Review of Billy Jones's Father

[Mary Lou Mills]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Billy Jones's Father" by Fred Engh.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The novel Billy Jone’s Father And the Apple Tree by Fred Engh takes place in Torrid Hills, North Carolina. Billy’s grandfather, Scotty Jones, was a war hero and the most accomplished athlete to come out of Torrid Hills. He was very proud of his prowess and wanted desperately for his son, Arnold, to be a star athlete as well. Unfortunately, Arnold was not athletically gifted. As a result, he was abused and ridiculed his whole life by his overbearing father. Scotty wasn’t the only one with an unhealthy attitude at the little league games. The theme was to win at all costs. Parents interfered with umpires' calls and shouted insults during the games. Fast forward to when Arnold has grown up and has a son of his own, Billy. Arnold wants his son to excel in sports so that he can show his father that he can produce offspring worthy of Scotty’s praise. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Is Arnold likely to repeat the pattern of abuse he suffered as a child? You’ll have to read Billy Jone’s Father to find out.

Although this is a novel, Mr. Engh used actual events in his storyline. This gave the book credibility and made it a real eye-opener. Parents and athletic educators should be aware of the stress caused by a hostile environment during their sporting events. Sports should be fun. I liked the educational aspects of this book.

Of course, I did not like reading about the abuse of children, but it was necessary to talk about it to raise concerns and make change happen.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I’m rating it based on the importance of the message delivered throughout the book. Mr. Engh founded the National Alliance for Youth Sports and the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. These organizations help to teach volunteer coaches.

I recommend this book to parents, coaches, teachers, and counselors. I think it should be mandatory reading for educators and parents alike. I must warn you though, that there are unpleasant situations throughout the book.

******
Billy Jones's Father
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon