There are many that come to mind; Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird, or more recently Chris Gardner of Pursuit of Happyness fame. Many of the same attributes stand out for fathers that also stood out for mothers: unconditional love, common sense or wisdom, deferred gratification and the ability to be admired. A great father gives us someone strong to look up to, someone we are proud of and someone we would like to be able to emulate.Harper Lee modelled Atticus after her own father, her mother was something of a cold and unpleasable woman. Finch was quietly loving, while having strong beliefs and integrity in the face of overwhelming public dissent. Chris Gardner battled the odds, believed in himself and kept his eye on the prize.
Here are some other titles of interest to celebrate fathers; Father's First Steps : 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know by Robert Sears, MD.
Wisdom of our Fathers : Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sonsby Tim Russert.
Keeping the Baby Alive Till Your Wife Gets Home : The Tough New 'How-To' For 21st Century Dads by Walter Roark.
What characteristics make your favorite literary dad great?
2 comments:
Keeping the Baby Alive is a long over-due read for dads AND moms!!
Graham Greene's "Our Man in Havana" offers a portrait of a pretty doting father. He became a secret agent just to afford his daughter's luxurious lifestyle.
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