Reviewed by Valerie Rouse for Readers' Favorite

The Father is an interesting story about three generations of the Whitaker family. Joseph Whitaker was a farmer. He raised his son, John; John raised his son, Morgan; and Morgan named his child John, giving him his grandfather’s name. Author Brett Williams traced the lineage of this poor Midwest farmer, Joseph. He showed how each successive father influenced his offspring socially, psychologically and intellectually. Joseph was very strict as a father. He was a dedicated farmer and he believed that tilling the land was the ultimate job to have. John did not share his father’s love of the land to that extent. He wanted to get as far away from the countryside as possible. As a child, he had a love for animals and nature. He served as a soldier in the army in World War II. He got married after his stint there and had twin sons, plus another son, Morgan. Morgan was a different child. He was inquisitive and intuitive. He followed his passions of science and theatre as a man. He met the woman of his dreams, got married and had his son John. John had both his grandfather’s traits as well as his dad’s. At thirteen years of age, he was an avid reader, always questioning the status quo. Like Morgan, as a man he set off to see the world his way.

The Father is a book that allows you to be introspective. As you read it, you wonder what kind of legacy you are leaving for your kids. I love the attention to detail that author Brett Williams placed on each child’s upbringing. This suggests that this period of a child’s life is very important. At this juncture, persons who have influenced the child play a role in the way that child matures into an adult. It also affects the choices that child makes and so on. The language used is simple and easy to understand. I love the way in which the author showcased the cultural differences of the generations. In a way, this can transform the novel into a learning tool instead of just a form of entertainment. Readers would be able to glean some truths about the proverbial generation gap. Most persons realize that there are fundamental differences between the way persons of the younger and older generations operate. For example, when I was younger, my mother taught me to iron bed sheets. I don’t teach my children to do this because nowadays the sheets available for purchase are wash and wear. When I told my children that I used to do this, they were amazed. This clearly demonstrates the differences of opinion in my generation. Overall, The Father is a good read. I recommend it to all readers.