Dinner with Dad: How I Found My Way Back to the Family Table (Hardcover)

by Cameron Stracher (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Having left behind the life of ambition-driven associates at a large law firm, which he described in his memoir Double Billing, Stracher lives comfortably with his family in Westport, Conn. However, the two-hour commute into New York City, an 80-hour work-week split between two professions, and out-of-state travel begin to take their toll. When a shared meal of black bean burritos suddenly draws together his disparate family, Stracher pledges that rather than grubbing food from subway vendors or eating takeout in his office, he will dine with his family five nights a week and prepare half of the meals himself. He simmers, sautés and skewers gourmet dinners, only to be rebuffed by his two kids, who would rather eat boxed macaroni and cheese. Only later does Stracher take such rejection in stride, realizing that feeding a family is more than "refueling"; it includes "nourishing" them, too—physically and emotionally. In the meantime, he turns into "Mad Dad," an candid self-portrayal of a loving but frustrated father who yells and stomps and mopes, creating more tension than harmony. Stracher finally recognizes success when he notices that he is no longer just present for dinner with his family but an "essential ingredient." In the end, Stracher's is a sincere and witty account of his family and his struggle to get them to the table. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Bumping along on one of the endlessly repetitive late-night train rides that have come to dominate and regulate his life, lawyer and writer Stracher realizes how the daily commute from Westport to Manhattan has left him enervated and emotionally drained. He also senses that he's missing out on both the pleasures and the responsibilities of raising his two children. Devising a work schedule that lets him spend at least some days operating from home, Stracher announces to his wife and children that he will start eating dinner with them every night at six, offering even to do some of the cooking and other domestic chores. High-minded notions of deep and earnest conversations among parents and children soon give way to more pedestrian scenes of fussy-eating children and everyday domestic pandemonium. But Stracher's resolve eventually yields priceless benefits, and he paints an ultimately hopeful, joyful picture of what contemporary family life can be. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Random House (May 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400065372
• ISBN-13: 978-1400065370
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #803,400 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye Workaholism! Hello .... family!, July 8, 2007

By	Kevin Quinley "GeezerJock" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Workaholic attorney Cameron Stracher braves a mega-commute in the New York area to only wonder, "Is that all there is?" Determined to better his life and reconnect with his two kids and wife, he resolves to dial back his work devotion to fixing dinner for his family.

He finds this is almost as much of a challenge as practicing law. This first-person memoir is touching and absorbing as Stracher details the emotional and financial tradeoffs that bedevil us as we strive to find more balance in our lives.

A very good read!!!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read! , July 5, 2007

By	Janice (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

Cameron Stracher's "Dinner with Dad: How I Found My Way Back to the Family Table" chronicled the author's attempt and journey to be a good dad by having dinner with his two kids. Cameron lives in Westport, Connecticut but works as a law professor in New York City and he typically spends two hours travelling to work each way everyday. In addition, he also works as legal counsel for an organization out in Kansas City. Needless to say, he hardly shares a meal with his family at dinnertime. One night, he made a decision to be at home for dinner during his kids's new school year and he would even cook at least half the time. This decision proved to be a lot harder especially since he had to leave work early and at the same time get his work done. Cooking at home proved to be even more of a challenge especially since his kids refused to eat most of what he cooked and they had developed weird eating habits. It became a personal challenge to Cameron to make sure his kids share his love for diverse and ethnic food.

This was a great read for me as it was fun and witty and the writing was very conversational. The author provided valuable insights into family life and how the simple of act of eating dinner with family made a difference. Many would be able to identify with Cameron's situation and how the pursue of wealth had replaced the importance of spending quality time with one's family. Highly recommended!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dinner with Dad: How I Found My Way Back to the Family Table, September 24, 2007

By	A. J. Slusarski (East Moline, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first heard of this book,the concept was not all that unusual.It was something I was familiar with, raising kids,putting together meals,what I did not expect was the candid honesty and humor that made this book a great read.It should be required reading for those of us who try to balance work and family and end up with less of each