Jennifer Vogel`s father was a classic ne`er-do-well and petty criminal--and on top of everything else, he abandoned his family. But she adored him nonetheless, and when he finally killed himself (after being chased by the police) she was devastated, and knew she had lost an unusual and complex man. Here she writes with sympathy and regret about a man who loved classical music, the good life, and his children, but who couldn`t figure out how to live life within the bounds of normal society.