Since we are supposed to say that the ostensible goals of the Million Man March are laudable, here are some books the marchers might want to read if they genuinely wish to assert and accept their responsibilities as men and fathers:
Pere Goriot, by Honord de Balzac. The tale of an impoverished old man who, it transpires, has sacrificed everything to make sure his daughters marry well.
Dombey and Son, by Charles Dickens. The tale of a cruel and heartless father who learns the meaning of love from his desperately ill son Paul.
Silas Marner, by George Eliot. The title character, a notorious miser, has the world opened up to him when he becomes the guardian of a foundling left on his doorstep.
The Brothers Karamazoo, by Feodor Dostoyevsky. A negative example: the worst father in all literature. Don’t try this at home.
Remember, you’re invited to submit Reading Lists of your own. Send submissions to: Our Weekly Reader, THE WEEKLY STANDARD, 1150 17th St. NW, Suite 505, Washington D.C. 20036.
