Finding Father: Stories from Mennonite Daughters [9780889776401]

Overview

“So much respect in these voices. And yearning. And generosity. And love.” —David Bergen, author of The Time in Between and Stranger

Finding Father is a collection of stories about Mennonite fathers by their daughters. Written by well-known and first-time writers, these stories illuminate the often close and sometimes troubling relationships that exist between one of humanity’s most precious bonds. From battles over relationships and sexuality, to debates over chores and church, these stories also hold the shared intimacies of driving side by side with dad, laughing, and headed down the road.

“These intricate, moving tales of daughters and their fathers offer essential story-telling and perceptive reflections on family, faith, and gender relations. They also become a kind of oral history—often lyrical, sometimes melancholy—of Mennonites in the last half century.” —Jeff Gundy, author of Songs from an Empty Cage: Poetry, Mystery, Anabaptism, and Peace

“Finding Father deftly assembles thirteen beautifully crafted reflections on fathers by their variously accomplished daughters. While each story is unique, the collection as a whole explores the powerful and complex effects on a daughter of being acknowledged, understood, encouraged, and loved by her father.” —Kathleen Venema, author of Bird-Bent Grass: A Memoir, in Pieces

“A rich collection of emotionally evocative, sensitive narratives exploring the often complicated primal relationship between a daughter and father.” —Bruce L. Guenther, author of The Ältester

"In stories encompassing history, gender and religion, daughters hold their fathers’ silences, sorrows and legacies." —Connie T. Braun, author of Silentium: And Other Reflections On Memory, Sorrow, Place, and the Sacred