Five Fascinating Book Fathers
by Noelle Allen
There’s lots of great books out there for Father’s Day, but what about great fathers in books? We have some! I’d like to share some of the fathers in our books that stayed with me long after the books were launched.
THE WESTERN ALIENATION MERIT BADGE
BY NANCY JO CULLEN
In my opinion Nancy Jo Cullen has written one of the most warm and wonderful fathers we’ve published. In this wonderful queer coming-of-age story set in 1980s Calgary, we get to know Jimmy. At the beginning of the book, Jimmy is grieving the loss of his wife, struggling to make sense of his two daughters, the fact that he no longer has a job and recognizing that he just doesn’t know how to handle life right now. But he approaches it all with warmth, a deep commitment to his family and an unexpected ability to embrace difference that makes him a fascinating and fabulous character.
IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT SINGING FLAMINGO
BY CLAIRE TACON
Henry is a devoted father, struggling to with the fact that his girls are growing up. This compounded by the fact that Starr, his eldest daughter is disabled and has a complex living arrangements and needs. As things get tense he decides to take a wild road trip to pick up an animatronic singing flamingo, to complete the set of singing animals he’d begun for Starr as a child, when she’d become fascinated with them. It all goes hilariously wrong, but in the end Henry, Starr and the rest of the family get the resolution they need. Claire Tacon has created a wonderful novel where everyone gets their say, and we see the real struggles of this family treated with respect, but also we see the joy and the love.
NECESSARY DISTANCE: CONFESSIONS FROM A SCRIPTWRITER’S DAUGHTER
BY JULIE SALVERSON
A little different from the fictional fathers we’ve been considering so far, George Salverson was a real person. A long-time scriptwriter for the CBC, he’d penned episodes for well-known Canadian classics such as The Littlest Hobo and The Beachcombers along with many other things. When he passed in 2005, his daughter discovered he’d left behind seven battered notebooks that contained his impressions of a round-the-world trip to document the fight against world hunger for the CBC. In this fascinating book, Julie Salverson take the time to get to know her father, and considers deeply the way we are shaped by, and shape, history, whether it’s personal or societal.
THE WAR AS I SAW IT: IN RHODESIA, NOW ZIMBABWE, THROUGH THE EYES OF A BLACK BOY
BY GEORGE MAKONESE MATUVI
In George Makonese Matuvi’s wonderful memoir, we come to know Cleophas Kira Makonese, George’s father, a smart businessman and a cornerstone of his community as he navigates the perilous terrain of a civil war. Running a small store in a remote location, George’s family come to the attention of both the troops of the Rhodesian army and the forces of the Vanavevhu, with each side placing demands on the family business and particularly on Cleophas, whose life is soon in grave danger. Eventually the family loses their home and business and flees to the city, but they stick together and pull through, returning to their home to rebuild at the end of the war. The War as I Saw It is a story of how incomprehensible war is to a child and of family resilience and dedication. The Makonese family’s ability to come through it all together is due in no small way to Cleophas’ ability to make smart choices when there are no good choices.
THE MARVELS OF YOUTH
BY TIM BOWLING
Tim Bowling has created a rich, sweeping coming-of-age story set in 1970s Vancouver in this novel, where we come to know Sean’s father, Harold, but often called Ghost for his quietness, through his youngest son’s eyes. What emerges is a complex man, who has sacrificed much for his family and for a life on the river catching salmon. Harold’s deft competence, his stoic reserve and his deep humanity become more evident as the book unfolds to create an unforgettable character.
