Reinventing Yourself at 70: My Dad Joe Brown
When I was growing up, my dad Joe Brown was always my hero. He was a lawyer with his own firm in Chicago and literally the coolest dad around. All my friends called him Gorge because he was really gorgeous and super fun. Even though he had a 9-to-5 job, he always loved art. He sculpted, drew, and loved black and white photography. He would spend weekends and nights in the darkroom. I loved seeing the great shots he took, mainly portraits. He has also always been an amazing storyteller. My dad would make up these incredible stories about three kids who were kind of based on me, my brother, and sister. He also created a character, a New York City taxi driver named Marceau, who very much looked like him. Marceau has an incredible imagination and while driving a cab uses it to escape the doldrums and teach readers life lessons in story after story. A little like Dr. Seuss, it was all in rhyme. My dad put the stories down on paper and tucked them away in a drawer.
Ten years ago, when he turned 70, I wanted to do something to honor my amazing father, the man that supported me studying makeup in college. So I had 100 hard cover books printed of his story. I asked the bookshop in Telluride, Colorado to put a few in the window as a surprise for him. I will never forget how happy he was to see his tales in print.
The Flights of Marceau. (Photo: Instagram)
That moment was right before he was about to retire. It was an instant realization for him of what he wanted to do with his newfound time. He kept on writing and soon had his first book The Flight of Marceau published by Scholastic. The publisher loved it and sent him on a book tour. He loved talking about his work as an author and someone who decided to follow his true passion at age 70. He was interviewed by Al Roker on the Today show did radio and newspaper-interviews and even landed a spot in Parade.
The Flights of Marceau. (Photo: Instagram)
Fast-forward 10 years. He is now 80 (and even more handsome). He has published 9 books on The Flights of Marceau. He has even written a screenplay. While his books are for sale with help from Scholastic, he reads in schools all over the world and every kid gets a book to bring home. He just won a prestigious award with the Chicago Public Library. I am so proud or not only the person I call my father but the guy I call my best friend.
The Flights of Marceau. (Photo: Instagram)
He’s continued to self publish books and loves reading to kids in schools. In Telluride he read to the whole school. He’s magical with children. There’s nothing greater than watching him read to kids. My dad is currently writing a screenplay and has hired a summer intern who is working on his website and Instagram. He is a reminder that it is never too late to write your own story.
Visit him at theflightsofmarceau.com and follow him on Instagram.
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