
A Good Man
Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver
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Narrated by:
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Mark Shriver
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By:
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Mark Shriver
About this listen
In this intimate portrait of an extraordinary father-son relationship, Mark K. Shriver discovers the moral principles that guided his legendary father and applies them to his own life
When Sargent "Sarge" Shriver—founder of the Peace Corps and architect of President Johnson's War on Poverty—died in 2011 after a valiant fight with Alzheimer's, thousands of tributes poured in from friends and strangers worldwide. These tributes, which extolled the daily kindness and humanity of "a good man," moved his son Mark far more than those who lauded Sarge for his big-stage, headline-making accomplishments. After a lifetime searching for the path to his father's success in the public arena, Mark instead turns to a search for the secret of his father's joy, his devotion to others, and his sense of purpose. Mark discovers notes and letters from Sarge; hears personal stories from friends and family that zero in on the three guiding principles of Sarge's life—faith, hope, and love—and recounts moments with Sarge that now take on new value and poignancy. In the process, Mark discovers much about himself, as a father, as a husband, and as a social justice advocate. A Good Man is an inspirational and deeply personal story about a son discovering the true meaning of his father's legacy.
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Critic reviews
“Since most people are happiest doing what they are good at, it's no wonder that Sargent Shriver was always smiling. He was good in every role he filled--husband, father, friend, public servant, and visionary. And he was as inspiring as they come. Mark's poignant tribute captures the idealism and exuberance that made us all love Sarge, and reminds us to find pleasure in the simple act of living.” —Former President Bill Clinton
“This tender, endearing memoir is a moving portrait of a son's struggle to deal with the gradual disappearance of a beloved father through the progressive stages of Alzheimer's. It is a praiseworthy book.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin
“What a lovely book this is. It's funny and sad and inspiring without being insipid. Why was it, this loving son wanted to know, that everyone described his highly accomplished father, Sarge Shriver, as a ‘good man'? In the middle of the active and ambitious Kennedy and Shriver families, Mark Shriver comes to understand his father's faith in God's love anchored him and allowed him to do all that he did so well, including dealing with his own Alzheimer's. In getting to know his father better even after his death, Shriver learns some lessons useful to all of us.” —Cokie Roberts, author of We Are Our Mothers' Daughters
What listeners say about A Good Man
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- Samantha
- 06-11-12
A perfect Father's Day book!
What a wonderful tribute to Sargent Shriver and to a father. I found it very moving! And I loved hearing Mark narrate it himself. You could tell how much his father means to him.
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- Clay
- 07-04-15
Amazingly Spiritual
Good listen, thank you for taking the time to write this book!
Make me want to go be a good man more and a great one.
And makes me want to spend more time with my dad. Appreciate his goodness and love him more.
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- Jacqueline
- 07-30-15
Fantastic book!
What a fantastic book! Very enjoyable, great story and wow, what an amazing human being! Let's all try to be more like Sergeant Shiver.
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