Dan Geiger's memoir tells the kind of story most of us have lived in our hearts but seldom shared. In turn, he gives us permission to embrace our own shortcomings. In Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned, he paints a picture of a young man coming of age in remote Montana while buffeted by the Cold War, religion, family, the tumultuous 60s and the Vietnam War. He shows us how to laugh at our own susceptibilities, confess our outrageous behaviors, suffer the loss of dear friends and heal our hearts of all that life throws at us. Read and enjoy the adventures of youth, first loves, road trips, religious guilt and, hopefully, enlightenment learned the hard way.
Industry Reviews
Imbued with compassion and humor, Dan's delightful memoir chronicles life in a loving but troubled family and a faith that brought both strength and profound guilt. These experiences, plus determination, ingenuity, and bumps along the way, launched him into a life of joyful purpose and meaning. What a gem!
-Mary Webber MSW, Clinical Social Worker.
Intimate, authentic, riveting, BLESS ME FATHER is the memoir of a young man coming of age on in the mid-twentieth century on the rugged, windswept northern American Great Plains. The story is familiar-a boy growing up-but its context is completely unique.
Young Dan Geiger, son of pioneers, staunch Catholics, simultaneously carrieshis family's heritage and an abiding sense of ancient Indian spirituality in hisbones. It is a story of a boy growing up on the last fringes of the American Frontier at a time of the quantum cultural change-from post World War II to Woodstock.
BLESS ME FATHER offers a glimpse into the riotous, often confusing, sometimes hilarious and even mystical adventures of a boy growing to manhood. In its essence it is nothing less than a spiritual journey of a soul. Experience the cross currents and riptides of cultural and personal transformation through the eyes of one remarkable soul who lived through these unforgettable times.
-Roberta Nowlin, teacher, singer/songwriter, author; most recent book THE MAGIC APPLE TREE
Have you ever wondered what happened to Holden Caulfield from ""The Catcher in the Rye""? His spirit is alive and well in the Big Sky Country of Montana. ""Bless Me Father for I Have Sinned"" picks up the journey of the boy that catches children in the rye field before they fall off the cliff. Montana is the setting for the next 50 plus years. The author recants his journey of trying to better the lives of children and adults during his professional and personal life. Keep in mind the setting during these times. There were no daylight speed limits on the highways. It was rumored that a sturdy young man with blues eyes could make a few bucks by adding to the gene pool of the Hutterites Colony.
This is a tale of life that shows the importance of religion, education, family, and profession. JMJ are the letters that often appear on the test papers of Catholic students-it stands for Jesus, Mary, Joseph. Placing JMJ on the papers may not improve the test score, but it couldn't hurt either. I suggest that you place JMJ on the flyleaf of the book as it may help you understand the heartwarming message of this book. Enjoy your read, you will find a great story that has many parts of you in it.
-Dr. Dennis Schulz, Professor of Habilitative Services Emeritus, Montana State Univ.-Billings
Imbued with compassion and humor, Dan's delightful memoir chronicles life in a loving but troubled family and a faith that brought both strength and profound guilt. These experiences, plus determination, ingenuity, and bumps along the way, launched him into a life of joyful purpose and meaning. What a gem!
-Mary Webber MSW, Clinical Social Worker
