As a boy growing up on the south coast of England, Howard Cunnell’s sense of self was dominated by his father’s absence. Now, years later, he is a father, and his daughter is becoming his son. Starting with his own childhood in the Sussex beachlands, Howard tells the story of the years of self-destruction that defined his young adulthood and the escape he found in reading and the natural world. Still he felt compelled to destroy the relationships that mattered to him.
Saved by love and responsibility, Cunnell charts his journey from anger to compassion, as his daughter Jay realizes he is a boy, and a son. Most of all, this is a story about love – its necessity and fragility, and its unequalled capacity to enable us to be who we are.
Our reading panel loved Fathers and Sons – here are some of their comments:
“Beautiful writing, in first-person diary-entry style paragraphs, delicate observation, dealing with difficult topics.”
“I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I thought it was a beautiful book and very poignant. It was a very powerful read and very affecting and emotive.”
“I enjoyed the book; I loved the tales on the 1960’s and 1970’s childhood and the evocative memories. The book is written in a very fluid and engaging way that is easy to read and makes you want to read further. The author also shows himself in many lights and does not sugar coat his own defects and failings. Inspiring and sometimes hard to read but I loved it.”
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