In Conversations with the Father , screenwriter and author Chris Matheson shares memories of his dad, famed horror and science fiction writer Richard Matheson. He recalls the warmth and affection his dad showed him as a child—their shared love for the Dodgers and family game nights—and recounts their later estrangement over the big questions: life, death, the unknown and unknowable. Through his own unique point of view as son, Matheson offers the reader rare insights into the wit, intellect, fears, and, later, regrets of the man who penned such classics as I Am Legend , What Dreams May Come , and The Shrinking Man —and the strongly held yet often chimeric personal religious and spiritual views that shaped many of his most memorable stories and characters. "I came to Chris Matheson’s Conversations with the Father expecting some insight into the life an author whose work influenced a generation of mystery, horror, and science fiction writers. The memoir provides that and more: it’s a glimpse into an obviously affectionate but troubled father-son relationship, a meditation on the way deeply-held beliefs can drive a wedge into family dynamics, and an implicit warning—perhaps especially to writers of imaginative fiction—about the importance of observing the bright line between fantasy and reality." —Robert Charles Wilson, Hugo Award–winning author of Spin "This book is ultimately an ode to the late Matheson, allowing readers to understand the famous author at his best and worst. Fans of the Mathesons and science fiction will easily be drawn in, but the memoir will also appeal to readers interested in questioning the meaning of life and uncovering how a person's beliefs influence their life and art." — Library Journal  Chris Matheson is a screenwriter whose credits include the Bill & Ted movies and Rapture-Palooza . He is also the author of The Story of God, The Trouble with God , and The Buddha's Story . He lives in Portland, Oregon.