Good talk, dad The birds and the bees ... and other conversations we forgot to have

Longtime CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Bill Geist and his son, Willie, co-host of NBC's Today and MSNBC's Morning Joe, demonstrate down-to-earth charm in the audio edition of their book about the ups and downs of father-son relationships. While most of the material centers on lighthearted and irreverent anecdotes about parenting, the elder Geist gracefully transitions to the weighty topics of his experiences during the Vietnam War and his battle with Parkinson's disease. Bill, whose voice quivers slightly, reveals emotion without descending into gushing sentimentality. The younger Geist projects the "aw shucks" frat boy manner that has made him such a hit with morning viewers in recent years; his natural conversational delivery is well suited to the audiobook medium. Willie brings a whimsical tone to the discussion of careers, admitting that following in his dad's broadcasting footsteps was tied to a series of happy accidents. Fans of the Geists will relish the opportunity to hear their story in their own words and voices. A Grand Central hardcover. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Two veteran raconteurs face off to cover over four decades of family myths and legends.Co-host of NBC's Today 9 a.m. hour and MSNBC's Morning Joe, Willie Geist (American Freak Show: The Completely Fabricated Stories of Our New National Treasures, 2010, etc.) joins his father, columnist and TV journalist Bill Geist (Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small Town America, 2007, etc.) in canonizing both great and not-so-great moments in parenting and coming-of-age. The authors banter back and forth in their discussions of everything from a nonexistent father-son sex talk to Willie's summer camp to coaching Little League. Then there are the tales of underage drinking, how to cook up a fake ID, the family's Elvis cult and an uncle's/brother's pharmacopeia perfectly timed for special events. As in most families, there is one car handed down through the generations, in this case, a Jeep CJ-7. The authors interleave the chapters with sidebars entitled "Geist Date in History" that highlight small events that bear markinge.g., the day Willie met Donald Trump. Willie also includes a previously published story about taking his daughter to a Columbia University football game. The Geist family, the authors note, often perform rites of passage late, so this book is a chance "to cover our father-son bases retroactively." It's clear most of these stories have been told countless times; they're practiced and well-paced. However, new material about Bill's Vietnam tour and his battle with Parkinson's disease contain further revelations and have not been polished over the family dinner table. A strong father-son relationship shines through.Heavy on bad-boy behavior and sports, the book should come with a six-pack of cheap beer. A quick read that is not for everyone. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.