Mean Dads for a Better America: The Generous Rewards of an Old-Fashioned Childhood - Paperback

by Tom Shillue (Author)

As a comedian and conservative thinker, whip-smart funny Tom Shillue grounds his ideas about our current culture and political climate in stories from his childhood -- a portrait of growing up in 1970s America.

Growing up as one of five kids in a devout Irish Catholic family in a small town outside of Boston, Tom sincerely believes that the rough-and-tumble, rules-dominated world in which he came of age was a better America--a time and place that made him into the well-adjusted, happy, successful man he is today.

In Mean Dads for a Better America, Tom reminisces about his childhood, his family, and the traditional values he cherishes. He takes us back to a time when neighbors disciplined each other's children without fear of being sued, when kids made it to the family table for dinner, when parents' rules were gospel, when the occasional fistfight was considered a fair way to solve a problem, and when children were free to roam, make mistakes, and experience the first tastes of independence.

Tom debates, debunks, and entertains with his hilarious approach to issues of the day, tackling the issues that confound many Americans, like our hypersensitive culture and overzealous parenting. As Tom celebrates the stability of family life and the sanity of days gone by, he encourages us to hold on to our sense of humor and look back at our own lives, as we work towards creating a better future for ourselves and our kids, all while making us laugh.

Back Jacket

A nostalgic look back at childhood and the simple values that made America great

In a world of helicopter parents, overscheduled children, hamstrung teachers, and entitled teenagers, one sometimes wonders if imagination, determination, dedication, and good old respect have gone the way of the dinosaur. In Mean Dads for a Better America, comedian and Fox News contributor Tom Shillue tells tales of his own childhood growing up in a large Irish Catholic family in suburban Massachusetts in the 1970s, and uses them to show how simple American values--love of God, Country, and Family--influenced the person he is and kept him grounded.

With charming, honest stories about his family and his road to adulthood, Tom Shillue takes a unique approach to addressing many of the issues that confound American parents today--our permissive culture, political correctness, overzealous parenting, and the dominance of technology over good old-fashioned outdoor play. Mean Dads for a Better America illuminates the essential virtues of a simpler time while also reminding us that it's important to laugh while we work out where we are headed.