All Out: A Father and Son Confront the Hard Truths That Made Them Better Men

by Kevin Newman, Alex Newman

Can a man with a demanding job really be a good father? All Out is a bracingly honest answer from Emmy and Gemini Award-winning anchorman Kevin Newman and his grown son, Alex. Confessional and provocative, their memoir is also a touching meditation on ambition, absence and family that will resonate with every parent and child who've ever struggled to connect and understand each other.       Kevin Newman wanted to be a family man in an era when fathers are expected to be more engaged than ever before; he also wanted to reach the top of a profession that demands 24/7 commitment. The higher he climbed, the more irreconcilable those aspirations seemed. Meanwhile, his artistic, solitary son, Alex, was wrestling with his own competing to be the sporty, popular son his dad wanted, and to be true to himself. Paradoxically, their attempts to live up to expectations--their own, and each other's--were driving them apart. Then, two parallel identity crises forced a reckoning. Kevin reached the summit of American network television, becoming co-host of Good Morning America--where he was instructed to develop a "quarterback" persona and change his accent, mannerisms, personality, hairstyle and everything else that made him Kevin. At the same time, Alex was realizing he was gay, but frantically trying to mask and change that fact. Both felt like failures and hungered for one another's approval, but didn't know how to bridge their differences. Today, a decade later, they retrace their steps (and missteps) to reinventing their relationship and becoming one another's role models for what it means to be a man in our culture. All Out is a moving chronicle of all the ways that fathers and sons misunderstand and disappoint one another--and a powerful reminder that they can become closer not despite their differences, but because of them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, LGBT

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2015

Reviews

[Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. I have lots of good feelings about this book, but none I care to share publicly. All I'll say is I am very grateful for this book having been written.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All Out: A Father and Son Confront the Hard Truths That Made Them Better Men" co-authored by Kevin and his son Alex Newman. This is the story of love and acceptance between a father and son, also of growth, change, development that define masculinity in both career, family, and personal life.

At 34 years of age, Kevin was feeling the pressure of his position as a news anchor at Midday News for the CBC, preferring to remain in Toronto. When he was unexpectedly let go, he was promptly offered a position in the US anchoring World New Now for ABC. Relocating his family to Summit, NJ was a new adventure for this Canadian family. Kevin would be affiliated with the great names in TV journalism: Peter Jennings (would become his mentor), Barbara Walters, Ted Koppel, Diane Sawyer, Sam Donaldson, Charlie Gibson.. In 1997 Kevin was in the right place when he anchored the news covering the tragic accident that claimed the life of Princess Diana, translating the first broadcasts from French to English for American viewers. In 2005 he would cover the news of the Iraq war while stationed in Afghanistan. Working at the top of this professionally demanding and highly competitive career was challenging as Kevin struggled to meet the needs of his wife and two children, and being the family's sole provider. There was an unmistakable heaviness in the first half of the book related to the stress Kevin endured from his work/career.

Meeting the demands of his career, didn't come to him easily, he had to remain connected to his work 24/7 to stay on top of his profession. His wife Cathy was diagnosed with a serious health condition that affected the family outlook and standing in their community. Alex, being bullied at school, felt oddly out of place among his peers, and with his father's celebrity status on news television. Eventually Alex would reach the conclusion that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't develop the normal expected interest in girls. His mother, he thought, would be disappointed in him for not marrying a beautiful Asian girl.

The second part of the book, was very inspiring as the Newman's came to terms with Alex as a gay young man. Kevin decided to return to Canada after leaving GMA, his family had saved money wisely, avoiding living a large showy lifestyle, plus the encouraging news concerning Cathy's health. Unconditional family love, tolerance, and support had prevailed. In 2012 Kevin and Alex co-produced a news feature raising awareness and advocating for gay youth.
Kevin Newman is an award winning network news anchor, correspondent, featured in Canada and the US for decades.
Alex Newman is an award winning art director at J. Walter Thompson Toronto. He was named as one of Canada's top 30 under 30 by Marketing Magazine in 2014.
Many thanks and much appreciation to Random House Canada for the ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a valuable resource for any family wanting help in understanding the emotions of those who are coming out as being gay. Keven Newman is an extremely successful Canadian journalist. He writes with honesty and clarity about important events in his life. Father and son share in the telling of the journey they have been on throughout the past few decades. The lessons learned by Kevin Newman can be summed up with his advice to everyone. Have the courage of your convictions and the strength to push past fear so that you can own your own life.

