In “Dear Jay, Love Dad,” Jay Wilkinson shares letters from his father — legendary OU football coach Bud Wilkinson — during Jay’s college years in the early ’60s. Filled with wisdom and optimism, Jay talks about his father’s life and the lessons his dad taught him.

I have to say that I didn’t know a lot about Bud Wilkinson when I first picked up this book. I knew he was a famous OU coach with a long history of winning, but I knew nothing of his personal life or his time outside OU.

Jay, Bud’s youngest son, tells his dad’s story through letters Bud wrote to while Jay was at Duke (1960 to 1964).

Throughout football seasons, offers from the president, failed attempts to win

a seat in the Senate and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bud faithfully wrote his son about his life and always offered encouragement, love and support.

This book makes their lives sound so full and happy. Even through especially hard times, the family never seemed sad or even disappointed. Bud sounds like he was an amazing father, husband and friend.

I find that a little hard to believe in a few different parts of the book, just because I believe human nature isn’t that perfect. There is no doubt in my mind he was an exceptional family man and coach, but I just wish the book included more real problems.

I noticed that Bud divorced his first wife and quickly married again in 1976, but Jay doesn’t really talk about that. Instead, he talks about how his dad was disappointed sometimes but quickly moved on. This book clearly is about honoring Bud Wilkinson’s memory — and it does a great job — but I am the type of person who needs more conflict and raw feelings in a story to really get to know the main character.

This book gave me some insight into Bud’s life and thoughts, and it’s a good book for those who would like to learn more about him. I wish I could have heard more about Bud’s failures along with his triumphs because the Bud in this book makes most of us look inadequate.

Katie Piper is a journalism senior.

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secookc 3 months, 1 week ago

read "The Undefeated" by Jim Dent.

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