Customer Reviews

Black Fathers: A Call for Healing

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In BLACK FATHERS: A CALL FOR HEALING the author emphasizes the importance of the fathers' presence in African American homes, the necessity for the present father to not only have belief and faith in God, but to also pass that faith along to the family, and the necessity for black fathers to develop healthy relationships, independent of the mother, with their kids. The author uses her own relationship with her father to bring home the importance of fathers in the household. She admonishes the absentee father and relays to him how important he is to his family and children. The author expresses that the absence of black fathers strongly contributes to the demise of the black family.

Specifically, the book is about the black family...past, present, and future. The author speculates on the black family's demise, offering opinions on why and how, but pointing to absentee fathers in general as the catapult. What I didn't like about the book was the glaring absence of placid statistics to validate the point of view. I often wondered who the intended audience was. I initially assumed the audience to be absentee fathers, but soon abandoned that thought because the tone was very accusatory, which would alienate the absentee father audience. This is a noteworthy and touching subject in the African American community. BLACK FATHERS: A CALL FOR HEALING is an admirable contribution to the African American plight to reconstruct black families and reunite fathers with their children.

Reviewed by KaTrina Love (MissLove)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Black men and women of all ages(I'm in my 20's) should read this. Even if they are not mothers or fathers(which I'm not). This book was written in great balance and reflection by Kristen Taylor. It was a confirmation of what I had always thought. A child's life is greatly impacted with a relationship with their father. A father needs to be in his kids lives to help guide, protect, motivate and inspire. There are fathers who failed at this most important responsibility. That responsibility gives the fathers that work hard a bad name. Our community needs more leaders and less followers. I'm glad the author pointed out how such a positive impact her father was. Imagine if our community could talk beautifully about our black fathers on Father's Day?