The Best Gift is to Leave a LEGACY
The Legacy Letters Can Be Purchased at:
Usually this time of year I don't have time to read a book for myself due to all the products I am reviewing for my gift guide, as well as the craziness of holiday shopping and prepping. But, I was sent "The Legacy Letters" by Care Papritz recently and couldn't put it down after I read the introduction. I had heard about this book before and planned to pick it up after the holidays to read, but then I was given the opportunity to review the book for inclusion in my gift guide, and jumped at the opportunity.
Here is a little bit about the book:
"An Award Winning Timeless and Inspirational Love Story about Life.
Our definition of success and happiness is largely shaped by society; whether it be wealth, climbing the corporate ladder, being famous, etc. Our lives have become so complicated and cluttered that we seem to have forgotten the basics. When you dig deeper, the values of empathy, tolerance, compassion, and trust are missing.
The Legacy Letters teaches us how to go back-to-the basics, enjoy traditions, and be in the moment.
The letters reveal to us the stories, memories, and music of the father, which ultimately becomes the practical, moral, and spiritual gift and guidebook for his children he'd never live to see, and for his wife, his redemptive story of love.
By combining the best elements of such inspirational books as Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, author Carew Papritz, has created an intense and thought-provoking book, filled with life instructions that The Huffington Post calls: "A Must-Read Book of Wisdom for Life... exquisite, intimate, passionate, humorous and genuine..."
Who Reads This "Everybody Book?"
Romantic and pragmatic, old-fashioned and new-fashioned, life- questioning and life-altering, The Legacy Letters is an "everybody book." It appeals to new parents and parents-to-be for its detailed life instructions. Parents are reading it to and with their children. Teenagers are rediscovering timeless values and ideas still relevant for a new time. Grandparents read it for the nostalgia of an earlier time and to read to their grandchildren.
The Legacy Letters Makes Publishing History--
The Legacy Letters and its author, Carew Papritz, recently achieved publishing history by becoming the first book ever to win awards as both a nonfiction book and a fiction book! Because of its universal appeal, The Legacy Letters is a wonderful book for almost anyone in your life,--a true "everybody" gift book that is universal gift for all."
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What would you do if you have a falling out with your spouse and after you move out you find that you have a terminal illness and don't have much time to live. And, on top of this devastating news, you also find out your estranged wife is having twins. This is what happened to the man in this book. He made the hard decision to move to the mountains into a family cabin and live out his remaining time writing letters to his unborn children and his wife. He was afraid if he shared the news with his wife about his illness that she may lose the babies. So, he did what he thought was best and stayed away, even though he still loved her, and hoped for a reconciliation.
After reading this, I had to read the book and see the different letters he wrote to his children. I don't know about you, but I don't think I would be able to have such a clear head to write such poignant and moving letters like this dying father did. But, I did relate to the father as I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2008 and found myself in a stand-still in my life getting radiation and chemo treatment to beat the rare stage 2 cancer I was diagnosed with, all while everyone around me continued on with their life. Even though he was still alive, his life was not what he had expected for himself. And, he used what time he had left to do something for his wife and unborn children. He took to writing and sharing fatherly advice, stories about himself so that his children will know of him through his letters to them. He wanted them to know that he even he would never get to meet them, he already loved them and their mom, and would continue to love them after his death.
In addition to hundreds of letters written, he also left mementos and personal artifacts for this son and daughter including his guitar, music he had written and recorded him singing for them. He left specific instructions as when the kids would get the letters and when they could read them. These letters were never meant to be shared but his children after reading them and connecting to their father, decided that his spiritual guidebook he left for them through these letters should be shared with others to enjoy and help guide them in life. Not all the personal letters were shared, but there were enough of them included in the book that you found yourself being moved emotionally and spiritually.
There were many letters I read and found myself tearing up as I read them, as I felt bad not only for the dying father as I knew he would give anything to be able to be present in his children's life, and also for his kids who would never get to meet a man who spent the final months of his life dedicating it to them by writing them letters that would help shape them as a person and guide them through life, in the absence of a father.
This definitely is a must-read book for parents, grandparents and even teens and young adults. No matter your age, you will be moved and take away so many valuable life lessons from this book. I couldn't help but pass this book along to family and friends to read. And, when they are done they can't help but thank me for sharing such a wonderful book to them. Their heart, like mine broke when we read in the book that the father died in a cave he went to to die. It was even more gut-wrenching when we read that he didn't succumb to his terminal illness, but died instead due to hypothermia. I could never imagine dying alone in a cave. But, his family knew where he was, and they worked to get his body back home and laid to rest in a proper burial. I truly hope that this book filled a little bit of the void left by this father's passing in his childrens' life. And, that this book showed them and his wife just how much he loved them, and only wanted the best for them.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR, CAREW PAPRITZ:
The Cowboy Philosopher, also known as Carew Papritz in day-to-day life, is the author of the multi-award winning book The Legacy Letters. This best-selling author left his career as a filmmaker in Hollywood, and returning to his ranching roots, worked as a cowboy on a cattle ranch in the Southwest where he began writing the book. He is now known as the "Cowboy Philosopher" and The Legacy Letters recently gained notoriety in the press for being the only book in publishing history to win awards for both fiction and non-fiction categories. A Renaissance Man in an age that lauds the specialist...
...The Huffington Post says Papritz "intrigues and enlightens, charms and catalyzes change for every reader."
Disclosure: I was sent a review copy from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
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