***WTR provides reviews of books I’ve recently read – some titles were provided free of charge, some were not. All opinions, though, are my own.***
Mike Liguori’s The Road Ahead and Miles Behind was my eighth traveling companion on a recent cross country family trip. I assumed the title would fit with my idea of hitting the road looking for experiences that our normal, eight-to-five existence does not provide.
I got that, and more.
The book is a first-person documentary of a trip Liguori and his father together during the COVID-19 pandemic. That logline, though, is the tip of the iceberg. The book is REALLY about the relationship, ups and downs, and reconnecting of a father and son.
As I turn the pages of this quick (127 written pages) read, I learn that Liguori and his father have, like most of us, had their disagreements and periods of estrangement over the years. The vulnerability that Liguori illustrates to describes his role (and his dad’s) in the current state of their relationship is real, poignant, and absent accusation. I appreciated the honesty as I read.
The Road Ahead and Miles Behind stops short, though, of a full-blown fairy tale ending. Sure, by the end, father and son have reconnected, but they each agree there is more work left to do.
With the book in my minivan, I thought about the lessons Liguori took from his road trip. As I pulled into my dad’s drive as my family stopped by my hometown, I thought about how I might apply the book’s lessons to my life and relationships (and not only with my father).
I need to call my folks more.
I need to work harder to plant seeds with all of my friends and family.
The book brought this ideas into my consciousness. For that I am thankful for having Mike Liguori’s The Road Ahead and the Miles Behind along for the long ride.
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Summary
Amazon Buy Link: here
Author website: here
Cover:
