Measuring Up

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A tender memoir of fathers and sons, love and loss, and learning to fill boots a size too big. Dan Robson's father, Rick, was a builder and fixer whose high-school education enabled him to provide for his family and build a successful business. When Rick dies, Dan's world feels unsteady, and the home his father constructed suddenly seems fragile. Without its caretaker, the house and family show signs of crumbling. Dan, especially affected, realizes he is not the man his father was. Lacking the blue-collar skills he admired, he instead pursued writing, a path his father encouraged. With his father's passing, Dan feels a deep longing to connect with him again, which draws him to the unused tools in the garage. Thus begins his year of learning the skills his father mastered, as he attempts to fill the steel-toe boots left behind. Dan works on the house and truck, motivated by both family and personal growth. In his journey, he discovers the mysteries and satisfaction of plumbing, carpentry, wiring, and drywalling, while uncovering poignant reminders of his father's character and legacy. This memoir is a heartfelt exploration of love, mourning, and the journey to understand what it means to be a man.