The two books Tim Russert had recently published, Big Russ and Wisdom of our Fathers are both gone from the shelves at the local book stores, on this Father’s day.  Russert tells many stories about how he came to recognize that his father worked his fingers to the bone so that Tim and his sisters could have the opportunities he didn’t have. Tim speak openly about how devasting it was to not have his father in the stands watching his ball games, but in looking back he knew why his father couldn’t be there as he was working.

Here is an excerpt from Russert’s found in full on Border’s website:

Wisdom of Our Fathers

by Tim Russert  

Introduction

In the spring of 2004, I published a book about my father—about the lessons I have learned from him, the ways he has influenced me, and my enormous love and respect for this steady, hardworking, and modest man. Big Russ & Me came out in May, and my publisher sent me on a publicity tour in the hope that people around the country would see the book as an ideal Father’s Day gift.

Early in the tour I was in Chicago, where, to my great relief, customers were lining up to buy the book and have me autograph it. What happened next really surprised me.

“Make it out to Big Mike,” somebody told me, which was followed in rapid succession by: Continue reading tim russert on fatherhood…