But it also contained some quite painful stories, to be honest.

I wanted to laugh, to be entertained, but there were some brutal stories about his childhood and youth that left me wondering. 

If it was honest and a true account of his life, then it is quite sad.

If not, it is in really bad taste.

A strange mixtures to be sure.

When I think of home, I think of my dad's house in Newbern, where I grew up. He still lives in the house we've owned since I was 2, and not a lot has changed. Not even the carpet. (Yikes. Trust me, it needs changing.) It's country, with a gravel driveway and a carport and a big, swampy lake in the backyard.

So books that make me think of home always involve the country, the woods, hunting and general Redneck-ery.

Si-Cology 1 just reminded me of my dad because of the sweet tea, the camo and the constant hunting. Plus he made bad jokes, just like my old man.

Bambi isn't your typical "reminds me of home" book, but it makes me think of home because I read it, sitting on my dad's old 70's gold couch when I was 11. I had cable, a Sega Genesis and a phone in my room (we we're dirt poor so this stuff is a big deal, people), but I still chose to turn all that off and read quite a bit. This one, in particular, was special because it involves a deer, and we're avid hunters.

Now I feel the need to go call my dad and tell him "I love you, you cranky old fart."

(Daddy and me sleeping on one of our old couches. I think he's wearing suspenders. Dad was hipster before it was cool. LOL)

Really, this book is a 3-star read, but I gave it an extra star for Si being so much like my dad. (My husband can vouch for me on this.)

So, Si actually got to go to Vietnam. I bet that was scary as Hell. My dad got drafted (another similarity, so it's really starting to freak me out). But my dad is deaf in one ear and almost deaf in the other.

My dad is also a gunsmith.

The army said he was a hazard because he couldn't hear.

Now, I can say with all honestly, those army guys are dumbasses. We were all sitting on the deck of our country house one day when I was like 5, and dad had a rifle with him he was trying to sight-in (adjust the sights so that the bullet shot true). A catfish jumped in the pond about 50 yards out. Dad blew the catfish's head off! NO JOKE! Mid-jump, the catfish met its end.

Take that, army doctors. Daddy could have won the war for us, deaf or not.