[Steven Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way Alex and Kevin wrote this book. By presenting the reader with their own perspectives on certain stages of their lives together gave the book almost a 3D-feeling of their realities. As a gay man close to Alex's age, I found many, many similarities in my own story of coming out, and as I read about his struggles and paired that with Kevin's own struggles in his relationship with his son, I felt I had gained some lessons and inspiration for my own relationship with my parents. Kevin and Alex present themselves in a very raw way that is human emotion, and I commend them for their bravery to do so. It wasn't always happy times and presented with flattery as they take the reader through some very personal failures and challenges throughout their lives that impacted the decisions and emotions they had to face. Whether you identify with the LGBTQ community or have a close family member or friend who does, this is an enlightening and inspiring read.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting tale of growth and acceptance. Kevin and Alex Newman have created a unique biography of their growth and relationship as father and son. Kevin is desperately trying to give his children and family a better life than he remembers from his childhood. Working in the public eye as a reporter and broadcaster, though seems to be having the opposite effect. Alex, knows that his father loves him, but feels like he is failing to meet his father's expectations. As he grows up Alex comes to the realization that he is truly different and fears that his father will not accept him, based on the observations he's made of his father over time. These two wrote their own interpretations of events independently and then combined them in one volume, so you see the events from both sides as the grow apart and then together again as they learn more about each other.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel so fortunate to have read an advance reading copy of this book. It is beautifully and honestly written. This important book will help increase acceptance of the LGBT community. Alternating chapters by father and son reveal how differently we perceive and understand the same event. In all, this is a story of love between a father and a son, of the importance of family and accepting who we are. Thanks to both Kevin and Alex Newman for their introspection and sharing their story.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and honest. This book hits the mark in so many ways on so many topics. I truly think there's something in it for everyone. But overall the love of a family and the journey of a father and son to understand themselves and each other will resonate with readers of all backgrounds.

[Alex Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not what I was expecting, but an interesting read nonetheless.

When I found this book in a thrift store, I assumed that this was a news anchor biography I hadn't read before. After all, Canadian media biographies are a popular subject these days, with anchors like Lloyd Robertson and Pamela Wallin (among many others) releasing memoirs of their time at various news stations. I was curious to see exactly what Kevin Newman had to share about his own career and how his son factored into all of this.

Color me surprised when I opened the book and discovered that this wasn't so much a biography as it was an examination of how Newman reacted to his son, Alex, coming out as gay. The book itself downplays this from a cursory scan - you'd have to look inside the front cover and read the blurb on the dust jacket if you want to understand the real purpose of the book. Even then, the book doesn't really deal with this revelation in detail until the last three chapters. It seems like the writers and/or editors weren't confident enough in the subject matter to make it the main focus.

The subject matter didn't bother me at all, though I admit it took me a while to finish it because I just couldn't relate to this as much. I'm certainly not the target audience for this product.

My biggest problem with the book is that it's impressively bipolar in its tone. It seems like someone took a draft of what Kevin had for an autobiography and amalgamated it into a meandering tale about his son growing up and trying to figure out who he is, to the detriment of both individuals. The early chapters in All Out focusing on Alex are meandering and don't really say much of note. There's just not much he has to say about being the son of a media personality, and his complaints usually boil down to "my dad wasn't there for me, and I feel bad".

In comparison, Kevin's chapters feel like a blockbuster movie. We get to see him at various stages of his career, working with Good Morning America and Global Television, his thoughts and feelings about covering live events like the car crash that killed Princess Diana, and anecdotes about how he tried to balance his work and family life. Even then, his chapters devolve into the same format - talking about how he had to leave the network and join a new one, a few anecdotes about whiny media executives or personalities, a few thoughts on a big news story, rinse, repeat.

