memoir, a quintessential American tale of hardship and grit, Clarence Thomas recounts his astonishing journey for the first time, and pays homage to the man who made it possible. Intimately and eloquently, Thomas speaks out, revealing the pieces of his life he holds dear, detailing the suffering and injustices he has overcome, including the acrimonious and polarizing Senate hearing involving a former aide, Anita Hill, and the depression and despair it created in his own life and the lives of those closest to him. My Grandfather's Son is the story of a determined man whose faith, courage, and perseverance inspired him to rise up against all odds and achieve his dreams. .
Price: $7.85
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My Grandfathers Blessings : Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging
When doctor and author Rachel Naomi Remen ( Kitchen Table Wisdom) was young, she was caught between two different views of life: that of her rabbi grandfather and that of her highly academic, research-oriented parents, who believed religion was the opiate of the masses. As Remen gravitated toward academics and serving the world as a medical doctor, her grandfather became an "island of mysticism in a vast sea of science." But over time, Remen discovered that two seemingly divergent paths could lead to the same destination, especially as she learned to blend her spiritual beliefs with her medical treatment. Remen uses the heart-rending stories of her patients to teach readers how to follow in her example, that is, combining a life of service with a life of receiving and giving blessings (a combination that avoids common problems such as burnout, self-sacrifice, and navel gazing). Remen also includes personal stories of her grandfather, who showered the world with his mystical beliefs and wizened blessings. While this story-by-story structure is similar to the bestselling Kitchen Table Wisdom, it is still a tearful and satisfying formula. --Gail Hudson.
Price: $1.76
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Grandfather Tang's Story (Dragonfly Books)
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Pickles To Pittsburgh
In Pickles to Pittsburgh, the Barretts' sequel to the delightfully funny, bestselling Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, we check back in with Kate and Henry as they eagerly await Grandpa's return from an unusual vacation. Kate dreams about a postcard Grandpa has sent, and the story begins. Kate and Henry pilot a plane, landing on a runway of crisp bacon strips next to a field of giant broccoli stalks and oversized hamburgers. Passing through an orange-juice rain, they approach the town of Chewandswallow, which "used to be a very ordinary town, except that instead of weather, food rained down from the sky for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Times have changed in Chewandswallow, and readers will love finding out how storms of gigantic food threatened normal life until eventually the Falling Food Company was created, sending food to hungry people around the world. Ron Barrett's comical, detailed ink-and-watercolor illustrations and the lively story make this a satisfying sequel to a delicious classic. Pickles to Pittsburgh is an excellent bedtime book--just keep a snack handy! (Ages 4 to 8).
Price: $3.09
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The War with Grandpa (Yearling)
Peter thinks the only way he can reclaim his room is by declaring war on his grandfather Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, William Allen White Award, Tennessee Children's Choice Book Award, Parents' Choice Award, An IRA-CBC Children's Choice, Mark Twain Award, Young Hoosier Award, South Carolina Children's Book Award, Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award, Georgia Children's Book Award..
Price: $2.63
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Letters to Sam: A Grandfather's Lessons on Love, Loss, and the Gifts of Life
When his grandson was born, Daniel Gottlieb began to write a series of heartfelt letters that he hoped Sam would read later in life. He planned to cover all the important topics—dealing with your parents, handling bullies, falling in love, coping with death—and what motivated him was the fear that he might not live long enough to see Sam reach adulthood. You see, Daniel Gottlieb is a quadriplegic—the result of a near-fatal automobile accident that occurred two decades ago—and he knows enough not to take anything for granted. Then, when Sam was only 14 months old, he was diagnosed with Pervasive Develop-mental Disability, a form of autism, and suddenly everything changed. Now the grandfather and grandson were bound by something more: a disability—and Daniel Gottlieb’s special understanding of what that means became invaluable. This lovingly written, emotionally gripping book offers unique—and universal—insights into what it means to be human. .
Price: $7.33
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A Day's Work
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Stand Tall (r/i)
Tree is 12 years old and the tallest kid ever in his school: 6-foot-3 and still growing. He's a pretty intelligent and sensible guy and he copes by helping people, like his wonderful grandpa, a Vietnam vet who's just had a leg amputated. But still, being tall leads to problems. Coaches always expect him to be good at sports, even though he tries to explain, "I'm not real athletic." When he meets the father of Sophie, the independent-minded new girl at school, he has to show his birth certificate to prove he's not much older. "I'm tall for my age," says Tree. "You're tall for my age," says Sophie's suspicious father. And dance lessons--! Well, they're a nightmare, especially the tango, where he and Sophie have to replace hand-in-hand with hand-in-elbow, and cheek-to-cheek with cheek-to-chest. But the thing that really makes Tree's life complicated is not his size but his parents' recent divorce. They have joint custody, so Tree has to divide his life, and he's always needing something he left at the other house. Then disaster strikes, and Tree proves that he has courage to match his size. Joan Bauer's great heart and dry wit is always a delight, especially in Hope Was Here and Rules of the Road. In Stand Tall she gives us wonderfully interesting characters, funny scenes, zingy lines, and a story that has something warm and beautiful to say to kids. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell.
Price: $4.04
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