Review of Firstborn Daddyman

[Winnrich]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Firstborn Daddyman" by Frank Bailey.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Frank Bailey's non-fictional story Firstborn Daddyman chronicles the account of the author's journey through a life filled with love, rivalry, happiness, suffering, loss, gain, hope, and redemption. Frank Bailey takes his readers on a journey through his life in this book, bringing to light important events that have moulded him. His struggles through a street life of drug dealing and addiction, thefts, womanizing, his admittance into the marine service, his imprisonments, missed opportunities owing to his countless wrong judgments and character faults, and eventual restoration through faith in God are some of the events he highlighted.

Despite being raised in a Christian home with a mother who sought to shield her son from the influences of the streets and a grandmother who was a preacher, the author was finally drawn into a life of drugs and crime. At the tender age of 15, he had already learnt the art of boxing and selling weed. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17, a decision that would have provided him with a lot of stability in his life if it hadn't been for some severe character defects and unfortunate twists. After being discharged from the Marine Corps, the author spent the rest of his youth living on the wild side of life.
His youthful years were spent travelling from place to place, getting high, dealing drugs and any other thing he could to keep the cash coming, fathering children with different women, getting incarcerated and everything in between. After squandering so many opportunities towards living a better life, he eventually committed to God in his fifties when he got to a deadlock, hence, opening up a new chapter of his life and beginning the work of restoration.

The book is entertaining to read as well as enlightening. I liked how the author could be quite specific in his descriptions of events anytime he wanted, making the readers feel as if they were truly there witnessing it unfold in front of their eyes. However, while he would be very detailed in describing some events, such as in Chapter 5 where he took the readers on a journey to the islands and Chapter 9 where he narrated his ordeal as a drug kingpin, he would give very little information in other areas, leaving the readers confused and disconnected from the story. Some examples can be found in chapter 7, where he discusses how many people have skeletons in their closets and how various people cope with abuse, particularly family-related abuse, in different ways. Here, he leaves the reader to wonder whether he was indeed abused by his family and if this was one of the elements that shaped his outlook on life. Also, in chapter 8, he informs the readers that he has overcome his addiction and had gone to rehab, but he does not go into depth about his experience. He also mentioned his second wife, although he was vague regarding when and how they met, despite the fact that she had played a significant role in his efforts to live a more regular and responsible life. The story had a lot of gaps that if filled would have made it far more enjoyable and comprehensive.

I also noticed that the writer tended to emphasize the mistakes he had made in life and the consequences he had suffered as a result, but he did not go into detail about the major events that eventually transformed him, such as his stay at the rehabilitation centre. I believe that elaborating on these events would have been extremely beneficial to some readers who may be in similar situations and seeking a solution.

Another observation I made was that at some points there were no ordered or proper utilization of tenses. Present tense was used where past tense should have been used. It also didn't have the feel of a formal piece of writing, which I actually appreciated. The author appeared to be writing in the same manner as he spoke, which made it feel as if he was telling me the story directly and helped me relate to it even more.

All things considered, the book is quite enjoyable, however, the overall execution is lacking. The text would definitely benefit from some proofreading and editing. I give this book 3 out of 4 stars for the message it conveys and how it is presented.

Overall, I found the book to be quite inspiring, and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a message of hope and redemption.

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Firstborn Daddyman
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[Regard003]

People see God as last alternative instead of only alternative. Good thing he turned to God eventually though. Nice story, lovely review

[Akangbe Opeyemi]

Learning about life by seeing into what another man has gone through. I haven't read this book, but this review has made me see how the author was trying to tell how his personal life has been. This could help people who read the book learn some life lessons and avoid making some decisions they might end up regretting. Great review!

[KingPraise001]

Reading this review alone I come into the understanding that, I shouldn't waste my life on frivolities and vanity. Even though God will accept us when we repent, the time wasted can't be brought back. Thanks for the review.

[Jossy_04]

Reading this review made me think deeply about my personal life. God has a way of redefining someone’s life even after living a life not worthy of forgiveness. Captivating review!
Thanks for bringing out those words especially redemption.

[Oyedele Tomijane]

It is never too late to repent and make a change. While I know it is better later than never, the people who were hurt in the process and the opportunities lost would prevent anyone from reaching their full potential. Thank you for such an informative review. It was interesting to read your thoughts on this book.

[Ekanem Onyinye Uduak-Abasi]

There is always hope and redemption for anyone, no one is too far gone. I am glad he learnt that. Thank you for the review

[Juliette1812]

Your review makes me want to read the book immediately. I love a book that emphasizes on God and our relationship with him.

[OEA_]

I admire the vulnerability the author must have given in writing this book. I got a sneak peek from the review. I'm glad he had a happy ending to his story regardless of all this review shows.
I'll love to read this book, actually. Thank you for a captivating review.

[DekuSHUN]

This sounds like the writer definitely went through a lot of ordeals and experiences especially with drugs, imagine selling weed at such a tender age, a lot of people don't usually come back from that....all in all, I'm glad he got out from that lifestyle

[Ikeoluwa 02]

I have seen from this review that in all that happens, God is still the only hope no matter other sources if hope people think. I like books that bring hope, I hope to go through the book some time soon.

[Uniquekemmie]

A story of hope, redemption and restoration always appeals to me. I especially love this one as I can see from your review that despite the reckless and vain life the author lived, he eventually found true life in God and was given another chance. This book will definitely show youths the right path, and reveal what to avoid in the journey of life. You did an awesome job with the review!

[Ghrey Thel]

I love when author's can tell their life story well detailed and keeping it interesting. Thank you for this review, you did a brilliant job

[Edet Joy]

This review has me captivated by the book. I hope it'll help to build a stronger relationship between me and God.

[Lucy2005]

It pleases me that the author found hope and redemption at last!. The fact that the book talks about the relationship between man and God appeals to me.