The book does pick up a bit in the last few chapters when the title subject is explored, but it's almost over by that point and the revelation doesn't really feel earned. If this subject/reveal had a greater focus in the first couple chapters as a framing device, the story would have felt more organic and tied in a lot better.

All Out was certainly an interesting book to read, but I'm not sure if the people who created it understood who their target audience is. The book's extremely unbalanced and favors Kevin's autobiography, while marginalizing his son's revelation and relegating it to a near-afterthought.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Out is a powerful, poignant, and sometimes painful exploration of the complicated relationship between father and son. Co-authored by Kevin and Alex Newman, the book weaves together their individual perspectives on family, masculinity, and self-identity. While the memoir dives deep into their personal lives, it is the stark contrast between their viewpoints—particularly in how they see each other—that forms the book's emotional core.

The structure of the book, with each author writing their own chapters, allows the reader to experience two distinct voices and understand how these two men—one a high-powered TV anchor, the other a sensitive, creative soul—navigated their differences. Kevin's chapters provide an in-depth look at the pressures of his career in the high-stakes world of news journalism, where ambition and family often clash. His journey through the ranks of major American news networks is insightful and occasionally eye-opening, especially when he reflects on the compromises he made with his family life. However, there are moments when the details about his career feel repetitive, detracting slightly from the emotional weight of the story.

Alex's chapters, on the other hand, are raw and deeply personal. His struggles with fitting into his father's idealized version of masculinity, compounded by his eventual realization and coming out as gay, form the emotional backbone of the memoir. His journey of self-acceptance, while complicated by external pressures, ultimately leads to a heartwarming reconciliation with his father. The development of their relationship from distant, misunderstood figures to mutual role models for one another is the book's most moving aspect.

While the book certainly succeeds in its exploration of family dynamics and the complexities of father-son relationships, it sometimes falters in pacing. The first half of the book, especially Kevin’s detailed accounts of his work life, can be a bit dry, and Alex’s earlier chapters lack the narrative punch that would’ve made his story feel more connected to the rest of the book. However, once both men begin to face their own truths—the father confronting his discomfort with his son's sexuality, and the son realizing that his father's love was unconditional after all—the book picks up emotional momentum and delivers an inspiring message about growth, acceptance, and love.

All Out is not just a memoir about a father and son, but a broader reflection on the evolving notions of masculinity and what it means to be a man in today’s world. It's a heartfelt, if imperfect, look at how understanding one another’s flaws can lead to deeper connection and ultimately make us better versions of ourselves.

Overall, I found All Out to be an engaging and thought-provoking read that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with balancing personal ambitions and family life. While it could have benefited from a more balanced focus on both authors' journeys throughout the book, its heartfelt conclusion makes it well worth reading.

[Bobby Karmakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manhood, Masculinity, Self

Kevin Newman was a person I noticed on TV a lot, most noticeably on Global with his unique feature at I believe 5:30 on weeknights, Global National with Kevin Newman. As the end of the book was nearing, the memories of that show mainly reminded me of how that was his ambition and remember fondly this was about what he wanted to report and speak on. The rest of the book is also about his career, and most importantly, how he came to be a father, notably with his son, Alex Newman.

Both Kevin and Alex have faced courageous journeys through failure in Kevin’s career, as well as most importantly the struggles they have both individually conquered. Though to each other, they did not realize they were each suffering from something until the writing of this book, it was the process that both of them each went through personally, and also the connection of how they became closer than ever before. In fact, the biggest of all was their relationship as father and son.

This book was tough to put down. The inside story of Kevin Newman is one that can be relatable to many people, most notably to show what it means to be a man. Not because they are simply male, but rather because men also have feelings and insecurities that are explored in All Out by both Kevin and Alex. On Alex Newman, his struggles were the ones I related to as I often wondered what Kevin would have thought as he read them. Evidently, they have united to become better men for not only themselves but to each other.

