To Dear Carlman - A Letter from 200 American Celebrities to a Boy

Author: (American) Calvin Gabriel
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Every parent hopes their child will succeed: receive a good education, possess sufficient knowledge and skills to maintain a confident life; find joy in family and friends; fulfill civic duties, participate in community activities. What matters most—when they leave, children should be able to independently start a meaningful and wonderful life.
Children aged 12 to 15 are in early adolescence, where they begin to seriously consider questions: Who are we? What should we believe in? What can we do for this world? Etc. Many of them will face various temptations in life for the first time. If they are not told how to find these answers or make the right choices, their life’s boat will drift in place for the next few years, “even finally running aground. Reading this book and referring to the experts’ advice to let children choose their own path in life is the best opportunity for every child and every parent.
This book is specifically written for middle school students, especially those in junior and senior high school. It primarily collects letters written by 200 successful individuals from various fields of the United States to a boy, answering a “short, direct, but not simple” question from different perspectives: “If you could give me advice for my life, what would it be?” The letters span three years, from the boy’s 12th to his 15th birthday. The responses vary among the authors, but they are all generally positive. Examples include: “Don’t waste time wishing to be someone else; discover yourself and be yourself,” “To survive in this competitive world, you must work hard—there is no shortcut,” “Go to school, get a college degree, and understand how different and diverse this planet and its people are,” “Listen to your parents and teachers, and learn to use your own judgment,” “Wherever you are, make sure to receive the best education possible—languages, mathematics, science, philosophy, art, music, etc.—and try to write something,” “Stay humorous,” “Spend less time in front of the TV and online, and maintain several hours of reading daily,” “Friendship, love, and work are the sources of happiness,” “Set goals and believe in yourself,” “Education is a key to the future; if you use it wisely, you may open many doors,” “Participate in various activities and develop your teamwork skills,” “Be honest and work hard.” These suggestions are equally applicable to Chinese children.
The book is organized not in chronological order but by the authors’ professions, divided into nine parts: celebrities in entertainment, writers, outstanding athletes, politicians, business magnates, lawyers and judges, scientists, university presidents, and Nobel laureates, etc. Biographical resumes of the authors are included at the end of the book. Each letter is concise, many consisting of just a few sentences, usually taking up one page, with the longest not exceeding two pages. The design preserves the original appearance of the letters, with many using the authors’ handwritten copies to convey the rich atmosphere and authenticity of the correspondence. Additionally, it includes numerous celebrity photos and occasional cartoons, adding highlights to the book and sparking readers’ interest.
Every parent hopes their child will succeed: receive a good education, possess sufficient knowledge and skills to maintain a confident life; find joy in family and friends; fulfill civic duties, participate in community activities. What matters most—when they leave, children should be able to independently start a meaningful and wonderful life. Children aged 12 to 15 are in early adolescence, where they begin to seriously consider questions: Who are we? What should we believe in? What can we do for this world? Etc. They will face various temptations in life for the first time. If they are not told how to find these answers or make the right choices, their life’s boat will drift in place for the next few years, “even finally running aground. Reading this book and referring to the experts’ advice to let children choose their own path in life is the best opportunity for every child and every parent.