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Before You Wake: Life Lessons from a Father to His Children
From Erick Erickson, "arguably the most powerful conservative in America today" ( The Atlantic ), an inspiring book about life's enduring values, based on a viral essay he wrote for his children after he and his wife both faced grave medical situations.
"A must read." -- RedState
In late 2016, prompted by the news that his wife was battling cancer and his own pulmonary medical scare, Erick Erickson posted a piece to his website, The Resurgent. Styled as a letter to his young children, the piece, titled "If I Should Die Before You Wake," was a stirring message--and challenge--about how to live a life of purpose and joy. The essay went viral, shared by figures like New York Times columnist and author of The Road to Character , David Brooks. Now, in a time when our country needs healing and a reminder of our values more than ever, Erickson has expanded the project, composing a total of ten letters, featuring a wonderful mix of the practical, inspirational, and spiritual.
"A must read." -- RedState
In late 2016, prompted by the news that his wife was battling cancer and his own pulmonary medical scare, Erick Erickson posted a piece to his website, The Resurgent. Styled as a letter to his young children, the piece, titled "If I Should Die Before You Wake," was a stirring message--and challenge--about how to live a life of purpose and joy. The essay went viral, shared by figures like New York Times columnist and author of The Road to Character , David Brooks. Now, in a time when our country needs healing and a reminder of our values more than ever, Erickson has expanded the project, composing a total of ten letters, featuring a wonderful mix of the practical, inspirational, and spiritual.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2017
34 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 15, 2017
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The idea of this book is spectacular. None of us know when our time her on Earth is through, and as such, we do not know how long we will have with our children. We may grow old and watch our children prosper, we may die suddenly and leave a parenting void for our children. Sharing as much as possible with our children about ourselves, our families, our beliefs, and helping mold them into the best versions of them is an important aspect of parenting. Creating narratives such as this book is an amazing manner in which to cultivate their development.
I have two complaints with this book. One, I think that this book would be more powerful and personal if it were written directly to his children. The majority of the book made the children to feel like characters in the story rather than the recipients of the knowledge. Two, at times the author ventured into some "get off my lawn" takes on society, which, while true to him and his point of view, was a bit annoying. The author certainly should not remove these instances, they just annoyed me a bit.
I loved the recipes in the book. Cooking and sharing food is obviously an important aspect of the author's life, and these tangible connections between his family's past and future will be quite valuable. I also loved the quick hit anecdotes in the last chapter. These nuggets of wisdom and family idiosyncrasies will be great for his children to rely upon in the future.
One last note, if you happen to differ politically with the author, please do not hold that against him. Read this book, understand his perspective, and leave with an understanding of what he is trying to accomplish with this book, and not his radio/TV political rhetoric.
The idea of this book is spectacular. None of us know when our time her on Earth is through, and as such, we do not know how long we will have with our children. We may grow old and watch our children prosper, we may die suddenly and leave a parenting void for our children. Sharing as much as possible with our children about ourselves, our families, our beliefs, and helping mold them into the best versions of them is an important aspect of parenting. Creating narratives such as this book is an amazing manner in which to cultivate their development.
I have two complaints with this book. One, I think that this book would be more powerful and personal if it were written directly to his children. The majority of the book made the children to feel like characters in the story rather than the recipients of the knowledge. Two, at times the author ventured into some "get off my lawn" takes on society, which, while true to him and his point of view, was a bit annoying. The author certainly should not remove these instances, they just annoyed me a bit.
I loved the recipes in the book. Cooking and sharing food is obviously an important aspect of the author's life, and these tangible connections between his family's past and future will be quite valuable. I also loved the quick hit anecdotes in the last chapter. These nuggets of wisdom and family idiosyncrasies will be great for his children to rely upon in the future.
One last note, if you happen to differ politically with the author, please do not hold that against him. Read this book, understand his perspective, and leave with an understanding of what he is trying to accomplish with this book, and not his radio/TV political rhetoric.
March 30, 2018
This book was ok and you have to take it for the purpose for which it was written. A last letter of advice to his children. A couple of the chapters were spot on and very enjoyable. Several just seemed braggadocios. However, the book is a quick read and has merit.
October 17, 2017
OK, this book is pretty much perfect. One of the best political writers of our time, Erick Erickson, had a near-death experience last year. At about the same time, his wife was diagnosed with cancer. This prompted a column on his website, The Resurgent, about the things he wished his children would know from him before he died. Now it's a book that mentions politics only obliquely, which is one of its best features. It's full of timeless wisdom from events in Erickson's life, and some great recipes (at least three of which I will be trying out before the end of the year). Do yourself a favor and buy this. Several copies, in fact, for your friends.
October 13, 2017
What a wonderful exploration of faith, wisdom, and food!
