Endorsements from Cal Ripken and Hannah Storm are quoted on the back cover, focusing on the parents who have basically taken the fun out of baseball.

There are things that I like about novels that are meant to be social satires. They are usually funny, and do open doors into the way people live and the thoughts people have that I like to ponder. However, they are also usually dark, offering a picture of how things are instead of hope.

I think that I’m learning that this isn’t my favorite genre of fiction, even though I liked Jonathan Franzen’s novel that fits squarely into this category, Freedom. I liked it a lot — more than I thought I would have, but I honestly think that the phenomenal audio version had something to do with it.

I did like Parents Behaving Badly, and though I alluded to dark satire with no hope, I wouldn’t put this novel in that category. There is a lot of hope — hope for revival in a marriage, hope for a father’s relationship with his teenage daughter, hope in making peace with one’s past. I most enjoyed the themes of returning home, since the novel takes place shortly after Ben and Jili Holden move from Manhattan back to the California town where they grew up. I also enjoyed the accurate picture of a family of tweens and teens. They are funny, and they are totally real — likeably imperfect.

But in the end, it left me a little unsatisfied, partly because it felt like a man’s novel to me. Perhaps it was all the Little League plot, or the Father-Son ghosts that haunt Ben, and definitely due to the man’s point-of-view (and thoughts) regarding marriage and sex. That said, these very elements could make it the perfect Father’s Day gift!

Jennifer Donovan blogs at Snapshot about her life and family, although not as much as she used to, because of the demands of her 6-year-old’s rigorous rec-league baseball schedule.

My husband has read many of Lewis’ books, including this one. They are investigative and informative. Because of this, Terry flatly refused to watch the movie with me. There’s been no negotiation, in spite of the fact that he likes Sandra Bullock and is generally not at all reluctant to view romantic comedies with me. Why the staunch avoidance of this popular movie, then?

“They took a good book about football and made a chick flick out of it. That’s stupid.”

Last month, Terry and I saw Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy speak at a benefit dinner for a local homeless shelter. They were funny and entertaining and inspirational. I thought he’d change his mind, because he liked hearing their story, so I put it at the top of my Netflix queue, but I still ended up watching it alone.

That’s okay. I’m glad I watched it, and I’m actually glad that I waited until I saw the real people, and heard more of their story, because I think it made the movie even more meaningful. I liked the movie. Loved it. It was a good story, and the message is truly inspirational.

As my husband points out, the book and the movie are two totally different animals. The success of the book brought the Tuohy family’s story to light, and the movie was made. So — book/movie — no comparison (in my mind the movie is far superior, since I tried to read the book, but could care less about how the game of football has changed or the role of the left tackle). In Terry’s opinion, the book is far superior and the movie shouldn’t even use that title.

However, the “real” story behind The Blind Side can be found in Sean and Leanne Tuohy’s book, In a Heartbeat (linked to my review). First I heard the Tuohy’s speak, then I watched the movie, then I listened to the audiobook that explained their practice of “cheerful giving.” It’s all changed the way I look at others and the way I think about the difference that one person can make in another’s life (and that person could be me!).

If I’m not the only person left on earth who hasn’t seen The Blind Side, I urge you to watch it. Sandra Bullock deserved the Academy Award she won for best actress, it’s pretty family friendly (for tweens and teens for sure), and it’s a great movie. But if you want to know the “real story,” be sure to check out In a Heartbeat.

Jennifer Donovan and her husband frequently disagree. Since they are both first-borns, neither of them are quick to let go of their opinions. Read more about the mysteries of her marriage at her blog Snapshot.

But I would call LEGO: A Love Story more of a researched book than a memoir. Yes, Bender shares some of his personal experiences, and the story is told through his eyes as he joins LEGO conventions and tours the headquarters in Denmark and the U.S. headquarters in Connecticut, but in general it’s a feature about AFOLs and the history and future of the LEGO company.

I did learn a lot about legos. First off, you never call them “legos.” LEGO is the brand, and should only be used as an adjective as in “LEGO building blocks” or “LEGO kits,” or in reference to the company itself. After reading 300 pages of correct usage, I’m probably a convert and will be annoyed by everyone else’s incorrect use from here on out.

