(Following is the title chapter, “Fathers, Sonsand Old Guns”, of my most recent book. The bookis currently available at Amazon.com)It began for the boy along about the Christmasof his sixth or seventh year. Dawn was still an houror more away when the youngster creptout of bed. Peering sleepily around thecorner through the living room door, hiseyes scanned the brightly-wrapped packagesspangled …

As of Aug. 11, the dog days of summer are officially behindus – at least, according to the calendar. But somebodymight want to tell Louisiana.The “dog days” – that slow-cooked stretch ofheat and humidity – are often misunderstood.Many folks assume the phrase refers to anypoint in summer when it’s so hot the dogs (andpeople) are too worn out to move …