FACE TO FACE: Conversations with my Father

by Joseph Schickel

A son's memoir about his elderly father coming to live with him and his family after his mother dies.

290 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2011

About the author

FACE TO FACE: Conversations with my Father is a son's memoir about his elderly father coming to live with his family after his mother dies in 2007. Author, photographer, and Cincinnati Firefighter Joseph Schickel is director and janitor at the William Schickel Gallery in Loveland, Ohio, and artistic executor for his later father, William Schickel (1919-2009). He did most of the photography, including the cover shot, for the book Sacred Passion: the Art of William Schickel (Second Edition) written by Gregory Wolfe and published by the University of Notre Dame Press. This book was finalist for Foreword Review's Book of the Year Award in 2010. FACE TO FACE is Joseph Schickel's first book. He lives in Loveland, Ohio with his wife, music and theatre teacher Susan Reindl Schickel (aka Susie) and their three sons, Will, Tom, and Charlie.

FACE TO FACE IS AVAILABLE ON KINDLE

Reviews

[Melissa Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway forever ago. It's actually the first book I ever won here. I'd go into why it took me so long to get to this book but I doubt anyone's interested and it would take a while to explain so nah. Anyway.

I really liked this book. It portrayed the day to day happenings of caring for an elderly parent, as well as the life of the Schickel family. Not only was it interesting/intriguing, but it was touching and it was amusing, it was written really well (in regards to the writing style), it was just good.
At first, right before I started reading this book I kind of mentally prepared myself for it being boring. I'm not entirely sure why I thought it would be? But either way, no, it wasn't boring at all.

Something I absolutely loved was the inclusion of photos. Reading non-fiction/memoirs/etc. sometimes feels like a fictional story even knowing it all actually happened. But having these pictures included made it feel so real. You're able to actually put names to faces. I don't know, I personally think that's kind of cool. I always love when authors do that. For example, "Marley & Me" by Josh Grogan and "Notes Left Behind" by Brooke&Keith Desserich both do that too.

So overall? I definitely recommend this book. (I also recommend the two books I just mentioned in the above paragraph)

[Sandi Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free as a winner from a giveaway through Goodread's First Read program. As a winner, I am not required to post a review.

I entered this giveaway as I enjoy reading memoirs and the opportunity to glimpse into another person's life. Joseph (the author) has lost both his parents (as have I) but has some wonderful memories he shares with us, particularly of his artist father, William. William was truly blessed to have such a loving and caring family to help him through the loss of his wife and health.

Thank you, Joseph, for the book and for a brief view of your talented, enduring family