The Prodigal Father: Reuniting Fathers and Their Children

by Mark Bryan

Book Overview

InThe Prodigal Father, Mark Bryan addresses this important social issue by offering a proven program to help fathers assume a vital role in their children's lives. "Through my work and my own experience as an absent father, I've come to realize that what we call 'deadbeat dads' are actually broken-hearted dads," says Bryan. "Living in shame and denial about the pain of their loss (even when they were the ones who decided to give up their kids), these...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0609802038
• ISBN13: 9780609802038
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (CA)
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A child is entilted to have a relationship with his father

I knew about the book from the Oprah show and I ordered straight after the show. It took a while because I live in the UK. The book speaks to both parents, whether absent or otherwise. Reading through the pages, I realised how certain actions of parents can totally damage a child. Though my kids father never paid any maintenance, I did not stop him from seeing them. Most of my friends and even family thought this was foolish of me. Reading the book has therefore reinforced what I thought all along. I am so glad I bought it and I have since shared it with friends in similar situations. Mark Bryan's book even inspired me to write a song about the relationship between a father and child and how a child truly feels about the absent parent!

I hope to apply its principles

I first saw this book in the parenting section of the children's section of the library. The title intrigued me so I decided to skim through it. Besides his own testimony of reuniting with a son after 14 years and of helping others fathers to reunite, I realized this wasn't another book written by someone who wants you easily to do what they've never had to do. I even skimmed through the section for mothers because I'm the single mother of a 3 year old. I didn't have my usual "Yeah, right" bitter reaction and actually felt like crying and calling my daughter's father right away to start the process. Without the testimonials in this book, I would have accepted that her father being in her life was not only improbable, but impossible and would have lived my life accordingly. After just reading a few chapters, I really wanted to do all that I could to start a relationship between my daughter and her father. I really began to believe it could happen. After I get the book from the library, I hope to apply its principles. I'm glad all the other reviewers enjoyed it as well.

The finest & hardest soul searching trip ever.

I recently heard Mark Bryan speak at the NACSDC @ the Univ. Notre Dame. I cried through his entire presentation. There are too many parallels to mention. I bought two copies of his book. One I read. One I gave to my daughter who is a single mom and in reunion (without this book) with her child's father. They now have the book, each has read some of it. They are still talking. My book will remain with me. I will be buying another copy so that I can write a letter to my childrens father. Maybe then they will find thier way back to each other. I never understood until I read about the haunting. Thank you Mark!

reality and inspiring

After reading this book I finnaly took the first steps to becoming a responsible father after 3 yrs of not seeing my son. This is a terrifying and not always easy thing to do and Mark Bryan has given me the courage and guidence to progress towards a meaningful relationship with my 17 yr old son. Only time will tell!!! And to all of you fathers out there, PLEASE GET A COPY OF THIS BOOK AND READ IT, NOT ONCE, BUT SEVERAL TIMES!!!!! it will change your life

Prodigal Father is an important book about fatherlessnes

Mark Bryan's Prodigal Father is an important book for several reasons. First, it presents the seldom heard personal truths of men who have become separated and alienated from their children following the loss of their relationship with their children's mother. This emotional hollowness and yearning, Bryan aptly call "the haunting."Brian gives voice to his own experience, painfully describing his separation from his then teenage wife and his loss of contact with their infant son, Scott. We hear from other men struggling to bridge this gap, and we hear from the children who stand at the other side of the gulf. These poignant tales need to enter our national consciousness if we are ever to get a fuller understanding of the devastating impact fatherlessness has on all of those involved.Prodigal Father does not just wag a finger at the problem. Mark Bryan has developed a program that helps men along the difficult path back into their children's lives. ! For it to work, the men must be willing to do an honest self-appraisal, and they need to find a way to make amends to their children's mother. As the literature in this field shows, without the mother's acquiescence, the chances of success are greatly diminished. These are no easy remedies for the problem of fatherlessness, but the way back is building such bridges one at a time. Mark Bryan, in his Prodigal Father, walks the talk. I highly recommend this book.