Growing Up Fatherless: Healing from the Absence of Dad

This book begins inauspiciously, with an introduction that is little more than a laundry list of statistics about divorce in America. Nappa reveals that children of divorce are more likely than others to require psychological help, feel lonely and insecure, attempt suicide, act aggressively toward their peers, and be victims of child molestation. Readers should stay the course, however, because although the introduction feels impersonal (not to mention depressing), the 10 chapters that constitute the body of the book are heartfelt, well written and full of hope. Nappa, who is the child of divorced parents, tells of his own father, a distant and unresponsive man who was emotionally absent even on the rare occasions when he was physically present. He also shares the stories of other fatherless individuals, interweaving perceptive social commentary and psychological experts' findings with these memorable anecdotes. Throughout, Nappa encourages fatherless readers to connect with a Heavenly Father who loves them unconditionally. God, he says, understands, accepts, disciplines, forgives, comforts, challenges, empowers and enjoys his children.