Fourteen years ago, Mike Milligan learned he would become a grandfather for the first time. He was surprised to find that there was little or no information available on what it means to be a grandfather, how to make the most of the experience, and how to be the best grandfather possible. Sure, there were shelves of books dedicated to grandmothers—all with cuddly covers depicting spring bouquets or gentle little lambs. But there was not a single book that spoke to him, a sixty-four-year-old grandfather-to-be. It struck him that there were countless other grandfathers out there experiencing this same feeling of neglect. With over a decade of grandparenting under his belt, Milligan is thrilled to offer his Grandpa Rules. Over the years, Milligan has discovered some universal rules that apply to grandfathers everywhere. For example, the "let it slide" rule has taught him to take it in stride when he hears one of his grandchildren say, "Grandpa sure dresses funny." Imbued with Milligan's humor, honed during his career in comedy writing for television (The Jeffersons, All in the Family, etc.), Grandpa Rules will entertain and delight millions of grandfathers, as well as those who will soon earn the exalted title of "Grandpa." It's the perfect gift for a special grandfather, for Father's Day, a birthday, the birth of a grandchild, or just for a grandpa to read and enjoy during one of his many bathroom visits.

Almost twenty years ago, Mike Milligan learned he would become a grandfather for the first time. He was surprised to find that there was little or no information available on what it means to be a grandfather, how to make the most of the experience, and how to be the best grandfather possible. Sure, there were shelves of books dedicated to grandmothers—all with cuddly covers depicting spring bouquets or gentle little lambs. But there was not a single book that spoke to him, a sixty-four-year-old grandfather-to-be. It struck him that there were countless other grandfathers out there experiencing this same feeling of neglect. Now, with almost two decades of grandparenting under his belt, Milligan is thrilled to offer his Grandpa Rules. Throughout the years, Milligan has discovered some universal rules that apply to grandfathers everywhere. For example, the “let it slide” rule has taught him to take it in stride when he hears one of his grandchildren say, “Grandpa sure dresses funny.” Imbued with Milligan’s humor, honed during his career in comedy writing for television (The Jeffersons, All in the Family, etc.), Grandpa Rules will entertain and delight millions of grandfathers, as well as those who will soon earn the exalted title of “Grandpa.” It’s the perfect gift for a special grandfather, for Father’s Day, a birthday, the birth of a grandchild, or just for a grandpa to read and enjoy during one of his many bathroom visits.

Being a Grandpa does not come with a book of instructions. Every Grandpa is as unique as a fingerprint, and each relationship with his grandkids usually molds itself into a customized experience of mutual advice, wisdom, and suggestions. Sometimes you just get crazy with each other. The Grandpa’s Manual is not a how-to book. It is a collection of stories encouraging men to become whatever kind of Grandpa they desire to be. It is written so the reader can pause, put it down, and say, “Hmm, I never thought of that!” Building a relationship with your grandkids is important business. So when grandkids look to Grandpa for advice and wisdom, they can see that Grandpas have grandkid challenges in the relationship too. Take for instance when your grandkid suffers a breakup with his first true love and concludes he cannot share his broken heart with Mom, Dad, or his little sister. Mom is a girl. Dad sometimes does not take it really seriously. And little sister may know his true love, and nothing will ever be sacred again. Who may be the one who will listen, not judge, and help soothe that broken spirit? It may be Grandpa. Grandpa has probably been in the same situation and knows how to stitch up the wound. Grandpa, have you ever raced your grandkid in a go-kart? Or have you run a zip line lately? What would you say if your grandkid asked you what it would be like to die? Do dogs go to heaven? What is prayer, and who is God? Have you ever tried to bake bread with your grandkid when neither one of you knows how to bake bread? How do you handle life when Grandma dies? Where is the boundary line with Mom and Dad when it comes to giving opinions and advice? The Grandpa’s Manual walks with you as you seek answers to these and many other questions. It is an exciting book that will move you in the direction of establishing the greatest role on earth—being a Grandpa.

A response to all those grandmother books with flowers and puppies on the cover, Grandma Rules is a book for the hip, baby boomer grandma who realizes that after all the work she put into her own kids, she can take a break and have fun with her grandkids. A perfect gift for the greatest grandmothers you know, this book is laugh out loud funny while offering useful insights and tips on how to embrace the world’s greatest job.

Ultimate Concerns is a collection of twenty–seven short stories that focus on those states and events of life that are universal and of immense importance. Love, the growth of a child, relationships within and between the generations, relationships with God, the humanness of God, finding one's place in the world, the role of pain in the world, illness, and death are all addressed by these stories. These stories all take a strong stance. Meaning flows from the importance of what is discussed and from the underlying assumption that there is purpose to all aspects of life. Thus, God has tears in his eyes with the realization that he has made a world in which death occurs yet says "L'Chayim." A man, pushed to the wall by the circumstances of his life, still insists that there are rules to be followed in life that work. A woman who yearns to be free of the burden of her adult children learns that the burden cannot be discarded. Many of the stories are modeled on the Hasidic tale, which tends to be short and humorous while making an important point. Most of the stories make the abstract concrete. "Why?" sits on the desk of a rabbi, musical notes bounce off a person's nose, pain leaps onto a child and crushes her, chaos originally made by God through error bounces off God's limitless limits and destroys the universe while he watches helplessly.

“Very often it is grandparents who ensure that the most important values are passed down to their grandchildren, and many people can testify that they owe their initiation into the Christian life to their grandparents.” — Pope Francis, apostolic exhortation The Joy of Love As fun and special as time spent with grandchildren can be, we know that being a grandparent is a supporting — and not a starring — role. So, how can grandparents truly make a difference in their grandchildren’s lives? Grandparents have the unique opportunity to be holy role models by continuing to grow in their faith and by living the values of the Gospel message in the folllwing ways: Putting others first Accepting without judging Showing compassion to the needy Looking with awe at God’s creation Living peacefully Having courage Being generous Being content with what you have Loving unconditionally Looking to the future with hope Being joyful Expressing gratitude God’s Guide for Grandparents draws on sacred Scripture, the example of the saints, the teachings of the Church, the writings of Pope Francis, and anecdotes from today’s grandparents. Grandchildren are always watching. Make the most of your opportunity to have a positive and lasting impact in their lives.