Customer Reviews

Papa, My Father: A Celebration of Dads

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In the famous Buscaglia style, Leo writes about his childhood with humor, love, and PASSION! Its about a time gone by that perhaps we all wish we could have had. A Fathers Day tribute!

a fablous book wirtten with the outmost love and feeling. Leo captures the image of the Italin father perfectly. Amazing, heartwarming, perfect. A must buy!!!!!

This book deserves to have lots more reviews; I don't understand why it doesn't. And it would be great if there were more sons (or daughters) like Leo Buscaglia. So many take their parents for granted and never thank or appreciate them properly and adequately for the countless things they do.
This tribute to an Italian father reminds me of my own heritage because some of the old ways apply similarly to other immigrants such as Greeks, etc. Part of me wishes that I had grown up among my Greek kin because there is nothing quite as beautiful as these endearingly close relations and their culture. You can get a feel for the beauty by watching such movies as Avalon and My Big, Fat Greek Wedding.
Anyway, back to the book. It is very moving and wonderful and, as some reviewers stated, it should be given to any young father as an inspiration to all he can be as a dad. Highly recommended.

I read once that a man does not become a man until he loses his father. The famed "Dr. Love", Leo Buscaglia delves into this simple man from Italy he simply knew as "papa".
Not a man of letters or riches, his father Rocco Bartolomeo (Tulio) Buscaglia immigrated to the US from his native Italy. He was in search, as many others, of the American dream.
He headed West and settled in California. He held many jobs, but his role of father was the most valued. He outlived his wife of forty plus years and lived independently until his final days.
Tulio became a US Citizen and he always voted and was glad to be an American.
In his final days, in his eighties, he desired to go to Hawaii and Las Vegas. His families granted his last wishes and he left this life a happy man.
The younger Buscaglia shares the values and love lessons that this man from Italy left to a caring family. The book contains mementos and stories from Papa.
Papa My Father: A Celebration of Dad's by Leo Buscaglia is a delight to read and will make you want to call you father and tell him you love him or if you father is gone, you will smile and think of all the good things from your `old man.

This is the first Buscaglia book I've read. The writing is a nice relaxing style, almost like you're sitting around the fire place hearing the stories being told. The book consists of 11 sections; an Introduction, and ten vignettes about his father and his affect on the life of the writer. You can pick any one of the pieces and read it by itself. I started in about the middle of the book, on Papa, the Oenophile. This starts out "Like all Italians, Papa loved his wine, ...". It continues with a story about the yearly wine making and then an experience Leo had in college where what his Papa taught him about wines stood him in very good stead. But the "real story" is the love that shows through and the demonstration of the statement of the first piece in the book: "... When I wrote my first book Love, I dedicated it to my parents who, I wrote, never taught me about love - they showed me.'" The rest of the book is like that too. Leo talks about his father as Papa, the Husband; the Educator; the Philanthropist and seven other roles he played in Leo's life.

When you finish a section you can put the book down and go on about your business or, more likely, first lean back and bask in the warm feeling you got from reading it. You'll enjoy each little story individually and the book as a whole. The book ends "Thanks Papa, I'll always love you." It shows.

This book is broken down into the different ways a father can influence their child. After we finished reading this book we gave a copy to each of our sons. We thought the author did such a good job of telling how his father had influenced him in ways that probably his father hadn't even realized. Its not just the "big lessons" that fathers plan on teaching their child, but sometimes the lessons they learn that weren't consciously taught. Would recommend this book to any young father to read.

I looooove this book. I think it's a must-read especially for "new fathers". It certainly puts your life into perspective....Meanwhile, I ordered this book from Amazon and from another source. I'm happy to say that while my order from the other BOokstore was done 2 weeks earlier than my order from Amazon, Amazon delivered it in a week! And during the Christmas rush, at that! And guess what? It's been a month since my order from that BOokstoREr and it still hasn't arrived!