As Kenny sorted and cleaned, a greater understanding of his loss slowly came to him. Remembrances of his father's love, strength, and quiet courage emerged from carefully preserved mayonnaise jars full of straightened nails; overstuffed, weathered work-bench drawers; time-tested tools; and a venerable 30-year-old piece of plywood. Precious relics, each telling in silent eloquence stories about the greatness of a man who had the gift to see something "new and useful inside something old and worn".

Beautifully written, these poignant stories provide a unique perspective on life's fleeting moments and disregarded details. Each chapter begins with one of his father's truisms, which taken together provide the "blueprints for a meaningful life". Dad Was a Carpenter is a remarkable book that asks us to think about all of our relationships in a different way. Fathers and children of all ages everywhere will cherish this gift for years to come.