In memoirs, I enjoy reading about the person's life and memories of their experiences. What I love most is when I can discover something about themselves they've unveiled, and even better, how that can relate to yourself then make that as an opportunity to grow and be better. That includes me. All Out was such the case, and I wish everyone reading this will also pick this book up for themselves, then share it with someone else.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Newman is a well-known, award winning journalist and TV anchor, recognized in both Canada and the United Sates for the work he has done. He has flown in a Blackhawk helicopter over war torn Afghanistan, co-hosted both the CBC morning Midday Show and ABC’s Good Morning America and founded and anchored the Global Evening News from Vancouver. But his successful career came at a huge cost.

When Alex, Kevin’s eighteen year old son announced to the family he was gay, Kevin had no difficulty embracing his son and his sexuality. He thought that it might even bring them closer together, but it seemed to drive them even further apart. Kevin struggled with the life Alex was embracing and was forced to re-examine his beliefs about masculinity and sexuality. That process surprised and disappointed him since he had always considered himself to be enlightened and tolerant. It took Kevin ten years before he could be truly comfortable with his son’s friends, their parties and the gay lifestyle.

This is the story of Kevin and Alex’s journey to understand and accept each other. It is more about their relationship than about Alex’s sexuality and every reader who is a parent will recognize its nuances. It is about being honest, about recognizing and sharing ambitions, failures, and vulnerabilities as well as ego satisfying successes. It is about the kind of conversation parents do not often have with their children. Most fathers feel the need to appear as strong, successful stalwarts, especially to their sons, not as someone with failures, disappointments and uncertainties.

Many readers are familiar with Kevin Newman’s career but not all the details that lie behind it. TV personalities in the news are evaluated as much on their likeability as on their journalistic skills. Newman was constantly groomed to ensure he met the profile his employers craved, the one that ensured the show’s survival. He was likeable enough, but did not have the magnetism the producers felt the public craved or the chatty chemistry with his co-host. These were the things that attracted the important ratings and determined success or failure.

Newman was forced to submit to everything from changing his glasses and growing his hair longer to dying his eyelashes and attending trendy social events. The producers were forcing him to become someone that he wasn’t, and he found the process humiliating. He wanted to be respected for his journalistic skills, not how he appeared in front of a camera. But he did not defend the person he was because like most of us, he wanted to be successful, not just for himself but also for his family. Unfortunately, the more successful he became, the less time he spent at home and the more he struggled to be the father he had always wanted to be, the father he felt he never had himself.

Alex, Kevin’s artistic, solitary son was also struggling. He had few friends and was trying to be the popular boy that his father wanted him to be. Alex was constantly bullied at school because of his small physical size and his different interests which did not include sports. He loved and respected his successful and confident father, who he thought had never failed at anything in his life. But his father was seldom at home, and when he was, he was always preoccupied with work. It seemed to Alex that his father had simply chosen his work over his son.

When they did spend time together, Alex hated the activities his father organized, which were never anything he would have chosen himself. Alex felt that they were simply intended to mold him into the son Kevin wanted Alex to become. Meanwhile, Kevin was on edge every minute he spent with Alex, trying to make up for the time he was away, trying to make the time they spent together memorable. And at times he was angry. Angry that Alex rejected every activity Kevin suggested, angry because he was knocking himself out trying to do things with his son and getting pushed away at every turn.

Kevin yearned for a connection with Kevin and wanted his approval but did not know which way to turn, always concerned about disappointing him. As becomes clear, neither wanted the other to see their failures. They were trying so hard to live up to the commonly accepted ideal: Dad was to be the hero and the son was to live up to, and even exceed his father’s expectations.

This writing project which Kevin undertook with his son Alex, took two years to complete. They wrote in alternating chapters, vowing not to look at each other’s work until the manuscript was completed. Both admit this decision which they made together, really frightened them.

It is often painful to read as father and son tell the same evolving story but from different perspectives. In so many ways, it is the story of every parent and child trying to reach out to each other and find a connection.

Alex is now a successful art director in the advertising industry. Kevin is now a correspondent with CBC’s newsmagazine W5. He has reclaimed himself and no longer must listen to those eager to tell him who he should be or who he should look like. He always disliked how much power network TV had over him and hated himself for giving into them. He says he is happier now being a freelancer working on contract. He recognizes that he has lost his driving ambition, but still loves his work which he knows he does well.

