Book Reviews
for
Letters from Home
Thoughts to Carry with You Upon Leaving the Nest

Read what published author John Astle, career counselor Charlene Herron and other readers have said about Letters from Home- Thoughts to Carry with You Upon Leaving the Nest- an inspirational journey through the alphabet of life.

By John Astle, writer for the Butte Weekly and the publshed author of “Only in Butte—Stories Off the Hill.”

New Book Follows a Long Literary Tradition

Never a borrower nor lender be:
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as night the day;
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee.

This is the advice that Polonius gives his son, Laertes, as he leaves his home to travel to France, in the first act of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. In Letters from Home – Thoughts to Carry with you Upon Leaving the Nest, David C. Deavours offers similar advice to his son, Stone, to remember when he makes his decision to leave home. Deavours emulates the literary tradition of authors from Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to poets like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Langston Hughes, who used life experiences to guide young people in their journey through life.

David Deavours is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and resides in Montana. He uses memories of growing up in Tennessee to organize the chapters of the book around the alphabet, from A to Z. Major categories are: Adventure and Entertainment; Adversities; Education, Skills, and Abilities; Everyday Life; Financial Management; Health and Fitness; Inspiration and Motivation; Personal Growth and Self-image; and Relationships.

David says that the incentive to write the book was the death of his father in 2005, and the regret that he had not asked him, while he was living, some of the simple things about his life and what advice his father would have given him to achieve happiness in life. Although David’s father is the focus of most of the guidance he offers in the book, his mother had a strong influence on his feelings and viewpoint. Under the word Selfish, he says that he learned the basic lessons of sharing from his mother, who was one of the most giving persons he knew. “My mother always made sure my three older siblings and I had everything we needed before she ever bought anything for herself.”

One of my favorite letter/words in the book is the word Zany: The author says, “According to Webster’s, as a noun, zany is a ‘clown or buffoon’ or a ‘silly or foolish person.’ If I didn’t know better, I would think Webster’s was defining me. . . . Some days I simply need to relax, put aside my inhibitions, and act like a fool – let the child in me resurface for a day and have some fun. I highly recommend playing the role of the zany once in a while when life has you being too serious about everything . . .”

A quote on the back cover says: “Although written and designed for the young adult, Letters from Home will motivate parents as well. So pull up your favorite chair, kick off your shoes, and let Letters take you on an inspirational journey through the alphabet of life.”

The book is a self-publishing project and an adventure in itself for Deavours, his wife, Jennifer, and son, Stone.

By Charlene Herron TRIO/Flathead Valley Community College Career Counselor in Kallispell, Montana.

David Deavours is an enthusiastic, concerned father who wants to assist young people in making wise choices for their lives. I had the opportunity to listen to David as he talked about his idea to write and publish a book in which he could share with his own child, as well as other young people, knowledge gleaned from his own life journey.

In Letters from Home he offers these brief “words of wisdom” in a charming A to Z format of short essays that provide insight to young people as they start their own journey into the future. Reading these essays is like having a relaxed conversation with a favorite grandparent.