What I Would Tell Her: 28 Devoted Dads on Bringing Up, Holding on to and Letting Go of Their Daughters

by Andrea N. Richesin

In this surprisingly vulnerable collection, twenty-eight talented fathers explore the complex, enigmatic bond they have with their daughters. These endearing, often funny and sometimes heartbreaking stories have in common an overpowering sense of responsibility and a depth of affection that is unflinchingly tender. Through their shared experiences, they examine relationships fraught with challenges and struggles, but always filled with love. The gentle...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373892101
• ISBN13: 9780373892105
• Release Date: April 2010
• Publisher: Harlequin Nonfiction
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The many facets of fatherhood...

I loved this book..this diverse group of writers show us the many facets of fatherhood; at once, the essays are tender, funny, wise, heartwrenching. Each distinctive voice is a poignant glimpse into the evolving father-daughter (and parent-child) bond. What a marvelous gift for Father's Day--I plan on sharing it with my loved ones!

The common ground is love

While collections of essays often lend themselves to a "dipping into" kind of reading, I recommend reading this one from start to finish. It's that consistently strong and moving and thoughtfully organized, and, while the book explores the father-daughter relationship, the marvelous variety of the essays is really a testament to the fact that there is no such thing as THE father-daughter relationship because each one is singular and uniquely complicated. The common ground, of course, is love, which is everywhere in this book. Read it and give it to all of the fathers and daughters (and mothers and sons and sisters and brothers) you know.

Talented Writers Share Their Stories of Fatherhood

This book is packed with sweet, funny, poignant, and incredibly smart essays about fatherhood, written by a group of talented writers. We're used to hearing from mothers, but fathers--not so much. Perhaps there is some idea that their experience isn't as deep or tender as a mother's? It's clear after reading What I Would Tell Her that though it may be different, it's equally life-changing. I highly recommend What I Would Tell Her if you're at all interested in knowing how men really think and feel about raising daughters. My father will be receiving a copy this Father's Day.

A must-read for every dad ( & great for daughters, too!)

Wow. I have not yet finished this book & I'm so thankful for it. I had to review it right away in case you read this & are searching for a meaningful gift for a dad or daughter on your list. This collection of dad writers share so many different emotions & perspectives on being a dad. I am definitely Daddy's Girl & I now have a better idea of how my father must have felt throughout my childhood & now that I am an all grown up. This beautiful anthology is a wonderful gift for your dad & /or daughter or any dad/daughter combo you know. I'm getting a copy for my dad for Father's Day & my dear friend who is adopting a baby girl very soon. Now, back to the book!

They don't come with an instruction manual.

My daughter is only eight, and I already have no idea how to be her dad half the time, with sports, and mean girls, and bad guys, and school to help her get through, and that's just the beginning of the list. When I read this book, I realized just about every other dad in the world must be in the same boat as me--different details, different girls, same questions. Reading what these writers had to say made me feel better about one thing--the more you love 'em, the better your chances. I thought this book was great.