Dear Son: Two Lives. Eight Hours, Dear Father

Inspirational and comforting, this book puts into perspective the blessings of the America we live in today. We so easily complain about the struggles of today, while not recognizing the opportunities of tomorrow. The honest, clean living, hard working can, and do have more opportunities than obstacles. Those of us with "hard ass" parents need to read this book.

I read this book in one sitting. I have listened to Larry for years but did not know much about his father. I am glad Larry resolved his issues with his Dad before his Dad died. His Dad was a self-made man through a difficult life.

Just an outstanding book that will touch your heart in so many unexpected places. The dialogue on every page resonates with the reader in the most captivating and intriguing way. I read this book more than a month ago and it has remained in my consciousness every day since. It is still difficult to part with the book, as it is a story that becomes ever so personal to one's own life. It is a book that heals. Thank you so much Larry for opening the curtains and letting us in to some of the most private realms of your life. Through all the pain and joy and redemption we experience along with you through this brilliant and heart-moving memoir, we are left with so much profound meaning, courage, hope and inspiration in our own journey ahead. This is a timeless book and it is a must read for everyone. The emphasis on the importance of fathers, and on the vital sacredness of forgiveness is a precious treasure. "Dear Father, Dear Son" is a treasure and a gem.....and it is extremely and poignantly relevant in every facet of our lives. It is simply a must read. Thank you Larry Elder!

Excellent read. Couldn't put the book down. For some, the language may be a bit much. But the author did not pull any punches. I felt as if I had a front row seat watching the memories of his childhood unfold. I have recommended this book to family, friends and coworkers.

The story is excellent and is well-written; however, it contains lots of foul language. I wish I had known this before purchasing and beginning to read the book. The story is captivating, so I continued reading and tried to ignore the foul language, which greatly detracted from the story.

The story is excellent and is well-written; however, it contains lots of foul language. I wish I had known this before purchasing and beginning to read the book. The story is captivating, so I continued reading and tried to ignore the foul language, which greatly detracted from the story.

AN INTERESTING INSIGHT INTO THE BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER. OTHERWISE OK BUT NOT A GREAT PIECE OF LITERATURE. IT'S NOT A BOOK I WOULD CARE TO READ A SECOND TIME TO SQEEZE MORE LESSONS LEARNED AND VALUABLE INSIGHTS.

Storyline in the beginning was interesting but did not realize that the language should have been rated X. Just too much cursing for me and I understand it is a real life story, but had I known the language was like, I would not have ordered it. Did not read the whold book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. There was humor and a touch of sadness. Anyone who grew up in similar circumstances and pre-early 1970's, as I did, could definitely relate. It was a wonderful story.

I think most people know "firebrand libertarian" Larry Elder, TV talk show and radio host of a terrific and popular show on KABC radio, attorney, and New York Times best-selling author of Ten Things You Can't Say in America, What's Race Got to Do with It?: Why It's Time to Stop the Stupidest Argument in America, Stupid Black Men: How to Play the Race Card--and Lose.

I have been fortunate to have Larry as a guest on The Teri O'Brien Show to talk about his latest book, Dear Father, Dear Son: Two Lives, Eight Hours.

While Dear Father, Dear Son: Two Lives, Eight Hours, is not the usual insightful commentary on the popular culture and the political scene that we've come to expect from him, by providing a window into his formative years, it opens a window into how Larry Elder became the man he is, devoted to hard work, personal responsibility and rejecting any attempts to make him a victim, determined to show the old man. Indirectly, by imparting these values to his son through his example, values that we would call conservatism, the elder Elder profoundly influenced his son in ways Larry didn't appreciate while he was blinded by his rage over his treatment growing up.

This book describes an eight-hour conversation between Larry and his father after a ten-year estrangement. Larry initiated the conversation. He decided to confront his father, to give him a piece of his mind, about the rotten way his father had treated him and his brothers when they were children. Larry admits that he hated his father. He ended up understanding the man that he had once considered a mean, bitter, thin-skinned, angry abusive jerk in a way that he probably would have considered impossible if he hadn't experienced it himself. We get to experience his epiphany in this book, which makes the book very difficult to put down.

It is heart-warming and inspiring. It will make you think about your relationships with your own parents. I can't recommend it enough.

A truly wonderful book about sons and fathers and much, much more. While Larry was growing up in "the hood", I was growing up on the other side of all white Los Angeles. The first time I recall seeing a black person, in person, was when I was around eight or nine years old. My father had taken me to the science museum at USC. After viewing the exhibits we had lunch in the cafeteria. The servers were black. I remember being fascinated with the darkness of their skin. I don't remember if I discussed this with my father. Chances are I didn't. Like Larry's family we didn't talk about these things. We didn't talk about sex, religion, homosexuality, race relations, our fears, or any controversial subject. You could get in trouble for talking about these things. It was don't ask, don't tell. We never talked about why all the black folks lived on the other side of town and worked as bus drivers, maids, and shoe shine "boys", even though they were men. As a child it never occurred to me why our First Baptist Church in Inglewood California was 100% white, yet in Sunday School we sang "All the little children of the world, yellow, black or white, they're all equal in His site". It was just the way it was. I can fully understand how Larry's father could be so disassociated from his feelings about his boys. Larry, your book made me cry and I'm a big man and don't cry easy. The single biggest problem in the black community is the lack of fathers in the home. A fatherless boy will always have an ache in his heart for the dad he never had. A boy without a father will seek a role model somewhere else, like in a gang. An entire generation of boys is being lost.

Inspiring, gratifying look into the personal life of a man whom I've only ever associated with political talk. Gives much insight into who Larry Elder is and why. The story of his father's early life is shocking, and all the more inspiring with how he overcame his circumstances with hard work.

I so enjoyed reading this book. It revealed to me what a special person Larry Elder is and how typical his family was in America. I too was chastised both physically and mostly verbally throughout my childhood by my mother (mother kept dad out of the picture) and hard work and minding your own business was the mantra of the day. Larry's book confirmed to me the truth behind the the chastisement. As the months go by I miss and love my parents more and more.

As a long time listener of Larry Elder, I thought I "knew him". I learned so much about him and how he became who he is. The book was inspirational and speaks so much of what he thought was hate, but, was really not understanding his dad. Most of us don't understand our parents. My dad died December 1999 and I learned more about him in the last several months of his life than I had all the previous 53 years I had been alive. My dad was from Scotland and very private and didn't speak about "personal" things too much. I didn't get the gene where you "hold things in". I wish I had been able to have more conversations with him like Larry had with his dad. I try to be as open as I can with my only child, a son. He seemed to have gotten the "Scottish" gene. Thank you Larry for the book, as a recent "cancer free" person I do not take life so serious anymore.