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Rock, Meet Window: A Father-Son Story
A funny and poignant memoir that delves into the magic, fails, and meaning of fatherhood. Humorist and family-man Jason Good is an only child with an atypical story to tell. His isn't the usual rant about how hard it is to be a modern father or a tale about a damaging relationship with his father. Jason grew up with a charismatic, communicative, affectionate, and frustrated political science professor for a father--a man who taught him most everything about how to be a dad, how to live. Jason was figuring out how to parent his own two young boys when his dad was diagnosed with cancer and told he had nine months to live. That moment, and the year that followed, inspired Jason to tell the story of something he had always taken for how his father had earned his true friendship and admiration in adulthood by the way he had parented him to manhood.Jason Good's book shows how an imperfect father can be perfection in all the ways that matter in the end, moving us to alternately hoot and become wet-eyed through his retelling of the friction points and lessons learned. Ultimately, this book inspires us to reconsider our own relationships and to appreciate the power of fatherhood.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2015
8 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 22, 2015
There's a stark, poignant tension in this memoir; that tension has mostly to do with its purpose as ode and love letter from Jason Good to his dying father.
While the book engages in richly-textured and delightful (okay, sometimes hysterical) glances backward at the father-son relationship and the quirkily powerful love between Good and his dad, at its heart it's a graceful tracing of "Dad's" decline, and Good's coming to peace with how to grieve the looming loss. My sense is that Good wanted to finish this book as a gift to his Dad almost in a race against that mysterious clock of mortality. As a result, the book ends on a sadly expectant note -- and without that sweet note of closure, kind of like a song that ends on an unresolved minor key leaves the listener straining for some note that will close the piece.
The unresolved note is the question of how Good ultimately confronted the blow of losing his Dad. We, as readers, miss watching him settle into his newfound vulnerability. We're deprived of hearing his voice continue to make sense of this most ultimate loss.
Most readers will find that "Rock, Meet Window" strikes a satisfying balance between Good's humor -- it's plentiful, fear not! -- and the hand-around-throat direness of how we come to terms with a parent's death. That this balance is near-impossible to achieve is testament to the skills of this one-time stand up comedian to comb the story of a father-son relationship and come up with pure gold.
While the book engages in richly-textured and delightful (okay, sometimes hysterical) glances backward at the father-son relationship and the quirkily powerful love between Good and his dad, at its heart it's a graceful tracing of "Dad's" decline, and Good's coming to peace with how to grieve the looming loss. My sense is that Good wanted to finish this book as a gift to his Dad almost in a race against that mysterious clock of mortality. As a result, the book ends on a sadly expectant note -- and without that sweet note of closure, kind of like a song that ends on an unresolved minor key leaves the listener straining for some note that will close the piece.
The unresolved note is the question of how Good ultimately confronted the blow of losing his Dad. We, as readers, miss watching him settle into his newfound vulnerability. We're deprived of hearing his voice continue to make sense of this most ultimate loss.
Most readers will find that "Rock, Meet Window" strikes a satisfying balance between Good's humor -- it's plentiful, fear not! -- and the hand-around-throat direness of how we come to terms with a parent's death. That this balance is near-impossible to achieve is testament to the skills of this one-time stand up comedian to comb the story of a father-son relationship and come up with pure gold.
August 21, 2015
When in Rockland, Maine, I often splurge on a book that I wouldn't otherwise buy. Hello, Hello Books is the cutest little bookstore with a groovy vibe and lots of books personally recommended by the owner. Plus I'm always there on vacation, so why wouldn't I be feeling good?
I saw "Rock, Meet Window" at Hello Hello earlier this month, hardcover, but on sale. I opened and read the first page. In my house we call this the first page test. My wife will often take 8-10 books off the shelf at home and just read the first page of each one to see which is most promising. Sometimes we read them aloud together. (Then again, sometimes we don't.) So, I read the first page and it was fun, funny, easy. Then it was time to go. I didn't buy the book, but tucked it in the back of my mind. Later, I checked the library website - not available. I also poked around for it online. It was similarly priced. I decided to go back and buy it at Hello, Hello. Duh. I shoulda done that in the first place.
