The Nine Lessons: A Novel of Love, Fatherhood, and Second Chances

by Kevin Alan Milne

Book Overview

August Witte is firmly against having children. But after seven years of marriage, his wife is delighted when she realizes she is unexpectedly pregnant. August is terrified, recognizing he never learned the first thing about being a good parent from his father London. A widower since August was a toddler, London has always valued the game of golf -- a sport August has never had any talent for -- more than his son. In spite of how he hates the game,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159995074X
• ISBN13: 9781599950747
• Release Date: May 2009
• Publisher: Center Street
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Golf is life and life is golf as a reluctant new dad learns about fatherhood from his own estranged

The Nine Lessons: A Novel of Love, Fatherhood, and Second Chances August Witte doesn't want to be a father; after all, his own father wasn't a very good one. When his wife delivers the news that she is unexpectedly pregnant, August storms off and drives to his father London's house in the middle of the night to confront him about their shared past. London Witte's life is all about golf, but August was never a very good golfer despite London's frustrating attempts to teach him as a boy. When London finally cuts August from the golf team in his freshman year of high school, it drives a wedge between the men that never heals. When August also accuses London of refusing to share his memories of August's deceased mother, London proposes a deal. He has a chest containing dozens of golf scorecards on which he kept a journal of his experiences during his marriage. He will give the cards to August in installments, and in return August will agree to play nine games of golf with his father. London believes that golf is life and life is golf, and that golf can teach August to be a better father. Over the course of the next nine months, August learns a series of lessons from his father that are accessible even to non-golfers. When his wife is touchy and temperamental due to morning sickness, he learns that you play golf faithfully even in the rain. When she humiliates him at their baby shower, he learns to give her a "mulligan", i.e., to forgive her. And when he begins to consider how to teach his children how to behave properly, he learns about golf etiquette. Through reading about London's experiences first as a young father and later as a widowed father, August comes to see himself reflected in his father after all. Through the lessons of golf and his new, admittedly often rocky relationship with his father, August begins to address the fears and insecurities about fatherhood that are common to all new fathers. Milne has made an interesting choice with this book. He could easily have used his ideas about life and golf to write a short and pithy - and probably forgettable - nonfiction book with a title like "Everything I Needed To Know About Being a Father I Learned from Golf." Instead, he has deftly woven these insights into an engaging novel where even the minor characters, like Fertile the Turtle and The Teenage Drama Queen, become an integral part of the story. It's also a story that illustrates how easily fathers and sons can come to misunderstand each other, and holds out hope that a rapprochement is possible in even the most hopeless cases if only we can bring ourselves to tell each other the truth.

Golf IS Life!

When August Wilte learns his wife is pregnant, he's terrified. His own father, London, was less than perfect. To make things worse, his mother died when he was very young, so he's never been exposed to "good" parenting. August confronts his father, demanding an explanation for his failures. Instead, London suggests that meet once a month for a round of golf. Both men get what they want: London gets the chance to reintroduce his son to the game of golf, and August receives tidbits of memories of his mother on golf score cards that London used as a sort of diary. August soon learns that his father's motive isn't just golf. Each golf lesson is actually a life lesson. By the time his wife has reached the end of her pregnancy, August has received nine lessons in life from his father. I'll have to admit, I was apprehensive about reading THE NINE LESSONS when I read the description. However, I enjoyed Milne's other book THE PAPER BAG CHRISTMAS I thought I'd give him another chance. I'm glad I did. Milne's characters are genuine and experience emotions we've all experienced. The messages relayed in THE NINE LESSONS are messages that we can all take to heart.

Loved it! A Fun Story of Love and Parenthood

Heartwarming and funny. Some parts will make you laugh out loud, others will tug at your heart.