Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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Score 95(+)/100 (9.5(+) out of 10)
If every child on Earth had a parent who loved and cared for them as much as this author loves and cares about his twin sons, the world would be a much better place. In almost every book about trauma that we've read over the years—whether non-fiction or fiction—there always seems to be a common denominator that triggers or contributes to the problem: a bad parent. In virtually every single case, the parent of the victim was neglectful, abusive, or completely absent from their child's life. This just goes to show how critically and crucially important GOOD parenting is—parenting that is nurturing, compassionate, patient, loving, kind, attentive, and caring. Dear Liam & Noah: Letters From Daddy by Sean Martin is a heartfelt and deeply personal book written by a father for his twin sons, Liam and Noah. The book is structured as a series of letters, where Sean Martin shares his life experiences, values, and lessons learned, aiming to offer guidance and wisdom to his children as they grow up. The book spans various aspects of life, including unconditional love, the importance of family, personal struggles, and triumphs. The author provides a touching narrative of his journey to fatherhood, detailing the emotional and physical challenges he and his wife faced during their quest to have children. The dedication and love for his sons are evident throughout the book, as he emphasizes the importance of love, resilience, and family bonds. Martin's writing style is sincere and approachable, making it easy for readers to connect with his stories and the emotions behind them. The book also serves as a valuable source of advice and inspiration, not only for his sons but for anyone reading it. The themes of perseverance, hard work, and the significance of cherishing family relationships are woven seamlessly into the narrative, offering readers both a touching story and practical life lessons. "Letters from Daddy" is a poignant tribute to fatherhood and the enduring love between a parent and his children. It's a testament to the author's dedication to being a supportive and loving father, aiming to equip his sons with the knowledge and values they need to navigate life successfully. Something about the book that's incredibly contagious is the author's positivity and optimism! Seriously! You just can't keep this guy down. He keeps saying that “the sun will rise tomorrow” no matter what happens. One of the chief examples of his positivity is actually in trying to conceive with his wife and the couple struggling with infertility. In an epiphany, the author realized that this seemingly negative experience had a huge, positive advantage: it made him a better husband (and a better person). For example, he learned to be more considerate and chivalrous, tending to his wife's needs as she battled hard in hopes of conceiving. He learned to go above and beyond to help her, like making himself aware of her therapy session schedule so that he could be there to support her. Another phenomenal example is when one of the author's favorite sports teams, the Bruins, is losing in a huge championship game with little hope of a comeback. At some point, just when the situation seemed like the worse of the worse for a sports fan, his son, Noah, stood up and shouted with excitement: “BRUINS!” After that, he no longer associated that day with the loss of the game, but rather a beautiful memory of his son. In another example, Martin makes light of his hair loss by saying that it saves him money on hair products and hair cuts. Martin also has a few moments when his positivity and optimism are mixed right in there with his keen sense of humor (and some sarcasm), such as when he concludes that, though his favorite NFL team (the formerly-known-as-Oakland Raiders) aren't very good, “at least we aren’t Cleveland, or Detroit, or the Jets.” That had us rolling! We know so many Raiders fans who've suffered for years with that same mindset. Speaking of which, so much of this book is familiar. As we said before, it seems to speak to you, almost as if having a conversation with the author. Yes, the words are mostly directed at his sons, but there's a reason why this book is being published and made available to all of us, it's because it's applicable to all of us! Like we alluded to before, if everyone read and applied this parent's sound advice, the world would be a much better place! Martin's philosophy (toward parenting, family, and life), while honorable, noble, and sometimes even self-sacrificing, also accounts for the less savory aspects of human nature. For example, he advises his sons (and the reader) to not allow themselves to be taken advantage of. Yes, give people a chance, but don't let them walk all over you like a doormat afterward. Likewise, don't associate yourself with risky and dangerous people. For example, there's a past “friend” that Martin talks about who used to drive drunk in the middle of the night with the lights off and on the wrong side of the road, putting numerous lives in danger. Martin did the smart thing and demanded to be let out of the car, never riding with that person again. In one of the best quotes of the book, Martin concludes: “Your lives are worth more than a few laughs.” That's honestly something we find ourselves wanting to tell various friends and loved ones who partake in risky or needlessly unsafe behavior in the name of fun or excitement. It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, which is ironic because the author is cleverly able to tie this all in to a previous lesson about why he doesn't want his sons jumping on the bed anymore (something that kids often do). Furthermore, don't do things just to please people. Be true to yourself. Be confident in yourself. Don't do things (like drugs and alcohol) just because everyone else is doing them. Make your own choices. Be your own person. Be your own man. In the words of the author: GO YOUR OWN WAY There's other useful advice in this book including why you should be clear and specific, why you should practice good eye contact, and why you should network and expand your circle of friends. This is a super emotional book! There are parts of this book that legitimately made us tear up or even cry. For example, there's a line that says: “You boys were worth the wait. You’re our greatest gift and our greatest surprise.” There's also a poem (of sorts) in this book titled “Proud Papa” in which Martin lists all the ways he's proud of his sons. If this doesn't pull on your heartstrings, then we don't know what will! Yes, there are a few grammatical errors like a few missing words or a repetition of words, but so what? This book is amazing in too many ways to let those small flaws overshadow it. Check it out on Amazon!
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