It's a Beautiful Life

These essays attempt to capture the essence of Thomas McInerney by telling the stories of his childhood, career and character. Father and daughter spent many hours in the interview process… Kris asking questions and Tom, sitting back in his desk chair and enjoying the opportunity to let his mind wander to his past. With laughter (and a few tears), Tom recalls the events of his life, both the seemingly inconsequential and the monumental, with astonishing detail. Kris has woven her father’s stories and memories into a series of essays that paint the picture of her father’s greatest achievements, both professional and personal, while at the same time giving the reader a true sense of the man. Combined with essays contributed by family and friends, the result is a entertaining collection of humorous tales, poignant memories and important life lessons.

In this book, Kris chronicles the life of Thomas E. McInerney, also known as “Dad.” Leveraging 45 years of direct observation augmented by countless hours of supplemental interviews and research fueled by wine and tequila, Kris explores her father’s life from the streets of Brooklyn to the patios of Westport, Connect i cut. Supplemented by guest essays from friends and family, Kris reveals how her father navigated early life in Brooklyn with three brothers and a crowd of friends occupying that space somewhere between rascals and hooligans through family life, corporate buyouts and philanthropic efforts that seamlessly combine scope, scale and heart. This is a tale of the road from a “shot of the red eye” to a great abundance of Far Niente. But mostly it’s a tale about the path life of a very good man, told by a gifted writer (who happens to be his loving daughter). “—Tom McInerney, brother (which explains the compliments)

Kris Jandora has a hard time calling herself an "author" considering her only true professional writing gig was a gossip column for the New York Daily News in the early '00s. Currently, she writes infrequent posts on her blog - www.whoneedsanap.me; daily Facebook status updates and Instagram captions; her kids' school weekly newsletter; and many, many hashtags. Kris lives on her couch in Connecticut with her husband, three kids and one very, very naughty dog.