My daughter and I read the first section out loud, about how the author's father force-fed him a beet when he was a kid. We were in a grand mood, we both laughed, looked funny while laughing, noticed each other's funny looking faces, and laughed some more. Worth the price right there.
Over the past week or so, I read the rest. Jason Good tells the emotional story of his father's battle with leukemia alongside many trips to his childhood, visits to his favorite parenting moments, and a forthright look at a grown-man's relationship with his father. Man to man relationships are funny and not in a good way. Mostly I've found them awkward and hard to negotiate. This one is no different.
Still, there isn't enough story here and there's too much thinking aloud. I wasn't amused by the inevitable medical marijuana section (I'm a stick in the mud, I guess), and I thought the funny parenting moments were all-right, but I wouldn't have included most in a book. Jason Good's writing feels honest and courageous, though. That's pretty cool.
And, the end was good. Maybe I'll read that section to my daughter, too, and see if we can laugh some more.
It appears Jason Good came up with a great opening bit, and nice closing piece, and figured following along with his feelings during his dad's struggle would be enough to satisfy in the middle. It wasn't enough, at least not for me. I'm a tough critic, though. Maybe you'll like it better.
August 30, 2015
A father-son story of being raised by loving supportive parents, a father that not only led by example but believed in incidental learning, and natural consequences for his son's questionable behavior: "Rock Meet Window: A Father-Son Story" is a great applicable title for this warmly written affectionate book authored by Jason Good. Jason also recalled his father's diagnosis with Leukemia, as his attitudes shifted towards acceptance of eventual loss.
Jason an only child, was surprised as a teen, when his father accepted a teaching position in Florence Italy without hesitation, his parents remained in Italy for five years. Later, his father transferred to a position and become the president of John Cabot University in Rome, there he worked towards accreditation of Hanoi American University in Vietnam.
Even more surprising, before moving to Italy, was his fathers suggestion that Jason bring along a friend: joining them was Sigmund, or "SP" who was quirky and eccentric. Jason was able to learn the many life lessons his father had hoped - including how to speak Italian fluently, which helped him gain acceptance to a college of his choice.
Jason alternated the story between past and present tense, his humorous stories about being a father of two rambunctious young boys, lighten the storyline from the seriousness of his fathers illness, while highlighting his love and devotion as a son and family man. Jason's recollection of accompanying his father to a head shop to obtain medical marijuana was particularly amusing.
Jason traveled from his home in New Jersey to his parents home in California to spend as much time with his father as he possibly could; he and his parents bravely faced his father's chemotherapy appointments and hospitalizations. While most of the authors observations centered around ordinary life, this memoir was a welcome change from many other father-son themed stories that focus on disillusionment and dysfunction. Many thanks and much appreciation for the ARC of "Rock Meet Window: A Father-Son Story" for the purpose of review.
Jason an only child, was surprised as a teen, when his father accepted a teaching position in Florence Italy without hesitation, his parents remained in Italy for five years. Later, his father transferred to a position and become the president of John Cabot University in Rome, there he worked towards accreditation of Hanoi American University in Vietnam.
Even more surprising, before moving to Italy, was his fathers suggestion that Jason bring along a friend: joining them was Sigmund, or "SP" who was quirky and eccentric. Jason was able to learn the many life lessons his father had hoped - including how to speak Italian fluently, which helped him gain acceptance to a college of his choice.
Jason alternated the story between past and present tense, his humorous stories about being a father of two rambunctious young boys, lighten the storyline from the seriousness of his fathers illness, while highlighting his love and devotion as a son and family man. Jason's recollection of accompanying his father to a head shop to obtain medical marijuana was particularly amusing.
Jason traveled from his home in New Jersey to his parents home in California to spend as much time with his father as he possibly could; he and his parents bravely faced his father's chemotherapy appointments and hospitalizations. While most of the authors observations centered around ordinary life, this memoir was a welcome change from many other father-son themed stories that focus on disillusionment and dysfunction. Many thanks and much appreciation for the ARC of "Rock Meet Window: A Father-Son Story" for the purpose of review.
September 9, 2015
When I read a book, I love it when I come across simple phrases and sentences that pack such a punch emotionally or with humor or insight or creativity, and tend to pop a piece of scrap paper into the book to mark the page, dog-ear the page, or text a friend to share it those words. This book was full of scraps by the time I finished it. This word nerd could not get enough of the quality of writing or the story those words told.
