I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, so I am always eager to get a new perspective on life. Listening to the lessons that others have learned and the adventures they have experienced can be so inspiring and enlightening, and often helps me to better myself a bit as I find behaviors in my own life that I can adjust. Of course, as a big reader, I am always happy if I can gain that new perspective by reading a great book.
Letters to Ethan by Tom McQueen is a book filled with life lessons from a grandfather to his grandson. The wisdom is delivered in the form of heartfelt letters filled with past experiences, lessons learned, advice for the future and, of course, love. The book sounded like a great way to learn more about the world through the eyes of experience, and I was delighted when I was given a chance to review it for myself.
The letters that young Ethan’s grandfather wrote to him are humorous, touching, inspiring and engaging. Many also contain wonderful poems, essays and stories written by others to help illustrate one of the author’s thoughts or ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the difference between a job and a calling and thinking about what my own calling in life might be. I was moved beyond words as the author retold the story of a young man that extended his hand in friendship to a downtrodden classmate, unknowingly saving the boy’s life.
Every topic from conflict resolution to healthy living to goal setting was covered in the pages of Letters to Ethan. I appreciated the candid approach to the topics and the real life experiences that were used to illustrate the importance of the lessons. The book left me feeling inspired and hopeful, ready to put into action some of the ideas I had been introduced to when reading.
Letters to Ethan would be a perfect book for both young adults starting their own lives and for parents that are looking to connect to another generation and gain a different perspective on life. I loved the concept of writing to the man that the author’s grandson would one day become, and am already planning a similar journal of some sort that I can one day give to my sons.
I thoroughly enjoyed Letters to Ethan, and it definitely reminded me of what a huge responsibility it is to be a parent. There is so much I want to pass on to my children, but some days I don’t even know where to begin. Letters to Ethan really helped me to think about the values and ideals I want to give to my sons. For an inspiring read that any parent is sure to love, check out this great book for yourself.
Buy It: To purchase Letters to Ethan, check your local bookstore or shop online now
Win It: One lucky reader is going to win their own copy of Letters to Ethan
To Enter (mandatory): Tell me about the most important lesson you learned from your parents or grandparents
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Giveaway ends 11:59 pm CST on November 15, 2010. Open to US and Canada
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