I think that this book would definitely appeal to adults who play with or collect LEGO, but also to anyone who remembers LEGO fondly from their childhood. Reading this book made me happy that my son’s collection is steadily growing, and honestly makes me look forward to tackling bigger projects with him.

This book could definitely be a popular Father’s Day gift — from a grown son who remembered building LEGO with his dad, or to a new father who has the opportunity to legitimize his LEGO play once again. But then again, the whole idea behind LEGO: A Love Story is that LEGO can appeal to adults in a completely unique (and legitimate) way.

Jennifer Donovan has enjoyed discovering toys with her son that she missed in her girlhood, like Thomas the Tank Engine, Matchbox cars, and yes, of course, LEGO. She blogs at Snapshot.

The Council of Dads is not at all maudlin, as a book written by a guy at a time when he is pondering/fearing his own death might be. It’s really a story about men — men’s friendships and fatherhood specifically.

Feiler tells the story of his “lost year” (the year he underwent treatment) with letters that he wrote to friends detailing how the family was handling each step of treatment, chapters introducing each of the men he invites to join the council and telling about how he met them, and flashbacks to early life with his wife and daughters.

It was well-written, interesting, and not overly self-indulgent. There aren’t many books that look at a man’s life in this way. I recommend it.

It would probably make a great gift for a father — yours or the father of your children, or perhaps better still a great read for women like me who long to understand the elusive nature of men’s relationships.

We have two copies to give away (U.S. residents only). Please leave a comment to enter. We’ll announce the winners on May 26.

Jennifer Donovan has never made up a council of moms, however she is so thankful for all those friends who come alongside her in her parenting journey. She blogs at Snapshot when she’s not writing local news stories or book reviews.

With a foreword and personal story written by Joan Lunden, Thanks Mom is full of stories of motherly love and the appreciation expressed by their children. When I became a mother myself, I found myself looking at my own mom with new eyes, and I believe we all need to remember to say a resounding THANKS! to our moms… and not just on her special day in May. Reading these lovely and respectful stories can inspire all of us to do just that.

I imagine I’m not the only one who has a car racing fan for a dad, so Chicken Soup’s new NASCAR book will probably appeal to many a father out there. This time Darrell Waltrip provides the foreword, a piece that celebrates his religious beliefs and the strength he has seen in several of his NASCAR colleagues. Other familiar racing names appear in this collection as well, and true fans will enjoy the personal anecdotes shared by drivers, managers and other enthusiasts.

If these titles seem like your cup of tea (or perhaps, your bowl of soup?), you’ll be happy to hear that we have two copies of each book to giveaway! Please leave one comment to be entered (U.S. and Canada only, please). We’ll announce the winners in our giveaway column on 4/28.

Ever have a book title catch your eye, leaving you instantly intrigued? Well, Dr. Diana Hoppe’s new book, Healthy Sex Drive, Healthy You: What Your Libido Reveals About Your Life, most definitely fell into this category for me.

Read my full review of Healthy Sex Drive, Healthy You over at 5 Minutes for Mom, and while you are there, leave a comment as your entry to win one of three copies.

We’ll announce the winner in the May 3 5 Minutes for Books column over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

Dawn appreciates both her emotional-stories-loving Mom and cars-driving-in-circles Dad. They probably shake their heads at the silly stories on her blog, my thoughts exactly.

But the most appealing part of this story to me was the coming-of-age angle. I chuckled in recognition as the teen and young adult Ali Eteraz was always convinced that whatever viewpoint he held was THE right viewpoint and the one that everyone should hold.

It is also a religious memoir, and for that reason, I would think that a more telling subtitle would have been “A Memoir of Islam” (although, to be fair, the fact that he is a Pakistani Muslim is very important). Every decision that he makes — who to date, how to find the date, how to dress — is made in relation to his religion, and where he is on the spectrum at that particular moment. If the religion doesn’t drive it, the resulting guilt affects it.

His changes in philosophy are marked by changes in his name as well, as he goes from his given name Abir ul Islam (perfume of Islam) to the more American Amir, to Ali Eteraz (Noble Protest).

