Is it alright to love a book, because of a memory rather than the book itself. My passion for the Children’s book, Voyage of the Basset, does not come from the beautiful illustrations or elaborate imagery, though they are wonderful. Instead, it comes from the memory of my father’s parenting. In childhood, he held my hand and walked me to kindergarten. He cleaned my cuts and changed my diapers--of which he reminds me on a daily basis.

His most important contribution to my youth was the encouragement to believe. He taught me that “Believing is Seeing,” which is quoted in Latin, “Credendo Vides” in Voyage of the Basset. She who believes without concrete proof, will see most deeply. As nightly readings grew scarce and belief dwindled, the connection slipped away, but the memories remained. He became the man who taught me to believe, not the man who believed himself.