This is a very moving story, a story of a father and son trying to live up to weighty expectations, both their own and that of each other. They finally came to realize and confront the wedge that was driving them apart. What father and son learned was not about sexuality and tolerance. Their differences could have been about religion, politics or their career aspirations. They learned the real subject was father and sons and what they could learn from each other but frequently do not.

Kevin shares his journey of becoming the anchor he always wanted to be, not the celebrated anchor of a TV show, but the anchor of a close knit family.

It is a very brave book, one that deserves everyone’s attention.

[Alex Baron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a tremendous read. I am very close in age to Alex and I found that there were parallels between his relationship with his dad and my own. This made it very easy for me to engage with the narrators and also reflect back on my own life.

As something of a news junkie I found the description by Kevin of the news industry as very revealing and interesting. I would be curious to know how their relationship has progressed since writing this book and what they have learned over the ensuing years.

[Katie Ngoh · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I truly enjoyed the story (and am also not a son or father) I didn’t think the book actually achieved the intended purpose - to demonstrate how to be a better father/parent.

The end of the book was very heartwarming though and I would recommend this to a lot of people.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of Kevin Newman's work for years. This is a brilliant, entertaining, and touching memoir. Kevin and his son Alex tell their story with unflinching honesty. A must-read!

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Candid, well-written and reflective.

[Shawna Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

This book is written with two perspectives which illustrates the hardships and misunderstandings between a father and son. It’s exceptional and worth reading.

[Stacey Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend once observed, "There's a difference between a great guy and a good man." All Out is a story of a father (Kevin Newman) trying to be a good man while living up to what he believes to be success, as a TV reporter, anchor, and host, and as a father and a man. Written in parallel, his son Alex struggles with what he believes society expects of him versus who he truly is.

The stories are told in parallel, neither man reading what the other has written until the manuscript is done. What unfolds is honest and thoughtful, with surprising similarities in their internal struggles.

While this is written from a position of white privilege, it's worthwhile to read, if only to be reassured there are thoughtful and compassionate men who strive to be far more than "great guys". They both seem to want to be better people.

[Stan James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of All Out is that Kevin and Alex Newman wrote their own chapters independent of each other, allowing the reader to directly compare the father's and son's take on events and more importantly, how the two saw each other, which forms the heart of the book.

And they often saw each other very differently, creating a tension that existed between the two men until they were both adults.

In a journey that starts with the senior Newman co-hosting CBC's Miidday, moves onto his brief (and disastrous) stint as co-host of Good Morning America, and ends with him back in Canada as part of CTV's W5, Kevin Newman provides insights and observations about the TV news business, ranging from the long hours that necessitated so much time away from his family, the sometimes farcical demands of producers and handlers (on Good Morning America he was asked to dye his eyelashes to make them darker and presumably more masculine) and ultimately how for decades his work defined so much of his existence--at the expense of family and life outside work.

Alex's journey begins as a young boy, sensitive and creative, bullied in school and seemingly failing at living up to the masculine ideals of his father, showing little interest in sports or other "guy" pursuits.

It comes to a head when at age 17 Alex realizes he is gay and comes out to his family. Or rather, he tries to come out but his father actually cuts him off at the pass, so to speak, by asking his son (who had called a family meeting), "Is this about your sexuality?" From that awkward beginning, the two start a process of testing and challenging each to accept each other as they are, not as they wish they were.

For Kevin he finally realizes that work is just work and family matters more. He lets go of his own hangups regarding what he sees as the masculine ideal and confronts his discomfort with homosexuality. In the process he achieves a breakthrough in his relationship with his son and with his own father as well.

Alex's struggle with being gay stems not so much from being afraid of how others would see him--virtually everyone he knows was accepting--but in how it defined him in a way that he didn't like. Being gay meant he could never be that ideal son that Kevin wanted and tried so much to shape through the years. At his darkest moments he contemplates suicide, as many gay youth do, but a network of friends and acquaintances keeps him from going too far into the abyss.