These topics may seem heavy-handed, but the tone of the book — not taking himself as seriously as his young-adult self did, is explained well in the prologue:

This book is about what happened when I loved Islam — with affection, with torment, with stupidity–more than anything else in this world. This book is about ardor bordering on obsession. This book is about a thoroughly Islamic childhood and about a boy’s attempt not merely to know his identity, but to assert his sovereignty (Some parts of it are about the girls he met along the way).

The book was interesting, thorough and well-written. Though this might seem like a sexist assumption, it seemed more like a “man’s book” to me. I have read books of this type and enjoyed them, but for some reason as a woman, I didn’t really relate to Ali Eteraz as he shared his life from early adolescence through young adulthood, told through the lens of a very-hormonal (aren’t they all) adolescent.

However, for those interested in the Muslim religion, Children of Dust is quite thorough and even-handed — with the author expressing his ups and downs as he delved into fundamentalism at times, became an activist, and shied away from his faith and roots at others.

Jennifer Donovan blogs at Snapshot, and even though she’s no longer a young adult, she often still comes across as being a know-it-all.

Blue Ice by Frank Ewert

Blue Ice is a collection of 6 short stories about Canadian Hockey. Written by Frank Ewert (himself a Canadian) and published by Canon Press, this is a quick but action packed read. Somewhat surprisingly (from my experience with Canon Press) there is some foul language included. It is randomly thrown in here and there. Other than that, the book remains completely unobjectionable as Ewert shares his lifelong love of this particular game through fictional (and otherwise) characters. He dedicates this book to his father who “taught [him] to love his wife, work hard, and play hockey.”

I can’t say that hockey is my favorite topic in the world and this book definitely fell outside of my regular reading comfort zone. (Nope, I don’t normally go around picking up books on hockey or watching it either, for that matter!) But every now and again I think it’s fun to read something outside of the norm. Ewert’s love of the game is easy to pick up on as you work your way through the stories. Being Canadian, he favors Canadian teams (team?) and in one story in particular he pits a boy’s devotion to his national (Canadian) sport against that of his grandfather’s American hockey team. It’s a story of family love and rivalry which was quite humorous and endearing. (Can you use the word “endearing” when discussing hockey? I really don’t know if that’s allowed.)

For a quick read of a MANLY sport, with stories told by a true devotee of hockey, you can’t go wrong with Blue Ice.

The Purpose of Boys by Michael Gurian

I’ve heard praise for Michael Gurian’s books about boys, specifically The Wonder of Boys, but I’ve never taken the time to read them. When I had the opportunity to read The Purpose of Boys, I jumped on it. I love a good subtitle, and this one sums up the book’s content quite well: Helping Our Sons Find Meaning, Significance, and Direction in Their Lives.

Read Jennifer’s full review of The Purpose of Boys HERE.

Digitally Daunted by Sean & Jean Westcott

I’m not sure if a manly man would read Digitally Daunted. I mean, is reading a book subtitled to “The Consumer’s Guide to Taking Control of the Technology in Your Life” the equivalent of asking for asking for directions? Well, actually, that’s what makes it so ingenious! This book is written by an IT guy (Sean Westcott) and translated into non-techy speak by a writer (wife Jean Riescher Westcott). They aim to give you the information that you need to let technology work for you.

This will help any manly man (or woman) be able to talk tech like a pro (or fake it enough to make the right choices without looking stupid at the big box electronics store).

This book includes helpful information on

• Buying a computer
• Phone options
• Television (this was one of my favorite chapters!)
• Cameras (this chapter also had some great info)
• Other media (such as digital readers)
• A handy place to keep track of important information at the end of the chapters

Keep current with their blog digitallydaunted.com.

Enter to win all three books.

One of you will win all three of these titles (U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses are eligible to win). Leave a comment letting us know which book you want to read first (or would be perfect for the manly man on your list).

Comments will be closed for entry on June 27 and we’ll announce the winner on June 28.

Enter our other current giveaways (including our first two Father’s Day giveaways). Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

When managing editor Jennifer Donovan is not managing this blog, writing reviews, or blogging at Snapshot, she’s reading.

