Dear Father, Dear Son: Two Lives…Eight Hours

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Dear Father, Dear Son: Two Lives…Eight Hours Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Larry Elder (Author), Neal Ghant (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)

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Stunning...a wonderful listen...a handbook for life. Those words of advance praise from another celebrated author scarcely convey just how powerfully mesmerizing is the latest book by New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Larry Elder.

Dear Father, Dear Son is a personal memoir of Elder's troubled - one might even say tortured - relationship with his father, and the astonishing outcome that develops when Elder, at long last, confronts him.

Says Elder: A man's relationship with his father - every boy, every man lucky enough to have a father in his life has to figure that out. My own father? I thought I knew him - even though he seldom talked about himself. And what I knew I hated - really, really hated. Cold, ill-tempered, thin-skinned, my father always seemed on the brink of erupting. Scared to death of him, I kept telling myself to find the courage to "stand up to him". When I was 15, I did. After that, said Elder, we did not speak to each other for 10 years.

And then we did - for eight hours. The result can't be described. It has to be experienced.

As reflected in the book's subtitle - Two Lives...Eight Hours - one extraordinary, all-day conversation between Elder and his long-estranged father utterly transformed their relationship. It is no exaggeration to say the book will likewise transform listeners.

Indeed, calling it stunning, Burt Boyar, co-author of the best-selling autobiography on Sammy Davis, Jr., says of Dear Father, Dear Son: "Above all it is a wonderful read. I am tempted to call it a page-turner but in my case I hated to turn every page because that meant I was getting closer to the end and I did not want it to end.... The book is filled with emotion. It is, of course, a handbook for life. I guess it is that above all things. Any kid who reads it and follows the advice of how to live his life just has to come out well."

Dear Father, Dear Son is the story of one man discovering a son he never really knew. And of the son finding a man, a friend, a father who had really been there all along.

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Dear Father, Dear Son: Two Lives…Eight Hours

Larry Elder (Author), Neal Ghant (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)

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Product details

Listening Length	6 hours and 51 minutes
Author	Larry Elder
Narrator	Neal Ghant
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	February 12, 2014
Publisher	Audible Studios
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00IEDP3UM
Best Sellers Rank	#2,782 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #2 in Fatherhood (Audible Books & Originals) #36 in Parenting Boys #41 in Fatherhood (Books)

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5 star		81%
4 star		13%
3 star		2%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Incredible read

Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2012

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Once I started I could not put the book down so read it in one evening. Without giving too much away, all I can say is that this is not just a book about a strict father and a son who grew up hating him. This is a story for ANYONE, MALE OR FEMALE who was raised by very strict parents. I identfied with many of the situations such as having my father come after us girls with a belt and me running away from home to escape from him.....But this book is more than just this. This book is incredible in that once we find out why Mr. Elder's father was so angry all the time, we come to understand him, sympathize with him and grow to love him for the enormous pains and sacrifices he made and the conditions he was forced to live with as a child growing up in a very ugly time in America. To me, this is a story about redemption, of understanding, of misconceptions due to lack of knowing one's circumstances they had to endure as a child, etc. It's a fabulous read and made me examine my own life and my relationship with my own father. Luckily, as with Larry Elder, I too, found out how much my father loved me and had many many years of a good relationship with him before he passed away.

85 people found this helpful

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JanetE

Page turner & easy read

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018

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A page turner. I could not put it down. I'm not into swear words and this book has a few. Not too much to be a bother but their placement was appropriate. You start the book off thoroughly disliking Randy Elder. By the time you hear his story, everything changes. What an awesome book that was well written. I could 'see' the story as I was reading it and I shed a tear at the end. The book is filled with 1. Hardship 2. Anger 3. Sadness 4. Resolve 5.Successes and 6. Failures.

9 people found this helpful

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Nelson E. Donley

A POWERFUL & DISTURBING TESTAMENT THAT'S TRULY A PAGE-TURNER

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2014

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Larry Elder's latest book, "Dear Father, Dear Son", is disturbing. It is also one of the most fascinating reads you'll ever come across; a powerful testament that's truly a page-turner. The book is very blunt, and completely honest. Larry doesn't mince words-- gets to the point. It is written almost exactly the way he talks on the radio minus the humor. Didn't find that much to laugh at though.

The book literally flows. I read it in two nights, however I reread it in order to understand it from a psychological perspective. Without going into detail, let me just say this: "Dear Father, Dear Son" is a book I will remember each & ever time I look at my son. It is THAT powerful.

Larry Elder and his two brothers were severely beaten and verbally abused by their father on a regular basis. His younger brother eventually attempted suicide as a result of that abuse. Larry had a mother who was a highly respectable, educated women. His father, Randy, on the other hand, had only gone as far as the third grade. Amazingly, he didn't know much about his father's past until he had confronted him several years later. Larry describes his father as the hardest working man he had ever known. He also shares ugly revelations about Randy's own childhood, as well as what he had to do in order to survive in segregated society.

Why was his father so vicious? Why didn't his mother put a stop to it? Why didn't SOMEBODY put a stop to it? The book's dedication reads: "TO RANDOLPH ELDER - THANK YOU". Why not, "To My Father"??? These questions concern some very complicated issues, and there are no simple answers to them. Larry's father didn't know how to be a family man. He became a workaholic out of the instincts needed for survival. Was he evil, or was he just a bad person, or neither? You'll have to read the book and answer that for yourself.

