Thumbs Up

Thumbs Up is a short, easy read detailing the death of Ben’s father when he was a mere 8 years old. After his mom had survived ovarian cancer, Ben’s dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor when Ben was 6 years old, much to Ben’s uncertainty and innocence. With seven kids, including three sets of twins, life for the Wessel family was hard. This memoir explains how life with a sick dad was and focuses on the years subsequent his death. Childhood, high school and college all proved a little different for Ben than for most people, and this book illustrates that. He also gives thanks to his family, especially his mom, while at the same time offering the reader advice based on the wisdom he so prematurely acquired.