Please Open in the Event of My Death: A Father's Advice to His Daughters in Case Something Horrible Happens

Winner of the Best Indie Book Award for Non-Fiction: Fatherhood

"Deftly written with a great deal of wit and wisdom, making it a 'must read' choice for all fathers of small (and even not-so-small) children, Please Open in the Event of My Death is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to all . . . collections." —Midwest Book Review

A fear of flying inspired this book. Mark, a law firm partner in New York City, was consumed with the unavoidable truth that if his plane went down during one of his business trips, his four- and three-year old daughters would not remember a thing about him.

Mark proceeded to write a book of astute and often hilarious advice (as hinted by the long and unwieldy subtitle) that’s addressed to his children but geared toward adults. The life lessons from a longtime New York litigator are not corny or blindingly idealistic. He wants to tell his girls and us about the unwritten rules of the world, everything from character to friends to fear to social facility to work success to marriage to kids―in essence, a Manual for Life.

Throughout, Mark weaves in personal stories, including his fascinating childhood as the only child of a deep-cover CIA spy, the night he first met his Italian wife and determined that the Japanese-Chinese guy needed to show off his Roman-accented Italian, his transformation from a Clown About Town to a doting and sometimes grossly incompetent father, and the struggle to preserve his soul while being a litigator.

Drawing inspiration from sources as varied as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Prince, Tina Fey and a Nike ad, Mark’s poignant and sidesplitting debut will not just resonate with parents, but will also provide guidance to navigate the modern world.