The New York Times bestseller--now with new material. Louie Anderson has appeared many times on "The Tonight Show", and his comedy specials on HBO and Showtime have won him wide acclaim. In this series of emotionally charged letters to his alcoholic father, Anderson reveals the sense of shame and insecurity that fuels his comic routines.

Getting to the heart of the role fathers play in our lives, this volume blends poignant pictures and special thoughts to communicate appreciation and love for all Dad's efforts over the years.

The Marley surname perpetuates Jamaican royalty, resonates from worldwide recognition and represents the pioneer of a cultural, political and social revolution. In the near-thirty years since the death of the world's greatest reggae-music icon, music lovers, truth seekers, and a new generation of social-activists alike have flocked to the musical catalog of Bob Marley like new believers on a pilgrimage for soul inspiration. Though Marley's iconic life was cut short before his time, his legacy lives on as vibrantly as it did when he walked among us. This is not only true because of his timeless music, but because of the musical genius of the extraordinary children he left behind. Born in Falmouth, Jamaica in 1976 as the tenth son of legendary reggae icon Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Marley discovered his musical talents late in life, rising to become an international music artist and film actor. Ky-Mani has not only written and performed songs of redemption around the world, like his famous father, but has lived and survived to recant his own personally redemptive story in the face of some very stark urban realities unbefitting any human, let alone a 'Marley.' Dear Dad, is an arresting narrative of a son locked out of his iconic father's shelter for the first half of his life and forced to survive the poverty-stricken, predator-infested streets of one of Miami's most violent ghettos, Liberty City. Initially estranged from his siblings and cut off from any financial benefit of the Marley Estate, young Ky-Mani's gritty ascent from a bullet-riddled life to the world stages he now commands as a Grammy-nominated recording artist are chronicled in this gripping biography. Today a dedicated father and family man traveling to all corners of the world, performing no less than 100 shows per year, Marley knew he¹d reached a plateau of transformation in his life when he was named 'Philanthropist of the Year' by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Better World Awards. His life is truly a 'redemption song.'

“Like the YouTube channel, this is a touching yet informative guide for those seeking fatherly advice, or even a few good dad jokes.” — Library Journal

Dear Dad chronicles the impact of fathers or fatherlessness at a time when a national initiative and even President Barack Obama have sounded the clarion call for responsible fatherhood amid a continuing crisis of paternal absenteeism. This at a time when U.S. Census figures show that 4 out of 10 American children are being born to single mothers with the number of unwed births among African Americans rising to 7 out of 10."In some ways, this is a how-to manual: How to overcome; how to succeed; how to live on; how to be a better father; how to forgive our fathers; and, even, how to love, remember, and honor our fathers," Fountain said. "Dear Dad is for everyone who has a father, for everyone who has lost one, loved one, or longed for one, for everyone who happens to be one, and for everyone who longs to be a better one." Contributors to the anthology include: Chicago Sun-Times Editor-in-Chief Don Hayner; former New York Times and Wall Street Journal writer Nichole Christian; Chicago Tribune reporter Lolly Bowean; Stephanie Gadlin, press secretary to Congressman Bobby Rush; Bloomberg News journalist Mario Parker; veteran Washington Post writer Hamil Harris; Chicago native, journalist and documentarian Teresa Sewell; Sylvester Monroe, former senior editor of Ebony magazine; Vincent Allen, pastor and founder of Agape Fellowship Ministries in Virginia; former Chicago Tribune reporter and freelance writer Monica Fountain; Chicago musician R. Darryl Thomas; former Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Rosa Maria Santana; nationally known writer and editor Joseph Kirby; English professor and creative writer Anne Valente; and former Chicago Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey.

You will follow a portion of my life's journey as I traveled to reach the full potential God had for me because of being a fatherless daughter. I have allowed myself to be transparent through my circumstances and decisions so that others can see that no matter what life dishes out to you, anyone can overcome obstacles. God has shown a tremendous amount of grace and mercy towards me, and I am appreciative of where He has brought me from and absolutely excited about where He is taking me. I am no longer a victim of my circumstances but one who has overcame by the words of my testimony. I know that as long as I allow God to continue to lead me down the path He would have me go, I can't go wrong. Markeida L. Johnson has successfully been married for 21 years and have raised three sons. She has been in ministry for over 20 years and co-pastor a church with her husband since 2002. She and her husband, Gary Johnson, have a marriage ministry, 'No Air Between Us', as well as council couples for marriage preparedness and family values. She is currently attending college to obtain a degree in Psychology. She is the founder of a women's group called S.H.I.C. (SisterHood In Christ), under the umbrella of God's Women of Power-PMU. S.H.I.C. is inspired by her life experiences and spiritual wisdom to motivate others to overcome struggles. She is nicknamed 'the fire starter' by her fellow worshippers because she knows how to ignite the word of God in your life."

Part of the Pelican Big Books series, this story's teaching focus is on time and sequential relationships and comparison of settings. The series has been specifically written for the shared reading part of the literacy hour and supports the genre requirements of the National Literacy Strategy.