The writing by both men is fine if not extraordinary, though Alex ably captures the voice and mentality of his younger self. Kevin's behind-the-scenes look at TV news is in some ways quietly horrifying and in other ways warmly affirming--it turns out Peter Jennings really was a warm, wonderful person. But it is the intertwined story of the two men that speaks strongest here, and it is difficult to not be moved by the self-realizations that allowed Kevin to fully embrace his son for who he is--and to finally let go of the mental baggage he had carried for decades, allowing him to finally, truly be content.

And not have to worry about dying his eyelashes ever again.

Thumb up.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book as it likely would not have been brought to my attention otherwise and I would have missed out on a hugely important book.

Like most Canadians, the name Kevin Newman was a familiar one before starting this book, having seen multiple news segments of his over the years. In this book, Kevin Newman alternates chapters with his son, Alex Newman, to discuss their complex relationship throughout the years. Both offer their take on how Kevin's professional aspirations and Alex's personal struggles with his sexuality impacted their family and defined their interactions throughout Alex's life.

The best part about this book is how brutally honest the entire thing is. Both authors articulate their own faults, mistakes and emotions so thoroughly; I've rarely found authors who are so completely open. It is also especially interesting to see how differently each author viewed particular events, such as basketball games or a trip to Japan. Everyone will be able to relate to the complex family dynamics described. Additionally, another impressively honest part of this book that stands out is how honest Kevin is with his past work experiences. Name dropping previous colleagues engaged me even further (who won't enjoy a little insight on Tom Bergeron or Matt Lauer?) and I was again surprised at how little he held back.

Towards the end, the narrative moves away from the focus on Kevin's professional journey and struggles to balance family and focuses on Alex's coming out during his teenage years. These chapters were emotional, moving and more than achieve the original goal of this book- a way for families of LGBT individuals to start a dialogue. I would recommend this to anyone in such a situation (as the authors intended) but even further than that, as both authors are so honest in their recollections of growing up/being a parent/fearing failure/being bullied, etc., that absolutely anyone will be able to relate to something in this book.

[September · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up after seeing Kevin and Alex Newman on a Canadian talk show, and being quite impressed with their relationship and story despite their rocky journey.

I appreciated that the content was written in full before shared with each other to maintain the integrity of their experiences. It kept the retelling honest, and offered a great perspective on what a parent and child may go through when a child comes out.

I must admit, though, that after the interview, I expected... Well, there was a lot of focus spent on before Alex came out. While I feel Alex's chapters fit the aim of the book best, it's Kevin's chapters that focused largely on his career and that stick out in my mind. At times, I felt I was reading Kevin's autobiography instead of a joint effort on coming out. While still interesting and I could see how aspects fed into the larger picture, I felt it took forever to get to AFTER Alex came out and what happened next.

Then, while very satisfying and illuminating, I felt that once we finally got to what I'd been waiting for... Well, it wrapped up rather quickly.

All of that said, it's a well-formed sharing of their history. But I think I either expected or wanted too much, because although enjoyable what I really wanted came in fits and starts and may have been nearly as effective with much edited out. Maybe I'm being harsh? I don't know. I wanted to love this... but it's merely okay.

It did bring me to tears several times and it did have me smiling, so it couldn't have been 'all bad,' as they say.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a winning entry I received thru the Goodreads Giveaways. I had watched Good Morning America for years, back in the 80's and 90's, and really enjoyed Kevin Newman's hosting when he was on the show, so, when I saw that he had written a memoir, I was interested enough to read the blurbs for the contest, and then to enter. I am very glad that I won this book - it is a touching and powerful memoir was written by Kevin and his son, Alex - exploring the gulf that developed between them due to Kevin's career and Alex's coming to terms with being gay. I liked the way the book was written in alternating voices/chapters - and it gave a good view of how the same conversations and events were viewed and assimilated differently by each man. At it's heart, this book is both a dialogue and a love story - drawing both Alex and Kevin closer together, and drawing the reader into their family, inside their lives and how they bridged the gap between them that seemed to be insurmountable. I say "Bravo" to both Kevin and Alex, for being so open and honest with their story - the story of a family and how they grew. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. This is a book I will keep, and read again...

