The Fathers We Find: The making of a pleasant, humble boy($12.74Value)

Description

Set amidst the farm fields and rolling hills of Southeastern Wisconsin, THE FATHERS WE FIND is a coming-of-age story that takes place between 1950 and 1971. This novel based on memory closely parallels the experiences of its author who grew up on a mink farm just outside of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Drowning in a sea of nuns, priests, and hard-working church-goers, "Chuck," our narrator, stumbles his way to enlightenment with help from a series of delightful men in a journey that is simultaneously hilarious, poignant, and nostalgic. Following his father's funeral, we find Chuck, a middle-aged man, sitting on the back porch of his parents' farm home trying to remember, "how he got here, to this place." His reflections take him back to his earliest memory, and his first job, at four years of age and the reward he would receive for becoming a little man. From there we find Chuck's mother praying that God make her first-born child a soldier in His army. Which He does. God follows that up by making five more of Helen and Carl's children recruits in His holy arsenal, causing parishioners to wonder if Helen and Carl might carry some sort of vocational virus. For some, this virus is a reason to draw near in hope of infection, and for others--well, it prompts them to run. While prayerfully asking that he follow in his elder siblings footsteps, Chuck begins to see his shot at the priesthood slip through his hands when he realizes, in many veiled and not so veiled ways, that he may not be normal. Chuck resigns himself to life on the dust hip of his sacred family. The Fathers We Find Charles P. Ries Bad Monk Productions 9780692481387 $14.99 amazon.com/Fathers-We-Find-making-pleasant/dp/0692481389/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460498526&sr=8-1&keywords=the+fathers+we+find Author Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=MLK5wWJczEM The Fathers We Find is a saga about the types offathers, father figures, mentors, and leaders who influence and guide us as wemove toward the wider world. These figures who are present throughout thenarrative, offer fine insights into the importance of adults on a child's lifeand growth. It is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys spirited,vivid coming-of-age family sagas, spiced with an overlay of religiousupbringing, close knit family, and small town interactions all resting upon thequestion of who it is that guides us to our best selves. Readers should anticipate more than a light dose of humorand fun in the process of following Charles Ries's coming of age. They willfind his vignettes uplifting and revealing. From mink yards and commercialfishing, to confession services and boyhood pranks gone awry. It delivers exactly what its subtitle ( The Makingof a Pleasant, Humble Boy ) promises: a memoir about the author, who grew upin Wisconsin on a mink farm whose life evolves from a small town, deeplycatholic family, and moves to self-acceptance and a joy-filled life. It's this drive, and the author's spunk and motivations,which create compelling and fun scenes that alternatively keep readers laughingand lead them to consider the various paths that one can take towardsenlightenment. It's not a weighty philosophical piece. Its vignettes arerevealing, and fun. It offers a lively blend of nostalgia, delightfulcharacters, and the enjoyable evolution of a precocious boy who is rescued by asea of family, friends, uncles, priests, and quirky characters who each guidehim to a deeper sense of himself. - The Midwest Book Review - Ditties of Sheboygan County history are mixed with dramatizations and characterizations in a new book titled, "Fathers We Find," by Sheboygan native Charles P. Ries. Ditties of Sheboygan County history are mixed with dramatizations and characterizations in a new book titled, "Fathers We Find." Written by Sheboygan native Charles P. Ries, "Fathers We Find" is said to bring tears of joy and sorrow to its readers. "Charles' book is quite entertaining," said Z Spot owner Jeff Zenk, who has already received positive comments about "Fathers We Find." Growing up on a mink farm on Sheboygan's south side as one seven children gave Ries much fodder for the book. "Five of the seven went to the convent or seminary," he said. "I like to say I grew up in the most Catholic family in America." "Fathers We Find" is a coming-of-age story that takes place in Sheboygan between 1950 and 1971. The narrator, "Chuck," is influenced by many who cross his path while growing up. "We don't get to pick our fathers, but sometimes we are lucky enough to get our fathers to find us," he said. Ries classifies "Fathers We Find" as a fictional memoir. Surrounded by nuns, priests and hard-working church-goers, Chuck stumbles his way to enlightenment with help from a series of men in a hilarious, poignant and nostalgic journey. The book itself took nearly 10 years to get to where it is today, said Ries. It first began as a short story and evolved over the years with rewrites and edits. The Sheboygan So