December 16, 2017
As someone who used to read Redstate and currently reads The Resurgent, I have known Erick Erickson's commentary for some time now (and met him back in 2005 at CPAC). I was intrigued by his latest book, "Before You Wake", which is a short and focused book written to his children. He and his wife were very sick last year and thought he would write a book to them in case he and his wife both passed away.
I enjoyed reading about his life, briefly summarized. I also agreed with a lot of his "life lessons" that he wants his children to know, such as:
* "Pain, misery, suffering, and the storms of life really do provide us such a stark contrast with joy and peace. They help us appreciate the sunny side of life more."
* "I value the worth of the individual more than the community, but after all, it is a collection of individuals who form the community and give it character. That community's character and the character of other individuals, in turn, shape our character."
* "My values transcend my political party and are premised on my faith." (YES!)
* "It is far better to be respected because of our integrity (as Christ-followers) than to be liked"
After working in a Congressional office for 12+ years, I *completely* agree with Erick on Page 115:
* "Community should overcome tribe. Tribalism has invaded our lives and pulled us towards the primitive and guttural, where nuance has no place...We stereotype others and place them in tribes instead of treading them individually. ...Our faith, family, and country must come before tribal divisions that pit us against them, encourage victimhood, and silence the other."
This is a good read to reflect and ponder what the reader would tell their children about what is most important in life. rick also provided a bunch of his favorite recipes in the back of the book, which we as a family may try soon.
I enjoyed reading about his life, briefly summarized. I also agreed with a lot of his "life lessons" that he wants his children to know, such as:
* "Pain, misery, suffering, and the storms of life really do provide us such a stark contrast with joy and peace. They help us appreciate the sunny side of life more."
* "I value the worth of the individual more than the community, but after all, it is a collection of individuals who form the community and give it character. That community's character and the character of other individuals, in turn, shape our character."
* "My values transcend my political party and are premised on my faith." (YES!)
* "It is far better to be respected because of our integrity (as Christ-followers) than to be liked"
After working in a Congressional office for 12+ years, I *completely* agree with Erick on Page 115:
* "Community should overcome tribe. Tribalism has invaded our lives and pulled us towards the primitive and guttural, where nuance has no place...We stereotype others and place them in tribes instead of treading them individually. ...Our faith, family, and country must come before tribal divisions that pit us against them, encourage victimhood, and silence the other."
This is a good read to reflect and ponder what the reader would tell their children about what is most important in life. rick also provided a bunch of his favorite recipes in the back of the book, which we as a family may try soon.
November 20, 2017
It is not easy to review books by people you consider friends; even if the friendship is mostly online rather than in person. What struck me about this book was how personal it is. It has the flavor of a memoir rather than an advice book. And then there are recipes at the end. But it makes sense somehow because you can tell how much joy cooking, eating and entertaining give to Erick.
Erick offers insight into how he became the person he is today not in terms of his political philosophy but in terms of personality and interests. His childhood, in the US and in the Middle East, made a big impression on him. He recalls with relish and joy his experiences. At times you might wonder what it all means and how it ties together. But I think it is just something that Erick believes made hims who he is. And he is trying to capture that for his children and for readers who might be interested.
The other aspect that comes through is how increasingly Erick is viewing his life through the lens of his faith and his community rather than through politics and elections. He stresses over and over again that what he wants for his children is that they love God, love their family and seek to be part of a community that reflects the Creator; that they love their neighbors and serve others.
This is not a radical idea from a Christian perspective but those who only know Erick from partisan politics, and the world of talking heads and talk radio, this might seem oddly communitarian and localist. As tribalism, and with it toxic public square, has come to dominate our politics Erick has clearly felt called to something different. Admittedly, he struggles with how that looks day to day but his preference for something different comes through clearly in this short book.
I always used to joke online that the biggest secret about Erick was that he was a really nice guy involved in an often ugly business. This book brings that "secret" out into the open. Erick's mantra might be boiled down to faith, family, friends and food. Seek community and connection in these, he tells his children, and you will find purpose and meaning.
If you happen to be a foodie or cook, you get the added bonus of what sound like a bunch of delicious recipes.
Erick offers insight into how he became the person he is today not in terms of his political philosophy but in terms of personality and interests. His childhood, in the US and in the Middle East, made a big impression on him. He recalls with relish and joy his experiences. At times you might wonder what it all means and how it ties together. But I think it is just something that Erick believes made hims who he is. And he is trying to capture that for his children and for readers who might be interested.
The other aspect that comes through is how increasingly Erick is viewing his life through the lens of his faith and his community rather than through politics and elections. He stresses over and over again that what he wants for his children is that they love God, love their family and seek to be part of a community that reflects the Creator; that they love their neighbors and serve others.
