THE COUNCIL OF DADS
By Bruce Feiler
Hachette Australia
$29.99, Out now

Once upon a time, award-winning journalist Bruce Feiler made a living by walking around the world and documenting his experiences. But when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, his first thought wasn’t about not being able to walk, but rather, who’d play ‘dad’ to his three-year-old twin daughters, Eden and Tybee, if he didn’t make it.
As Bruce battles through ’the lost year’ – a blur of chemotherapy treatments, operations and rehabilitation – he comes up with an idea. He asks six men – one from each passage of his life – to carry on his ‘voice’ and provide support and advice to his growing girls in the event of his death. Essentially, they’ll be The Council of Dads. “I believe my daughters will have plenty of opportunities in their lives,” he wrote to his six chosen friends. “They’ll have loving families. They’ll have each other. But they may not have me. They may not have their dad. Will you help be their dad?”
Luckily, all six accept the mission (well, you couldn’t not, really, could you?), and their own stories are woven through the book in separate chapters, detailing the life lessons they’d share with Eden and Tybee if ever needed. It is mostly, though, Bruce’s personal diary-of-sorts, unfolding in a series of poignant and often amusing ‘letters’ to friends and family.
Although the narrative descends into sappiness at times, overall it’s a well written, touching account of a man desperately trying to get well, while at the same time working to retain his relationships with his wife, daughters – and friends.

RC’s Verdict: If your dad’s the caring, sharing, talking-about-his-feelings type, it’s a good bet he’ll like this.

Related posts:

1. What we’re reading this week… Man With A Pram