Book Review: COURAGEOUS: Honor Begins at Home.

Book Review:


COURAGEOUS: Honor Begins at Home by Randy Alcorn.  (This is the book adaptation of the movie with the same name.)

I enjoyed the story and recommend it to all men.  It does not matter if we are a dad ourselves or not.  We can be a positive influence over the young.  This would make a great gift for father's day or for new or expecting dads.

COURAGEOUS is centered around four sheriffs and their lives on and off duty.  When a tragic event happens to one of them, they begin to change their lives.  It is a story about what it means to be a father and head of the household.  It also shows varying degrees of being a father; from the nonexistent to the pinnacle of fatherhood.  It is also a social commentary on why being an engaged father or a positive father figure is essential in turning the tide against drugs, gangs, and abortions.

The story is sprinkled with Christian values and scripture that is not too overpowering.  I would compare it to other stories that use Buddhist or Confucian teachings as a teaching tool.

Being without a father for the early part of my life, I identify most with the character Nathan Hayes.  We know what it feels like to be without a father and we don't want our children to grow up without one.  We would do anything to protect our children, raise them right, and raise them with love.  We both found our own father figures.  Nathan found his in a man in his neighborhood who taught him values and good moral character.  I found mine in my uncle and eventually my step dad whom my mother married when I was 13.  We strive to be good role models for our family and also in our professional lives.

The story encompasses all types of fathers  from the "disconnected" dad who comes home from work and stares at the TV, to the"non-existent" dad who has kids but is separated from them and their mother.  There is a saying, "you don't know what you don't know."  In my circle of friends and family, we have never discussed how we are as a father.  How can you better yourself if you don't compare yourself to other fathers?  In this story, you can compare yourself with other dads and find your strengths and weaknesses.  What appealed to me most is that where ever you are on the father spectrum, it doesn't mean you are stuck there.  Improve on your faults and reinforce your good qualities.  You can better yourself for the good of your family and also encourage others to do the same just by simply reading and lending this book.

I hope you enjoyed the review.

Aloha,

J.