Time to Thank: Caregiving for My Hero

After his father—the hero and strength of the family—is diagnosed with kidney failure, actor Steve Guttenberg dedicates himself to becoming a caregiver and reflects on their life together, from childhood through his Hollywood career, in his father’s final years. Since moving to Hollywood at age seventeen, Steve Guttenberg has delighted and moved audiences with his film and television work. But when his father is diagnosed with kidney failure, Steve has to step into a new and wholly unexpected role: caretaker. In Time to Thank, Steve tracks his weekly road trips from Los Angeles to Arizona to care for his father and the ways in which his time on the road affords him the perspective to reflect on his life. Through the prism of his relationship with his father, Steve recounts his early life in Queens and Long Island; his early career as a rising Hollywood star, trying to find his way with the encouragement of his parents; and the painful and moving work of helping care for an ailing family member at the end of their life. From glamorous Hollywood parties and film sets around the world to the daily process of dialysis in suburban Phoenix, Steve offers his wit, empathy, and signature charm. This is a book for movie fans, road trip junkies, and anyone who finds themselves doing the hard work of caring for an aging loved one. Steve Guttenberg serves as a uniquely perceptive guide through all these phases of life, with a story that is certain to touch readers and make sure they know that they’re not alone.