ARPress proudly celebrates Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Five Sunrises: Dad Stories by Leah Ambler Hawkins, a compelling and heartwarming collection of family-centered vignettes that blends humor, memory, and heartfelt reflection. In an era when millions of books are released each year, works that achieve meaningful recognition do so because they speak with clarity, courage, and resonance. Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Five Sunrises is one such work: a lively, poignant anthology of “dad stories” that honors the life and spirit of John Estall Berry Jr., capturing everyday moments that make us laugh, think, and reminisce.
The book’s recent feature in the Sunday Los Angeles Times Calendar section on December 21, 2025, stands as a defining moment in its publishing journey. To be included in this publication is to enter a lineage of creative works that have shaped cultural conversation for more than a century. The Los Angeles Times, the nation’s largest metropolitan daily newspaper and a Pulitzer Prize–winning institution, has long been a trusted voice in journalism, arts, and literature. Its Sunday edition, the most widely read and influential of the week, offers unparalleled reach and authority, presenting featured works to millions of engaged readers across print and digital platforms. Placement in such a forum is not merely promotional; it is a form of literary validation that reflects both artistic merit and enduring relevance.
This recognition affirms ARPress’s commitment to championing works that reflect excellence in storytelling and purpose. Featuring Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Five Sunrises in the Sunday Los Angeles Times underscores the book’s ability to connect across audiences, offering readers a narrative that is at once deeply personal and universally meaningful. In a publishing landscape shaped by speed and saturation, this distinction signals a rare and meaningful pause, a moment in which a book is invited to be read with attention and care.
Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Five Sunrises is a collection of humorous episodes concerning the life of John Estall Berry Jr., lovingly recounted by the author, who often participated in these “dad stories.” While Berry only lived a short time, each day was filled with both joyful and teachable moments. Through these stories, the book invites readers to smile, laugh, cry, and reflect on the moments that shape family life and legacy, told with wit, affection, and authenticity.
ARPress is honored to support Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Five Sunrises and its author, Leah Ambler Hawkins, as the collection continues to reach readers who find within its pages reflections of their own joys, challenges, and cherished memories. In sharing these stories, the book reminds us that everyday lives and the lessons they offer can inspire laughter, compassion, and meaningful reflection.
A Sunday Los Angeles Times feature is not merely an advertisement; it is a mark of excellence and a testament to the power of storytelling in a competitive and ever-evolving literary world.