Big Russ and Me: Father and Son--Lessons of Life

I grew up Catholic in Dallas Texas in the 50's and could totally identify with Russert and his life experiences. Having had some of the same opportunities, and made it on my own, having learned from all of my experiences from those days, his story really came to life for me, and I understood exactly where he was coming from.

Now that he is gone, I relish having this story sporken in his own words. He struck me as a neat, well grounded guy, who loved his family, and loved his place in life. I truly regret that I never had the chance to know Tim Russert personally.

Very enjoyable. Most anyone with a Greatest Generation Dad would find this enjoyable.The stories and anecdotes about the political figures of the sixties,seventies etc. are excellent.Easy read

We learned a lot about Tim Russert due to his untimely death. This book makes it even harder to fathom and is a wonderful tribute to a great news man and his devotion to family is obvious.

I enjoyed this book very much. My son borrowed it to take on his vacation last week and he liked it as well. It came in i timely fashion and was in excellent condition.

Until Russert's recent death, I had ignored his book, under the rule that media superstars usually hire their staffs to do the research and most of the writing; and they then just edit these "told to" tracts, revealing just enough so that their agents can get them on the best sellers list. As a result, there are some really bad "told tos" circulating "out there."

Not so in Tim's case.

He and Big Russ are the genuine articles: This book, an excellent and a quick read, is a true page from Gothic America. While reading this book all I could do was recall my relationship with my own father and then envy Tim's relationship with Big Russ. Most of us baby boomers had fathers who fit the "Big Russ mold:" Men who served in World War II as draftees into the army as part of America's "only upward mobility program."

They came home from the war with both rich experiences as well as with physical and psychological scars but wouldn't talk about either, unless prompted, and then usually only very late in their lives. All got married and raised a family, and did so out of the same kind of duty that had caused them to serve in the military. It was done automatically because it was what was expected of them.

It is easy enough to forget that this silent call and response to duty: to family and country, before duty to self, is what made America a great country. Big Russ came home got married, and raised a family of four on a garbage man's salary. How many of us in today's social climate would be as genuinely proud of our fathers as Tim was of "Big Russ" if our fathers had been garbage men for thirty years?

All one needs to know about Tim's character is that he proudly "pulled garbage can duty" along side his father during school breaks. To me, that is the book: That about says all that needs to be said about Tim, his father, and their relationship. It is a love story between father and son, that was passed down to the next generation.

This is the hidden formula for how great men are made. Thanks Tim. Thanks Big Russ.

Five stars