Rock, Meet Window is such a beautiful, funny, sweet, laugh-out-loud, insightful, absorbing read about family that I want everyone to experience it. Jason Good shares texts, talks, and knowing looks between himself and his dad in both the funniest and hardest of times, making us wish we were there to witness them. Their story is one I did not want to end.
It’s hard to describe, but let me just say that there is so much more to this book than I can relay to you in one review. If you have parents, had parents, are a parent, ever loved someone who got sick, or found yourself rolling your eyes at the people in your family who ended up shaping the parent, the person you one day became, there will be something in it that will resonate with you. The beautifully flawed humanity of this book and the connectivity between the various people in it is what makes it hit so hard, makes it so special. Just go buy the book and read it. Trust me on this one.
Rock, Meet Window is such a beautiful, funny, sweet, laugh-out-loud, insightful, absorbing read about family that I want everyone to experience it. Jason Good shares texts, talks, and knowing looks between himself and his dad in both the funniest and hardest of times, making us wish we were there to witness them. Their story is one I did not want to end.
It’s hard to describe, but let me just say that there is so much more to this book than I can relay to you in one review. If you have parents, had parents, are a parent, ever loved someone who got sick, or found yourself rolling your eyes at the people in your family who ended up shaping the parent, the person you one day became, there will be something in it that will resonate with you. The beautifully flawed humanity of this book and the connectivity between the various people in it is what makes it hit so hard, makes it so special. Just go buy the book and read it. Trust me on this one.
March 26, 2015
I received an advance copy from the publisher. This was a fantastic book. It's funny and so honest and at times heartbreaking, but also sweet—a real rollercoaster. There's no huge story here like Glass Castles or Wild. It's humor, honesty, and the author's voice that really drive the narrative. Highly recommended.
Want to read
June 10, 2015Rock, Meet Window by Jason Good is a beautiful and relentlessly honest memoir about his relationship with his father. The bond he portrays is an account of two kindred souls who love and understand each other and make each other laugh. What a great Fathers Day present this would be.
June 16, 2019
WOW! Was this a tearjerker? Or was it hilarious? I simply CAN’T decide!!!
My Full Review
My Full Review
January 3, 2020
Beautiful, honest narrative. I want to know how their story ended, but a big part of me hopes that dad lives on.
January 22, 2023
Summer 2022
July 16, 2023
Ang order ko ay father-son tale, bat ako binigyan ng parenting guide book.
October 2, 2015
After reading—and laughing till I cried—This Is Ridiculous, This Is Amazing, I’ll read anything Jason Good ever writes. I knew that, by definition, Rock, Meet Window: A Father-Son Story wouldn’t be as funny as This Is Ridiculous, This Is Amazing since it was written while and about the author dealing with the terminal diagnosis of his father. But I also knew that even though I’d be crying for a different reason during this one, I’d still be laughing too, and that’s a gift.
What I loved most about this book was how the author made me love his dad. He adored his grandsons and wanted to live for them. He called bullshit bullshit, even if it meant admitting the punishment he’d doled out to his teenage son was bullshit. He carried on dialogues with the TV, including talking to MSNBC as if he was one of the panelists. He took his anti-nausea medication and wryly declared, “That’s the least nauseated I’ve ever felt!” to the nurses who weren’t quite sure what to make of him. And he embraced medical marijuana with innocent hilarity. When a dealer suggests something called The Sour Monkey, he simply asks, “How much should I get? Like half a pound?” It’s no wonder his author-son, an only child, grew up to channel his struggles through humor.
The author’s mom is portrayed as sensible and bookish (regarding TV she (quite rightly) says, “all those people screaming at me,”) and you feel their balanced, close unit of three. There are also glimpses of his wife and kids, where some of his best humor remains. “I guess Dad trusts Lindsay and me to cover all the boring important stuff , like how to pet a cat softly.”
This is a bittersweet read as you know its ending is not going to be the one the author—or you—wants, but it’s an insightful, generous look into their relationship during the journey. Toward the end, the author, drained, wonders, “Wouldn’t it have been easier for all of us to skip this part and go straight to accepting that he’s gone?” It’s a question that begs to be asked by any family being gutted by cancer. Rock, Meet Window is a helluva answer.