This is not a radical idea from a Christian perspective but those who only know Erick from partisan politics, and the world of talking heads and talk radio, this might seem oddly communitarian and localist. As tribalism, and with it toxic public square, has come to dominate our politics Erick has clearly felt called to something different. Admittedly, he struggles with how that looks day to day but his preference for something different comes through clearly in this short book.
I always used to joke online that the biggest secret about Erick was that he was a really nice guy involved in an often ugly business. This book brings that "secret" out into the open. Erick's mantra might be boiled down to faith, family, friends and food. Seek community and connection in these, he tells his children, and you will find purpose and meaning.
If you happen to be a foodie or cook, you get the added bonus of what sound like a bunch of delicious recipes.
June 18, 2021
Randomly picked this up at Dollar Tree a while back. The author name sounded familiar and I love life lesson/self-help books so I grabbed it.
This is a book the author wrote to share some life lessons to his children and to the world.
I finally realized why the name of the author sounded familiar. He is pretty famous in the political world here in the US. He may lean a little different from my personal beliefs, but I was intrigued. Life lessons are life lessons.
There were some good stories in there that I could relate to. Some....I couldn't. Like all his travels when he was a kid and his career success. Even with the things you can't relate to there is a lesson there you can apply to something in your own life.
There were also some parts that were a bit too preachy and Christian-y so be prepared for that. He really did play the God card a lot and make it clear that he wants his kids to hold on tight to their faith. This did drown a lot of the stories.
I honestly really liked the last couple of chapters and all the amazing recipes he shared. I will need to save them! Yummmmmmy!
I did enjoy learning about the man behind the politics and learning his story. He seems like a nice guy with strong values and wants to share his stories and advise about life. I don't agree with him about a lot of things, but seeing behind the politic-mask was interesting.
But yes, I did like some parts of this. Some good life lessons and some yummy recipes. It was a little heavy-handed on Christianity and God though so that is something to be aware of. I'll give this 2 stars.
This is a book the author wrote to share some life lessons to his children and to the world.
I finally realized why the name of the author sounded familiar. He is pretty famous in the political world here in the US. He may lean a little different from my personal beliefs, but I was intrigued. Life lessons are life lessons.
There were some good stories in there that I could relate to. Some....I couldn't. Like all his travels when he was a kid and his career success. Even with the things you can't relate to there is a lesson there you can apply to something in your own life.
There were also some parts that were a bit too preachy and Christian-y so be prepared for that. He really did play the God card a lot and make it clear that he wants his kids to hold on tight to their faith. This did drown a lot of the stories.
I honestly really liked the last couple of chapters and all the amazing recipes he shared. I will need to save them! Yummmmmmy!
I did enjoy learning about the man behind the politics and learning his story. He seems like a nice guy with strong values and wants to share his stories and advise about life. I don't agree with him about a lot of things, but seeing behind the politic-mask was interesting.
But yes, I did like some parts of this. Some good life lessons and some yummy recipes. It was a little heavy-handed on Christianity and God though so that is something to be aware of. I'll give this 2 stars.
October 27, 2021
So… it was ok. I liked the concept of a father writing a collection of family stories and his personal history for his children after discovering health issues. And I liked the prose and style of the writing - it was honest, succinct and easy to digest. There were also some good quotes in there.
However— the voice of the author seemed very close-minded. The tone throughout the book is very religious, and although I don’t necessarily agree with religious teachings, I try to respect other’s beliefs. Even still, the religious tone throughout the book was overkill. Also, the author is very conservative and holds traditional values, so the advice he is writing will align more with right-wing morals and values.
The writing in this book is strong, but unfortunately the second half of the book is filler of recipes and one line quips or pieces of advice. It seems like he just needed to add extra pages to get the book published. I do see the importance of having the recipes printed somewhere so they won’t be lost or forgotten, but perhaps those pages could’ve been better utilized by going more in depth with stories of him and his wife, or stories of the kids when they were younger. It could’ve been more of a humanitarian work, telling the stories of their family, rather than a soapbox to push religious beliefs.
However— the voice of the author seemed very close-minded. The tone throughout the book is very religious, and although I don’t necessarily agree with religious teachings, I try to respect other’s beliefs. Even still, the religious tone throughout the book was overkill. Also, the author is very conservative and holds traditional values, so the advice he is writing will align more with right-wing morals and values.
The writing in this book is strong, but unfortunately the second half of the book is filler of recipes and one line quips or pieces of advice. It seems like he just needed to add extra pages to get the book published. I do see the importance of having the recipes printed somewhere so they won’t be lost or forgotten, but perhaps those pages could’ve been better utilized by going more in depth with stories of him and his wife, or stories of the kids when they were younger. It could’ve been more of a humanitarian work, telling the stories of their family, rather than a soapbox to push religious beliefs.
January 28, 2018
I don't have cable TV, so I don't know the author. I'm not sure why I had this on hold from the library, but it turned up today and I skimmed it. If I knew these people, the story might be more interesting. The writing was only so-so and I'm not his child so, what was the point?
He's got some good suggestions, but this was hard to read and so, as noted above, I skimmed it. I'm not sure who would benefit from it, but maybe if your parents didn't talk to you and you weren't sure how to live a life?
He's got some good suggestions, but this was hard to read and so, as noted above, I skimmed it. I'm not sure who would benefit from it, but maybe if your parents didn't talk to you and you weren't sure how to live a life?
November 27, 2017
I enjoyed the first part of the book really setting the tone for why it was being written. But then it lost me. I found myself skimming and bored. Until I got to the last two chapters. Really enjoyed the cooking section and the tidbits of wisdom. So even if you find yourself not enjoying this book be sure to read those chapters. They were a redeeming quality.
December 8, 2017
Enjoyed reading this book and LOVED the recipes! I don't agree with all of Erickson's statements; however I do have a great deal of respect for the way he lives his values in his daily life. He has a great sense of humor, and he sure does love to cook! Trying to figure out which of the recipes I want to try out myself!
December 21, 2018
I was so excited to read this... pretty disappointed when it was over. Some parts were good, but most really were just stories that maybe his children can enjoy, and not so interesting for anyone else. Someone else mentioned it was “braggadocios” and I tend to agree.. not something I’d read again, and for sure never buy.
August 20, 2019
Had the hardest time getting through this book. Picked it up. Put it away. Picked it up again.
Essentially, It's a book of advice for his children. Some good advice. Some opinion I don't agree with. Either way - it wasn't for me. Although I think the idea of leaving this for his kids is wonderful.
Essentially, It's a book of advice for his children. Some good advice. Some opinion I don't agree with. Either way - it wasn't for me. Although I think the idea of leaving this for his kids is wonderful.
December 15, 2025
had lots of unrealistic suggestions--a lot easier said than done..."you never ever have to worry because it does not control you." (p. 96)..."some peer pressure & bullying is okay." (p. 116)..."suffering is part of life. if we get rid of it, i am not so sure we will be able to say we are living anymore." (p. 44)...maybe it just leaned too religious for my liking...
November 6, 2017
So many great truths here.
As a man over 40, who has children, this book meant a lot. The day of death is closer now than birth and I too want to leave a legacy for my kids. Thanks.
As a man over 40, who has children, this book meant a lot. The day of death is closer now than birth and I too want to leave a legacy for my kids. Thanks.
July 14, 2022
I read this in one sitting
It is incredible how much I enjoyed this book. I highlighted parts and laughed and cried. Now that I’m done …..I’m thinking how many can I buy and give to family and friends.
Thank you Erick
It is incredible how much I enjoyed this book. I highlighted parts and laughed and cried. Now that I’m done …..I’m thinking how many can I buy and give to family and friends.
Thank you Erick
January 18, 2023
I picked this book up for $1 at Dollar Tree, and it was the book I didnt know I needed. His advice and words of wisdom were very much needed in this season of my life. For how small this book is I recommend it.
November 13, 2017
Loved this book. He is a Christian conservative Republican writing about what is important in life and how to live.
January 11, 2018
He wrote this book for his children but it is good for people of any age.
January 12, 2018
I read two-thirds of the book stopping where it started talking about religion.
January 21, 2018
Very enjoyable read. Honest, challenging, and encouraging. I enjoyed reading about Erick owning his mistakes and learning from them. His children will treasure this for many years.
March 28, 2018
Good book, great advice. Food/recipe chapter is a boon to the health care and pharmaceutical industries.🙂
June 16, 2019
an interesting reading.
July 3, 2022
The book is good to read all the way until recipe part...
March 20, 2023
everything well said and well put,i hope the kids grasp as much as their father wanted them to from thia book...awesome
October 28, 2023
So much to enjoy about this wholesome, feel good book as is evident by my multiple highlights. What a life Erick Erickson has led and now shared with the masses.
August 24, 2021
Read on someone’s recommendation. Here is half a star for making me wonder if every father should write a book or a collection of essays for his children. Otherwise it was an exercise in reading someone’s preaching to their kids about their conservative Christian republican male perspective.
December 29, 2017
Heard him interviewed on NPR and seemed like a great concept for a book. There were some touching chapters and his opposition to Trump (as a conservative) was interesting. The reason for the three stars? Half of the book was recipes!! Seriously, it ends midway through and the rest is just recipes.
July 1, 2019
Great life experiences of Erick Erickson with sage advice. I had no idea of his early life in Dubai. In addition to the good advice the reader will find a great selection of Erick’s own recipes. I look forward to the cooking as much I enjoyed the reading.
May 2, 2024
Dude just feels like he’s the best dad and wrote a big book of nothingness about it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews