I had always believed that I left a bit of me wherever I went. I also believed that I took a bit of every place with me.

May your first word be adventure and last word love.

The most successful families embrace and elevate their family history, particularly their failures, setbacks and other missteps.

My name is Bruce Feiler, and I'm an explainaholic. I first heard this word used to describe Isaac Asimov, and I knew instantly that I suffered from the same condition. It's the incurable desire to tell, shape, share, occasionally exaggerate, often elongate, and inevitably bungle a good story.

Our instinct as parents is to order our kids around — it's easier, and frankly, we're usually right. [But] reverse the waterfall as much as possible. Enlist the children in their own upbringing.

Learning to heal ruptures is a key to having a successful relationship. Adam and Eve model that for all of us. In Hollywood love is a choice, and you live happily ever after. In real life love is a series of choices. You make the choice to be with a person over and over again.

Here's a confession: I hate parenting books. I hate the ones that are earnest and repetitive.