Larry Elder did not talk to his father for 10 years. Then, after all those years, he decided to confront him. There was an awful lot of baggage he needed to sort out, and that took a tremendous amount of courage. Larry details the thoughts that ran through his mind while on the way to 1230 Valencia Street, Los Angeles; the location of Elder's Snack Bar, the little restaurant his father had built from scratch. Larry's recollections are quite disturbing. I had no idea of the sheer hell this (highly controversial among Blacks) talk show icon went through as a child. My heart sank upon reading them.

Why did Larry write this particular book? Maybe it was a form of mental therapy, or maybe he just wanted to set the record straight for posterity. The book reminded me of two thing; Rudyard Kipling's "IF" and Jose Feliciano's version of "The Windmills of your Mind". Why the latter? The song conjures up images from my own past which bears similarities to Larry's. "Dear Father, Dear Son" is stirring and makes you wonder. It is filled with paradoxes.

Larry's mother was a woman who was loved & admired by thousands of Larry's listeners; a mother you'd expect to find married to a man like Bill Cosby. How could she allow this abuse to go on & on? How could she just stand by & allow the innocence to be beaten out of her 3 sons? How could Larry & his brother Kirk forgive her for allow this to happen?

Larry's father worked about 80 hours a week so that his sons wouldn't have to grow up like he did. He wanted them to have a prosperous childhood so that they would grow up to become successful adults. Yet, as a father, he was always at war with them, and they grew up in an atmosphere filled with violence and fear. This same man who destroyed 3 childhoods would give free ice cream cones to kids on the block. Those who didn't know the truth thought he was a great guy.

Why would Larry's mother marry such a man? The answer-- He wasn't always like this. Something changed him. Larry devotes a chapter that explains some of the whys and whats. It's hard to hate Larry's father after learning about his past. His father grew up now even knowing his birthday {he only knew the year} or his last name. In fact, he didn't know who his mother {Covey} was. Until somebody told him, he thought Covey was his aunt! Life was solitary, nasty, and brutal for Larry's father and it didn't get much better as time went on. Maybe that's why Larry was able to forgive him. I don't know if I would have been able to. But Larry Elder is no victicrat. He is also a man without hate. His father, oddly enough, was the same way.

Why Larry Elder didn't turn out bad like so many other badly abused and/or neglected Black kids do is answered within the pages of his book. I have met Larry Elder in person and can tell you that he is the genuine article. He autographed this book for my son and wrote the follow: "TO HARMON-- AN HONEST PERSON IS ALWAYS IN TROUBLE. STAY STRONG." I hope that my son will grow up to be a man like Larry Elder.

It is quite rare to find such a fascinating read as "Dear Father, Dear Son". Not only do I recommend that you buy this book, but I also recommend that you become an "Elderado" by visiting Larry's website as I did. I have the highest regard and deepest respect for this man who is also known as "The Sage". I have no doubt that you will feel the same way as I do after reading this book. BRAVO!!!

Nelson Donley,
author of LIFE AIN'T KIND

19 people found this helpful

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Laura A.

this was the best book I had read in a long time

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2017

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Oh my goodness, this was the best book I had read in a long time. I initially purchased it because on Thanksgiving 2016 I was riding in the car with family members as we heard Larry share stories from this book. We arrived at our destination and we could not move from the car we were so captivated by what Larry was sharing. I recall the family member whose house we arrived at opening the front door and looking at us wondering why we were still sitting in the car. He thought maybe something was wrong. We told him we had to hear the rest of the story before getting out of the car. By this time we were all in tears. I immediately purchased a copy of the book. I had to read this story! The book arrived within a few days, and Larry was correct, it only took one day to read it from cover to cover. I thoroughly enjoyed it so much so I did not want it to come to and end. This is a great read for everyone, all ages. Thank you Larry for sharing your story!

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Wordstock

This is a book that everyone needs to read.

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2016

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I like Larry Elder and listen to him frequently. It's one of the few shows where rational thinking is shared and encouraged. So, last week, before Christmas, he talked about his father and this book. He talked about hating his father and I was curious. If you hate your father, why are you writing a book about him? I resisted about a week before buying the book because I wasn't sure I could relate to his story. I was wrong. I grew up in a middle-class white neighborhood with loving, Christian parents who encouraged us in every way. But I also grew up at the same time in Los Angeles County so some of this is familiar territory. My takeaway...our families, while worlds apart, shared the same values. His parents did what they did to raise their family. It couldn't have been easy. His father's life is something I can't even imagine and yet. his story is full of wisdom that is sadly lacking now.

The writing flows and I read it through without stopping. I will be recommending it to my friends. Thank you Mr. Elder for introducing me to your father.

2 people found this helpful

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Top international reviews

Liza CK

Fascinating life story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2017

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What a fantastic lufe story! This is definitely one of the best books I've ever read, a page turner which I finished in two days!

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No one special

I recommend it.

Reviewed in Canada on June 12, 2018

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Read it in one afternoon. An interesting dive into the lives of two people. I recommend it.

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jack

Very touching read.

Reviewed in Australia on April 4, 2017

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There is a lot of wisdom in this book. Larry's parents attitude to hard work and life was refreshingly honest and simple. Thoughtful book that reminds us that life is a cycle and as we ride it our perspectives can change dramatically.

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John King

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on August 31, 2017

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Excellent!

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