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, one of the best memoirs (for lack of a better definition) I've ever read. This is an honest, raw, nothing held back look at a father and son relationship that has not always been easy but has finally found some peace. Kevin Newman, of whom I am a huge fan, always comes across on TV as a calm, articulate, thoughtful reporter who engenders trust from the viewer. To read this book and find out how much self-doubt he harboured, especially from his son, is truly poignant. To read Alex's account of how intimidated he was by his high-achieving father, while also coming to terms with being chronically bullied and then realizing he was gay, was quite painful. I simply couldn't put it down, and at times, I was close to tears. A beautifully written book that should be on everyone's list this year, seldom have the endorsements on a book jacket been so accurate. A must read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very moving story about the career of Kevin Newman and its effects on his son Alex, especially in light of Alex's struggle to figure out who he is compared to who he thinks his father expects him to be.

Having been a Global News watcher, the Kevin Newman I expected to read about in this book is very much how he appears to his viewers - interested in what he is reporting on and open to new ideas. The TV industry is cut-throat and some of that is evident in his career.

Alex's initial struggles had me thinking he was facing gender identity but the resolution to it being sexual orientation was a much easier issue to face today, though it wasn't back in the 90s.

Society is changing to accept people for who they are and this is one more step in opening minds to the reality that not everyone fits into the old moulds.

[Monica Penthor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book written by Kevin and Alex Newman is told with no holds barred. Kevin and Alex tell their stories from very different perspectives - Kevin wanting to be a better father to his son and Alex as he is struggling with being gay and communicating this to his family and friends. Kevin ultimately really had a tough time with his son being gay even though intellectually he was very supportive of homosexuality and loved his son unconditionally. The reality of being confronted with it at close quarters takes some adjusting to. Both were not afraid to confront their feelings and as a result became better men.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin and Alex Newman share their honest account of growing up, coming out, and learning what matters in life. Their side by side account of events and experience made me wonder what would come of a similar exercise in my own family. Kevin's wish for his son, and how that manifest to Alex caused me real pause to reflect.

"All those years, I'd looked at work as the way to become a better man. More successful, more approved of, more respected. I got all of that, but it did not make me a better man. My family did."

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heartfelt and inspirational, Kevin and Alex present a story I imagine a few people can relate to. Sadly it comes out more about Kevin and his news career and less about the son coming out even if the dialogue switches back and forth and I found myself curious if the editor made sure that the gay thing was diminished to the last eighty pages. If you're looking for story of a family to terms with that, skip to the end. If you want to learn about the career of Kevin Newman, read the whole thing.

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors reflect on their father-son relationship with admirable honesty. While many of us can relate to familial relationship challenges, it takes courage and determination to work through the problems that get in the way of moving forward with those we care about the most. I applaud both Kevin and Alex for sharing their personal journey; we can all take something from their experiences to make our own relationships better.

[Dawn Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, heart wrenching book about so very many things. I am astounded at the honesty that Kevin and Alex shared with the world in this book - it's a must read for any parent. Reading both perspectives was astonishing and eye-opening (and made me ponder my own parenting), and I love that they wrote their individual sections separately - what a reveal at the end it must have been for them. Beautifully written, definitely recommended.

[Biblio Curious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every dad should read this book. Children of parents also. It's such a great way to tell a story. It is about a gay son discovering his sexuality and coming out. But the contents of this book are so much more deeper than that. It's truly an amazing book and such an honest account of their own struggles.

I recommend it for anyone who has a parent, a child, is straight or gay. Most of all, it's a book for guys to read :D

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this novel, Kevin Newman struggles to find a balance between his work and family life and Alex Newman struggles with his dad's expectations of him and his own wants and needs.

I wanted to really enjoy this book, but it was very boring especially the chapters written by Kevin Newman. He would document all of the networks he worked for and I would lose track of what he is really talking about. The chapters written by Alex Newman were a lot better though and much more interesting to read.