ISBN: 9798218711191
Table of Contents
Fathers and Sons: A Tip of the Hat
Two Blades of Grass Where One Blade Grew Before – Scott Stratford
A son reflects on his Montana farm father’s resilience, humor, and lessons in work, family, and survival, tracing the arc from happiness to tragedy. pp. 1–22 (25 min read)
Footsteps – Malcolm Tecumseh Manwell II
A tribute to a father who lived with quiet strength and sacrifice, guiding his son through hardship, football grit, and even a life-or-death rescue.
pp. 23–28 · ~7–8 min read
Samuel Cicconi: A Life in Full – Christopher Cicconi
A son traces his father’s journey from Navy hero to jazz aficionado, showing how choices, dreams, and consequences ripple across generations.
pp. 29–44 · ~16–18 min read
A Paper Son – Dennis K. Lieu
An immigrant father’s hidden identity under the Chinese Exclusion Act becomes the foundation of family resilience, memory, and honor.
pp. 45–54 · ~10–12 min read
A Short Life but a Great Influence – Dick Wirz
A son loses his father young, but carries forward the values and unfinished guidance of a man remembered more in principle than presence.
pp. 55–66 · ~12–14 min read
“Buster, Looks Like You Forgot My Clubs” – Jim Vastyan
A story of golf, war, and unspoken lessons in resilience, as a son wonders if stoicism and silence kept him from truly knowing his dad.
pp. 67–86 · ~21–23 min read
Car Stories and Other Stories – Jim Malloy
A son recalls his father’s love of cars, mechanics, and mischief — a collection of vivid vignettes tied together by grease, laughter, and love.
pp. 87–102 · ~16–18 min read
Close and the Cigar: Memories of My Father and Grandfather – Paul Bonitatibus
Through smoke, humor, and family tradition, a son examines humor and civic-mindedness of two father figures shaping his life.
pp. 103–118 · ~16–18 min read
Finding Refuge – Alar Elken
A son measures his own life against his father’s escape from war as a refugee, asking what is inherited and what is chosen.
pp. 119–132 · ~14–16 min read
Painting It Black – Eugene Silberstein
A father’s past in war and survival collides with a son’s search for identity, blending art, memory, and generational scars.
pp. 133–160 · ~30–32 min read
Fragments – Nelson Simon
A mosaic of memory — fragmented yet piercing — reconstructs a father’s presence and absence in a son’s life.
pp. 161–182 · ~23–25 min read
My Father (and My Son) Wore Many Different Hats – James D’Aurora
Across generations, hats become literal and symbolic, linking a complicated relationship with the father and the son’s journey into fatherhood.
pp. 183–196 · ~14–16 min read
A Look at My Dad in the Rearview Mirror: “Lessons Were Closer Than They Appear”! – Chuck Myers
A reflection on gratitude and the complicated love between father and son, told through one unforgettable conversation.
pp. 197–214 · ~19–21 min read
In a Coach’s Life – Richard VanWagoner
A coach-father’s career in high school sports reveals choices, sacrifices, and the son’s perspective on ambition and belonging.
pp. 215–224 · ~10–12 min read
Joseph Mangone: Two Continents, One Man – Mario Mangone
A son honors his immigrant father’s leap across continents, blending Italian roots with an American legacy of family and work.
pp. 225–234 · ~10–12 min read
…And the Greatest of These is Love – Jim Morgan Cross II
A story of devotion and endurance, where faith, love, and loss shape the deepest bond between father and son.
pp. 235–262 · ~30–32 min read
“Mac” and His Buddy – Paul Widzowski
An affectionate portrait of a father’s friendship, companionship, and the quiet ways loyalty teaches a son what matters.
pp. 263–274 · ~12–14 min read
Manny: Baker and Band Leader – Tom Mignanelli
A father kneads dough by day and leads a band by night, showing how music, labor, and joy can live in the same man.
pp. 275–286 · ~12–14 min read
My Father Memorized the Eye Chart . . . – Steve Zlotnick
A humorous yet heartfelt glimpse into a father’s quirks and resilience, revealing love in the details. pp. 287–292 (7–8 min read)
Thanks, Dad, For . . . Well . . . Everything – Brian Zevnik
A son offers gratitude through stories both funny and poignant, capturing the fullness of an ordinary yet extraordinary dad.
pp. 293–308 · ~16–18 min read
Two Unforgettable Memories of My Father, Carl Rak Jr. – Carlos Rak
Two sharply etched moments reveal the depth of a father-son bond, as memory crystallizes what words could not.
pp. 309–314 · ~7–8 min read
Lucky Me Too! – Jim DeVoe
An editor becomes an author, weaving together his father’s legacy with his own, in gratitude, humor, and discovery. pp. 315–340 (27–29 min read)
Appendix: Fathers and Sons Book Club Questions – Compiled by Joe Pliss
Provocative prompts to spark conversation, reflection, and debate in book clubs or around the family table.
pp. 341–350 (approx.) · ~10–12 min read