Enter to win here, but keep these books in mind this week as you are doing some last-minute shopping for the fathers on your list.

Start Where you Are by Chris Gardner

I enjoyed the movie based on Chris Gardner’s story about pulling himself and his small son out of homelessness, The Pursuit of Happyness. So although I don’t usually read “how to succeed in life” sort of books, I was curious about his new book Start Where You Are, and thought that he had earned the right to give “Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be” as the subtitle promises.

I have read a few chapters of this book, but haven’t had time to finish it. However, I will say that I love Gardner’s writing style. He shoots from the hip but also writes thoughtfully, and it reads as though he wrote it with a smile on his face. As I said, I don’t usually read “self-empowerment” sort of books, but these short lessons each hone in on one of Gardner’s keywords of success, including attitude, ingenuity, purpose, inspiration, passion etc. Another thing that I noticed is that the last chapter, “Finale — Takeaways” gives the reader “pocket-sized reminders of the life lessons and their applications” (page 287), which I love. I know that even when I read a book — on parenting or whatever — with some great points, I’ve inevitably forgotten them by the end of the book.

Speaking of parenting, I have found in the few chapters that I’ve read that I’ve been making a lot of applications to my parenting for some reason. Perhaps it’s because an area in my life that I’ve struggled with and have been thinking about finding some purpose in it — some consistency and integrity. What that tells me is that you will find a relevant application in this book whether you are trying to figure out your direction in your career, determine your next step after an unexpected loss, or gather the gumption to do that which you know you must do.

Read an excerpt HERE.

Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad

I’m not sure if Crazy for the Storm is inspiring per se, but the true story of Norman Ollestad is certainly thought-provoking. How is it that an eleven-year-old boy ends up as the sole survivor of a plane crash on a bitterly cold and fogged in mountain?

Ollestad tells his story in chapters alternating between the narrative of what happened when he was stuck there on the mountain and flashbacks of the influence that his father, who perished in the plane crash, had on his life.

I enjoy reading memoir, because although the circumstances are generally heartbreaking, seeing how a person comes out of difficult circumstances is generally inspiring. Ollestad’s story is a bit different. His father pushed him — to succeed in downhill skiing and hockey competitions and to go beyond his comfort zone and take risks in the sport of surfing. His story is told without analyzing his own response to this unusual lifestyle or his father’s motives in pushing him so hard. The events are emotional and sometimes gut-wrenching but told factually. He does sort of wrap it up in the end and apply it to his own life as a father, bringing it together quite well.

I think that this is because it was written by a man and possibly for men. This is not to say that a woman wouldn’t enjoy it, but in addition to the style there is some crude language (think tween boyspeak, along with manly men who surround him, and you’ll ge the picture). The detached recall of the events would probably appeal to men and possibly turn off some women. However, if you want to better understand a man in your life that perhaps had a father like Ollestad’s, I think that the tales from his youth would probably be quite instructive.

Overall, it’s a truthful story told of the intricacies of the relationship between a father and a son in those tenuous pre-adolescent years, along with the effect that this experience had on Ollestad throughout adolescence.

Want to find out more? The book trailer gives an idea of all of the interesting elements covered in this story. You can also read the first few chapters.

Coop by Michael Perry

Carrie reviewed this book earlier this week, saying:

I cannot say enough nice things about Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting. I suppose I could try, but this review would be really long and mostly redundant as I’d just be saying how great the book is over and over again. This book falls into my “top favorites” category. Honestly, I never thought a memoir would fall into favorites with me, but this one did. I. loved. it. (‘Nough said? Hmm. I’ll keep trying.)

She really did go on to say more. Read Carrie’s full review here.

Read the first few chapters HERE.

Enter to win all three books.

Three of you will win all three of these titles from Harper Collins (U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses are eligible to win). Please leave a comment letting us know which title you’d dig into first (or which one you think that the lucky recipient of your gift would like most).

Comments will be closed for entry on June 27 and we’ll announce the winners on June 28.

Enter our other current giveaways (including the other 2 Father’s Day Giveaways). Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

When managing editor Jennifer Donovan is not managing this blog, writing reviews, or blogging at Snapshot, she’s reading.