- See more at: http://laurieprim.com/index.php/2015/...
What I loved most about this book was how the author made me love his dad. He adored his grandsons and wanted to live for them. He called bullshit bullshit, even if it meant admitting the punishment he’d doled out to his teenage son was bullshit. He carried on dialogues with the TV, including talking to MSNBC as if he was one of the panelists. He took his anti-nausea medication and wryly declared, “That’s the least nauseated I’ve ever felt!” to the nurses who weren’t quite sure what to make of him. And he embraced medical marijuana with innocent hilarity. When a dealer suggests something called The Sour Monkey, he simply asks, “How much should I get? Like half a pound?” It’s no wonder his author-son, an only child, grew up to channel his struggles through humor.
The author’s mom is portrayed as sensible and bookish (regarding TV she (quite rightly) says, “all those people screaming at me,”) and you feel their balanced, close unit of three. There are also glimpses of his wife and kids, where some of his best humor remains. “I guess Dad trusts Lindsay and me to cover all the boring important stuff , like how to pet a cat softly.”
This is a bittersweet read as you know its ending is not going to be the one the author—or you—wants, but it’s an insightful, generous look into their relationship during the journey. Toward the end, the author, drained, wonders, “Wouldn’t it have been easier for all of us to skip this part and go straight to accepting that he’s gone?” It’s a question that begs to be asked by any family being gutted by cancer. Rock, Meet Window is a helluva answer.
- See more at: http://laurieprim.com/index.php/2015/...
May 18, 2015
I read this book overnight. It was simply written, but difficult to read! It made my heart ache, although I'm not sure that's what the author intended. Mostly, I felt duped -- I thought this book was going to be funny! The beets story at the beginning is awesome, and reminded me of my own childhood! And then, it takes a dark turn; there are moments of lightness and levity, but this is mostly a book about the author dealing with his father's cancer. NOT funny. Well written, nonetheless.
August 12, 2015
I am a sucker for the memoir genre, but don't always end up enjoying the end result of what I pick up.
I really loved(?) this book. Well at least pleasantly enjoyed reading this book. Very easy going read. Kind of like listening to an entertaining and humorous friend talk about his story and life experiences related to his father's illness. Bonus for the occasional reference to Columbus/Delaware Ohio since I am from the area. :)
I really loved(?) this book. Well at least pleasantly enjoyed reading this book. Very easy going read. Kind of like listening to an entertaining and humorous friend talk about his story and life experiences related to his father's illness. Bonus for the occasional reference to Columbus/Delaware Ohio since I am from the area. :)
August 15, 2015
Good read,too much cussing for my taste.Would of liked to known how everything went after the operation and all.The author did a good job of getting the reader to know his father and I would like to know how all continued to go and all.
May 30, 2015
A memoir by a neighbor and Facebook friend of mine. Funny and true. I liked how he worked his own parenthood in with his description of his relationship with his own parents, particularly his dad. Very heartfelt, and funny, too.
August 3, 2015
I loved Jason Good's blog about his kids, so I was hopeful he could turn in a longer memoir with the same voice, honesty, and humor. He does a great job with this very personal and challenging story. It stands with other great memoirs.
January 1, 2016
Jason Good is an erstwhile comedian. He is mostly known for the blog he did for a year with his reflections on parenthood. He wrote this book while he was looking after his father at the end of his life. It has some good moments.
February 2, 2015
The best parts are the author writing about his own kids; tedious otherwise for me.
April 7, 2015
Enjoyed the preview. Can't wait to read the rest!
May 15, 2015
A beautifully written and engaging story, it was truly a joy to read. I found it both hilarious and heartbreaking. I highly recommend this book!
June 4, 2015
I laughed out loud and cried. A wonderful story of children, parents and family. I'm giving it to the father's in my family for Father's Day.
June 17, 2015
Wonderful, heartbreaking, funny, tense, poignant. Jason Good is great.
July 29, 2015
I read Rock, Meet Window in a couple of hours. It dealt with a very difficult subject with sensitivity and humour. I found myself both laughing and crying in equal measure. would recommend.
October 6, 2015
Read for bookclub. Very well written memoir. At times funny, at other times sad. Love the memories he shares of him and his dad.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews