Fatherhood, football & turning forty

by Chris Crowe

Life as a married Mormon male is no picnic. At first you just had to worry about yourself and your wife. Pretty soon you add a baby, and then another, and another; add to that your church and work responsibilities, and who has time to even breathe? But, as author Chris Crowe points out, no life is more rewarding. With honesty and humor he recounts some of the events and feelings experience by a contemporary Mormon father. For example, he explains a father’s need for infinite patience—and amateur plumbing skills—in “The Little Plumbers.” “Feeling Small” takes a look at the stunted ego that can result from such things as being “genealogically challenged” in a church full of pioneer stock. “The Countdown” contains the musing of a man slipping into middle age. And in “LaVell and Me” the author relates the real story behind BYU’s success in football. Lively and down to earth, this book has something for everyone who is familiar with the pleasures (and frustrations) of fatherhood, football, and turning forty.

69 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Brad]

Loved this collection of essays. Honest and very very funny. My favorite section was the one entitled "The Ordeal of Real vs Ideal." I even quoted from it in a church talk.

[Shauna]

What a FUN BOOK! Filled with "confessions of a middle-aged Mormon male" this book will make you smile, laugh, and ponder where you are at in your own life. I love personal stories like these--

[Jenny]

I loved reading this book. As it's a book of essays, it had been my quick pick-up book...when I had some spare time, I'd read an essay. It was always enjoyable and it filled my time. I had run out of some of that spare time, so it sat on my bookshelf for a few months. Today I laid in bed with a sick child, holding her while she slept. During this time, I finished the book. It was so fun. My first question to the author (someone I'd like to call my mentor), is if he laughed out loud as he wrote? Surely he must have. I was laughing, all along worrying that I'd wake up my little girl. Each essay is very real as he writes about emerging nose hairs to insecurities of being a father. Each essay is also very relatable. I'm not a father, I didn't play football, and I'm only 29, but I loved reading this and plan on buying it for some of my friends for upcoming birthdays -- my brother being #1 on my list. The LDS culture references are great, because really, we all know what he writes is true. Great reading for LDS anyone.

[Tawny]

Favorite line: "I could alter my fantasies, my ideal versions of how things should be, to allow room for some warts and human foibles. I could, or should, 'get real,' as my daughter often says. That would give me some room to slop around, to make some mistakes without drowning or giving up. After all, it's not the responsibility that slows me down and discourages me, it's the futility of my puny efforts contrasted with the fantastic ideal I've conjured up."