Fathers Day Books

Written by teacher Bo R. Holmberg, A Day with Dad is a simple children's picturebook about a boy named Tim who shares the day with his dad. Tim lives with his mom and his dad lives in another town, but today Tim's dad has come to spend the day with him. They eat hot dogs together, go to see a cartoon movie, and visit the library. Tim is proud and happy to introduce his dad to everyone he meets. At last it is time for Tim's dad to take the train home. "'Excuse me,' Dad announces to the people in the train car. 'Can I say something?' Everyone stops and stares at him. 'Well,' Dad says, 'this is Tim. He is my son. He is the best son anyone could have.'" The simple, gentle illustrations add the perfect touch in this ideal book for helping a child get accustomed to the unfortunate necessity of seeing a separated parent only on certain days.

With all due respect to the well known work in this regard by Benedicta Ward, please study the opus of Dom Lucien Regnault, monk of Solesmes, who dedicated his fruitful lifetime to the study of the Desert Fathers, writing numerous authoritative studies and collections of their sayings in his own translation, visiting the region where they lived, worked, fasted, fought and prayed.

Dom Lucien Regnault did this monumental labor all while serving Solesmes as Novice Master and later as Prior, leading there as ascetic and prayerful and humble a life as humanly possible. Although many of his most valuable works are now tragically out of print, several collections and commentaries may still be located at solesmes dot com. I know I am clinging to my collection of his five volume Sentences des peres du desert as carefully as I keep what I have left of Father Ernesto Cardenal`s community gospel meditations from Solentiname.

Until you are able to find Dom Regnault's other works and translations, this present volume is an excellent introduction to the history and life of these pioneering Christian monks who responded to the compromises the Church was making with the Emperor Constantine (including regarding his unChristian usage of violence and warfare) by following Christ out into the desert to fast and to pray in great solitude, peace and poverty.

Perhaps the ancient monk best known by the public now is Saint Anthony (not of Padua, but of the Desert) whose life and temptations were novelized by Gustave Flaubert (of Madame Bovary fame) subsequent to his visits to Egypt. But here Dom Regnault introduces us to all that can be historically and actually and empirically known of these great and holy men and women, supplemented by his own livng of their lifestyle, which grants his writing an insight and perception and mystery not otherwise found in other authors, except perhaps for Trappist hermit Father Thomas Merton's own writings on the Desert Fathers and Pre-Benedicitine monks, which are published still by Cistercian Publications.

Briefly, this present work introduces us to every aspect of these great monks lives, including maps, and including spiritual and psychological bases for their search and their practices. As the title promises we learn everything about their daily life, including diet and community, when not living for years in absolute solitude, about which we also read. We see the kinds of animals and spirits they might encounter, and how demons and such were perceived in thier time, or rather what phenomenom they expressed in these terms, and how we might express the same experience in our time.

This work is therefore a great way for any student to study our deepest Christian spirituality as practiced by these holy men and women. An excellent and comprehensive bibliogrpahy with suggestions for further readings expands the very substantial text well planned and presented by Dom Regnault. You may find yourself thirsting to study French to read more by this author, or on a plane to Egypt to study Coptic to pursue these holy spirits in the desert! You will not be disappointed. Please read this book to find the true path to the meaning and message of our Gospel and our Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, to make the Beatitude of His all self sacrficing Peace.

A boy with a gift in his hand rushes toward his father and says, "Can you come here? I have something for you." Of course his pet dragon is tagging right along with him. When his father opened the gift, he found a nice striped tie and said that he liked it and would put it on. The boy's father is getting ready to go to work and he asks, "Can we go to see where you work?" The answer was yes and the boy, his pet dragon and the father get in the car. The father puts a couple of fishing poles and his briefcase in the trunk.

"Here we are. This is the spot. Get out. Get out. Here is where father works." They all go "up, up, UP!" in the elevator. The boy's pet dragon stands on the window sill and they both look out over the city. After work they all drive to the lake for a little fishing. They caught three fish when they were there. "One, two, three." They've all had a nice day together and after they release the fish back into the lake they go home. Mmmmm, dear dragon, I wonder what is for supper?

This is an endearing "Beginning-to-Read" book that the very young reader will enjoy. The book is geared toward success with repetitive words and predictable sentences. There are seventy-three words listed in the back that appear in the book (practice is encouraged to increase fluency). In the back of the book there is a "Reading Reinforcement" section covering phonemic awareness (rhyming words), phonics (r-controlled vowels), vocabulary activities, suggestions on how to increase reading fluency and the story and how to "check comprehension." Learning to read with dear dragon can be fun!

The Doctrine and Covenants is worded to understand it better and help with teaching a class. These books from David J Ridges are the best they can help you gain a testimony.

This is a wonderful and inspiring help in reading and understanding the Doctrine and Covenants.

"Keen-eyed and lyrical, this superbly crafted exploration of the male identity is both rich and touching in its honesty and vulnerability. We see the poet reflect on what it means to be a partner, a father and a man who has lost a father. Emotional and tender but also humorous, witty and philosophical, this is a brave collection from a wonderful poetic mind. No hat, no horse, no Marlboro and yet -- behold the man."
Gerard Hanberry

Pete Mullineaux has taken the long way round before compiling this debut full collection arranged around themes relating to fathers and fatherhood in particular, as well as male identity in general. While the focus is primarily on the male, several outspoken female voices are present. The writing overall experiments with a variety of forms and reflects a quirky but challenging personal-politics, laced with a rich irony and humour.

Pete Mullineaux grew up in Bristol, UK. His poem Harvest Festival, published, aged 13, in Macmillan's anthology Poetry & Song, was subsequently recorded for schools by Harrap on the album Man & His Senses. Living in London in the 'alternative' late 1970s and early '80s -- he worked in a left wing printing press and played in a punk rock band The Resisters -- recording an album in 1979 on Munich's Trikont records. When the band split he went solo as singer-songwriter Pete Zero, with gigs ranging from two Glastonbury Festivals, CND protests at Greenham Common and Brockwell Park to sharing the stage with such diverse luminaries as the early Pogues and Salman Rushdie. His protest song Disposable Tissues in support of CND won the 1986 City of London Poetry/Song contest and he also published a collection of songs under the same title. Adapting to the emerging new comedy and performance poetry scenes he played host for alternative cabaret group New Variety in the Old White Horse in Brixton as well as performing with the London based Apples & Snakes -- appearing in their first publication Raw & Biting Cabaret Poetry. (1985) His one man show -- The Performer's Fear of the Gong -- was described by What's On Magazine as "A must!" Around this time he also achieved a first class honours in drama from Middlesex University, wrote for the Paul Merton fronted Comedy Wavelength (Channel 4) and a first stage play Wallflowers was produced on the London fringe.

Reviews/Articles

Review by Kevin Higgins, The Galway Advertiser
"Pete Mullineaux's collection, A Father's Day, has been a long time in the making. His first published poem appeared in a Macmillan anthology when he was 13 years old. He has since been a member of a punk band, a singer-songwriter, and MC of the Cuirt Poetry Grand slam. Mullineaux is a profoundly sensitive poet, something for which I don't think he gets the credit he deserves.
His poem Tonight's The Night is the tender and humorous telling of how once "1975 (I think)" brought his dad to a Neil Young concert: "he wore his suit (Dad, that is -/Neil Young wore a tie-dye shirt.)" It was one of those might-have-been mistakes, which worked out great in the end. Mullineaux surmises that after the concert the "band went back to the hotel/and talked about the old guy in the third from back row/who had smiled all through the concert/and wondered what he was taking..."
Many of the poems investigate his relationship with his father and his role now as a father himself. His Father's Day Reprise contains some lines that are so grimly funny, I'm genuinely jealous I didn't think of them first. While wandering among the Father's Day cards in Easons he's overcome with a fear that he will "take a wrong turn/and end up like Dante/in a nightmare parallel world/where the cards read: "Hard luck you failed/Miserable birthday/Christmas condolences/Commiserations on your wedding." Great stuff!'

Review by Fred Johnston - Western Writers Centre
"Simple, luminous images...Mullineaux's voice carries lilts of John Cooper-Clarke. There are poems here to make one smile, frown, think; the comedian often gives way to a serious poet indeed. A very fine book, then, and beautifully produced.'

A "Father's Day Thank You" is an excellent book about helping children understand what the meaning of Fatherhood is all about. This book is what you will want to read to your kids so that you can talk with them about what is a nice present. A picture by the kids of how their Dad has helped them will mean more to any Dad than purchased items ever will. Any book, such as this one, that fosters a focus on what is real giving is so important in today's materialistic world. All children need more that reminds them of what matters in a good Dad. That recognition will always be treasured more by any Dad than store bought gifts. I highly recommend that you read this book to your children.

A comedy for 3 males and 3 females. The story concerns the Fathers Day visit by 3 men to their ex-wives, who are neighbors in a swanky New York apartment building.

Organized into short chapters that can be read in one sitting, this book helped me along my personal prayer journey. The author's vast experience is shared through often unpublished extracts of his writings, and "unpacked" by the commentary that brings contemplative prayer into ordinary, daily life. It was a great help and remains a mainstay in my search to be faithful to daily silent prayer.

I recently stumbled upon one of these books at a book store, didn't buy it then but made a note of the manufacturer. I was astounded at the quality of the paper, cover fabric and style,binding of the book and spine. The price could easily be tripled and it would not be over priced.

They have about 20 different cover styles and have a few formats, Journals, address books,Day planners. I have only purchased the Journals so far, and prefer them unlined but i have accidentally bought a few lined so far, they are nice but i rather unlined for drawing and painting purposes. i loves these books so much i am trying to find reasons to use more at one time. Currently i am writing in 3 of them.

The paper is similar to Ingres, but a little bit thicker. You can pretty much call this a multimedia paper, pen, drawing, ink, and will take a light watercolor wash. The page total is a nice amount too. This particular book has a beautiful spine, it is open and weaved. With this particular spine style the pages will lie flat, making it very nice to write in.

The size is great for personal use kept in your purse or briefcase. The thin width versus length makes it interesting to write in, great if you make lists too.

Try it , you'll like it!! =)