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    Heroes for My Daughter
    Heroes for My Daughter
    Heroes for My Daughter
    Ebook152 pages1 hour

    Heroes for My Daughter

    By Brad Meltzer

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    About this ebook

    In this companion to his acclaimed and inspirational bestseller, Heroes for My Son, national bestselling novelist Brad Meltzer brings together the stories of fifty-five remarkable individuals, from intellectual explorers such as Marie Curie, Sally Ride, and Jane Goodall to cultural champions like Billie Jean King; from implacable public figures such as Rosa Parks and Winston Churchill to artistic icons such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Stevie Wonder; and beyond. Heroes for My Daughter is Meltzer’s collection of inspirational, real-life figures for his daughter, and yours, to learn how to lead a powerful, motivated, fulfilling life.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateApr 10, 2012
    ISBN9780062196590
    Heroes for My Daughter
    Author

    Brad Meltzer

    Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twelve thrillers including The Escape Artist, and nonfiction books such as The Lincoln Conspiracy and the Ordinary People Change the World series. He is also the host of the TV show Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel. He lives in Florida with his wife and three children.

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    • 4/5
      Today - Tomorrow - and Future . . . . Throughout history, there are far more than some fifty-five achievers ─ as we know. However, this author gives insight into the honors of fifty-five achievers. The details are short and easy to read. There is a two- page write up for each. Behind those pages, the reader will find a pictorial showing and a brief biography of their accomplishments. The people identified in the book are Heroes in their own personal way. Those for which the author elected to speak about may not have been ones’ you or I would have readily chosen as “Heroes”. Just to list a few, we’ll learn about people that are titled as: champion; icon; comedian; visionary; adventurer; leader; conservationist; angel; lawbreaker; pot stirrer; pioneer; rebel; and the list goes on and on and on. All in all, they are (in a special way) achievers that have gifted us with their accomplishments. Whenever a person makes a difference in what they do, truly, that is a testimony. And they are somebody’s Hero. Changing a life – Taking a stand – Giving a life; whatever their cause ─ I too salute them. Now, as a recognized author, it may not have been his best work. But the story is one to be told and would be a great gift for educational purposes. Many of those mentioned may not have made it in our schoolbooks while growing up. But, they’re positioned in this book. For that which they've achieved they are Heroic Achievers. Thanks, Brad, for bringing light to these wonderful people.
    • 5/5
      This book is a wonderful read. I loved it and already gave it to my daughter to read. Every person(s) that Brad Meltzer chose for this book was a wonderful inspirational for anyone to read about. I loved that Brad had quotes from or about each hero and that he had people from his life that are his heroes. Great book. I absolutely loved it.

    Book preview

    Heroes for My Daughter - Brad Meltzer

    INTRODUCTION

    Dear Lila, my sweet daughter,

    I love you. And yes, I know every parent loves their child. But not like I love you. Someday, you’ll roll your eyes and groan, "Dad, you’re embarrassing me." But right now, you’re only six years old, so these days, you still smile your big beaming smile when I say things like that. And I point that out simply so that, when these days are gone, I’ll have proof they existed.

    On the day you were born, I remember your mom waking up at four o’clock in the morning, rolling over in bed, and telling me, I think the baby’s coming.

    Go back to bed, I pleaded. It’s too early.

    God bless your mother, she actually tried to go back to bed.

    But you—my little unborn daughter—had your own ideas. Believe me when I say that wouldn’t be the last time.

    At the hospital, the instant I saw you, my heart doubled in size. My own mother, your grandmother, told me at the time, Now you’ll understand how I love you.

    After giving us a few moments with you, the nurses did their usual weighing and measuring, and then said they wanted to whisk you off for your first bath.

    I’m coming with you, I told them, determined to protect you.

    They smiled that smile they save for new parents and reassured me, She’ll be fine. We have her.

    But as I looked down at my beautiful, teeny, amazing daughter… C’mon … No way was I ever letting you out of my sight. I had to protect you! Thankfully, the nurses put up with me, and let me pretend I was some old parental veteran as I helped give you your first bath. Later, as I sat there, rocking in the rocking chair they gave me and holding you close, I still remember all the dreams I was dreaming for you.

    I didn’t want just one thing for you. I wanted everything. If you needed strength, I wanted you to be strong. If you saw someone hurting, I wanted you to find the compassion to help. If there was a problem, big or small, that no one could solve, I wanted you to have every available skill—ingenuity, empathy, creativity, perseverance—so you could attack that problem in a way that no one else on this entire planet had ever fathomed. And that would be your greatest gift, Lila: That no one—and I mean no one—would ever be exactly you.

    I still believe that. I do. I’m a mushy dad. And it was in those first moments of blind idealism and unbridled naïveté that I resolved to write a book for you.

    That very night—six years ago, on the night you were born—I went home and started this book. My goal was to write it over the course of your life. I’d fill it with all the advice you needed to be a good person. I began the list that night:

    1. Love God.

    2. Help the kids who need it.

    My plan was to add more ideas as you grew older, and eventually, on the day when I presented this book to you, you’d realize I was indeed the greatest father of all time (I had a parade planned for myself as well).

    Thankfully, during your first few years, I realized my clichéd, self-important plan was just that. It hit me after hearing the stories of heroes like Sally Ride. Sure, I knew she was the first American woman to travel into space. But at a time when there were no women astronauts, do you know why NASA chose her? Some say it was because she was a genius at physics … or that it was her physical resolve and athletic ability … or that she was simply fearless. And sure, it was probably all those things. But it was also because when she saw an ad in her college’s newspaper looking for female astronauts, Sally Ride saw an opportunity. And grabbed it. In that moment, she dared to attempt what no woman had done before.

    I love that story. I wanted you to hear that story. I wanted your brothers to hear that story. I wanted everyone in this world to know that if you take a chance … and work hard … you can do anything in this world.

    Soon after, my new plan was born. I wouldn’t give you a book of rules. I’d give you a book of heroes. And in that, I’d give you absolute proof that anything is possible.

    When you’re older, this will be the point where you’ll again roll your eyes and again groan, "Dad, did you just tell me ‘anything is possible?’ You’re embarrassing me. Again." I won’t begrudge you, Lila. I did the same thing. But let me be clear: My dreams for you today are different from the ones on the day you were born. Sure, I still want everything for you. I always will. But amongst those dreams, there’s one I keep coming back to. It’s the dream that links every single hero in these pages. You’ll see inside when you read it, my daughter. Every hero in here is a fighter. And Lila, no matter what stage of life you’re in, when you want something—no matter how impossible it seems—you need to fight for it. When you believe in something, fight for it. And when you see injustice, fight harder than you’ve ever fought before.

    To see the results, read the story of Marie Curie, who never stopped pushing science forward, even when she was dying from the

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