''''Picarella's wry observations on fatherhood and American life are spot-on. Consider his light and heartfelt essays to be a user's manual for dads.'''' - CHRIS ERSKINE, ''Los Angeles Times'' ''''While today's digitized and distracted families are generally depicted as wise-cracking and argumentative, Michael Picarella's column steadily reinforces the notion that families remain nurturing, character-building institutions built on love and caring, with a little zaniness around every corner.'''' - JIM SCHOCK, author of ''The Bridge: A Celebration,'' former ABC-TV Bureau Chief, West Coast ''''I really enjoy Michael's writing! His witty stories of his family life are not only charming, but very relatable.'''' - LACEY CHABERT, actress, ''Mean Girls,'' ''Party of Five,'' ''Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,'' ''The Wild Thornberrys'' Michael Picarella shares 70 collected stories and a fistful of family bits from his Southern California-based columns, Family Men Don't Wear Name Brands in The Acorn Newspapers and Picarella Family Report in The Signal. Picarella is a father, husband, columnist, filmmaker and cherry pie lover. He lives in L.A. with his wife, son and super beagle.