A Gift to my Children

When I was a boy, my father often pulled me aside to convey lessons intended to build what we generally refer to as "character". Often his advice was very simple — work hard, think for yourself, do right by others — but I believe those lessons provided the foundation for everything that has followed in my life. Now that I'm a dad myself, I wanted to put them down in one place, with examples of my own experiences, as a guide to life, adventure, and investing, both for my young daughters and for anyone seeking success in his or her chosen field. I hope that parents will be inspired to give this book to their children, and vice versa, as many of the lessons that I have learned apply not just to young people but to all adults—for example, question everything, never follow the crowd, and beware of boys! What a lovely, lovely book! Though I've read all you've written, this one really touched me. It is, of course, a love letter to your daughters, which is not only a wonderful, meaningful thing to do, but it was filled with exactly the kind of advice all fathers should give. Your new book will stay on my shelf for a long, long time, and I'll be giving it to my own kids to read. --Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook, Dear John, and The Last Song