A Good Man

“A moving portrait of a son’s struggle to deal with the gradual disappearance of a beloved father through the progressive stages of Alzheimer’s.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author

The New York Times Bestseller

When Sargent “Sarge” Shriver—founder of the Peace Corps and architect of President Johnson's War on Poverty—died in 2011 after a valiant fight with Alzheimer's, thousands of tributes poured in from friends and strangers worldwide. These tributes, which extolled the daily kindness and humanity of “a good man,” moved his son Mark far more than those who lauded Sarge for his big-stage, headline-making accomplishments. After a lifetime searching for the path to his father's success in the public arena, Mark instead turns to a search for the secret of his father's joy, his devotion to others, and his sense of purpose. Mark discovers notes and letters from Sarge; hears personal stories from friends and family that zero in on the three guiding principles of Sarge's life—faith, hope, and love—and recounts moments with Sarge that now take on new value and poignancy. In the process, Mark discovers much about himself, as a father, as a husband, and as a social justice advocate. A Good Man is an inspirational and deeply personal story about a son discovering the true meaning of his father's legacy.

“Moving and thoughtful.” —The Washington Post

“A moving appreciation of Shriver as a father. His philosophy: serve God and your fellow man with humility. Sargent Shriver died in 2011, but his example shines on in these pages.” —Parade

“An elegantly written meditation on faith, public service, and parenting from someone who’s clearly spent much of his life grappling with all three.” —The American Prospect