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Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood
Verfasst von Michael Lewis
Gesprochen von Dan John Miller
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Mit Anhören beginnenAnmerkung des Herausgebers
‘Moneyball’ meets fatherhood…
Author Michael Lewis (“Moneyball”) knows the ins and outs of sports and markets, but he had no clue how to raise a baby when his first kid was born. “Home Game” is a frank, engaging, and funny account of how Lewis grew up (and into being a father) as he bumbled his way through figuring out how to keep his children alive (and thriving).
Beschreibung
When he became a father, Michael Lewis found himself expected to feel things that he didn't feel, and to do things that he couldn't see the point of doing. At first this made him feel guilty, until he realized that all around him fathers were pretending to do one thing, to feel one way, when in fact they felt and did all sorts of things, then engaged in what amounted to an extended cover-up.
Lewis decided to keep a written record of what actually happened immediately after the birth of each of his three children. This audiobook is that record. But it is also something else: maybe the funniest, most unsparing account of ordinary daily household life ever recorded, from the point of view of the man inside. The remarkable thing about this story isn't that Lewis is so unusual. It's that he is so typical. The only wonder is that his wife has allowed him to publish it.
Buchaktionen
Mit Anhören beginnenInformationen über das Buch
Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood
Verfasst von Michael Lewis
Gesprochen von Dan John Miller
Anmerkung des Herausgebers
‘Moneyball’ meets fatherhood…
Author Michael Lewis (“Moneyball”) knows the ins and outs of sports and markets, but he had no clue how to raise a baby when his first kid was born. “Home Game” is a frank, engaging, and funny account of how Lewis grew up (and into being a father) as he bumbled his way through figuring out how to keep his children alive (and thriving).
Beschreibung
When he became a father, Michael Lewis found himself expected to feel things that he didn't feel, and to do things that he couldn't see the point of doing. At first this made him feel guilty, until he realized that all around him fathers were pretending to do one thing, to feel one way, when in fact they felt and did all sorts of things, then engaged in what amounted to an extended cover-up.
Lewis decided to keep a written record of what actually happened immediately after the birth of each of his three children. This audiobook is that record. But it is also something else: maybe the funniest, most unsparing account of ordinary daily household life ever recorded, from the point of view of the man inside. The remarkable thing about this story isn't that Lewis is so unusual. It's that he is so typical. The only wonder is that his wife has allowed him to publish it.
Über den Autor
Rezensionen
Too many stereotypical stories about exaggerated modern parenting. One nice lesson: One learns to love a baby by helping it with everything, even if the baby does not know you personally. A bit boring.
I'm not really sure why I read this. I'm not a father, and it seems increasingly likely that I'll never be one. I've liked Lewis' previous writing (although I've only read Moneyball, The Big Short, and a few of his articles), so maybe I was just hoping for a fresh take on a somewhat stale genre.
Instead, Lewis provides exactly what you might expect: a collection of humorous vignettes about a dumb father (a la Homer Simpson), his precocious kids, and his put-upon wife. It's certainly amusing and sweet, but the closest it gets to any particularly fresh insight is his suggestion that we're in a middle era of fatherhood, transitioning away from fathers who had nothing to do with child-rearing to some platonic ideal of fatherhood (ETA unknown).
The book was clearly thrown together somewhat haphazardly, collected from random notes and blog entries. On the plus side, this probably contributes to the book's fast pace, but also leaves it feeling unfinished. He repeats a couple jokes and lacks any consistent narrative thread.
Essentially, if it were longer I would have liked it a lot less, but it's hard to find too much fault with this quick, albeit unambitious, read.
Instead, Lewis provides exactly what you might expect: a collection of humorous vignettes about a dumb father (a la Homer Simpson), his precocious kids, and his put-upon wife. It's certainly amusing and sweet, but the closest it gets to any particularly fresh insight is his suggestion that we're in a middle era of fatherhood, transitioning away from fathers who had nothing to do with child-rearing to some platonic ideal of fatherhood (ETA unknown).
The book was clearly thrown together somewhat haphazardly, collected from random notes and blog entries. On the plus side, this probably contributes to the book's fast pace, but also leaves it feeling unfinished. He repeats a couple jokes and lacks any consistent narrative thread.
Essentially, if it were longer I would have liked it a lot less, but it's hard to find too much fault with this quick, albeit unambitious, read.
I read this right after reading a mom's memoir, so it was a totally interesting change of perspective. Sweet and self effacing, a good read. Taken from his journals after the birth of each of his three children. Would make a nice gift for and expectant dad. He is very involved in his kid's lives, but we all know that dads deal with things way differently than moms. A great perspective.
Michael Lewis wrote The Blind Side about the life of Baltimore Raven's player Michael Oher. I happened to see this book, Home Game, at the library and recognized Lewis' name. It was a small book and I figured that it would be a quick read. WOW!!! It's a hilarious take on his first few years of fatherhood with some very funny stories thrown in about his younger daughter when she was three years old. This is a great book to take along with you when you know that you'll have a few minutes to read. Each chapter is its own story, so you can spend little bits of time reading. Enjoy!
I'm about to become a father and so far these are the most honest words about fatherhood that I've encountered (at least they feel that way since I don't know for sure yet). Michael writes about the misery that comes with being a father while revealing, in a very raw and witty way, how satisfying it also is.
By turns amusing and honest, Mr. Lewis gives us a glimpse of his experiences in becoming a father. Along the way he shares feelings that many of us parents have, but hesitate to acknowledge. He also reveals some important truths about how we become parents - precisely by going through those "yucky" moments caring for our children, we develop that elusive bond and bottomless love. Quick read.
This was a collection of essays, several of which I had already read online. Gets 4 stars because I still love his writing, and because the topic of new parenthood is fun for me right now.
As of writing this review, I am just over a month away from becoming a father myself, and Michael Lewis' first-person account is more relevant than ever for me. If I weren't frequently bursting out laughing, I would be thoroughly unnerved by his experience. I sincerely hope he's mostly joking. This is an event I've looked forward to for most of my life even though I know the trail is fraught with countless unknowns and sleepless nights.
I laughed my butt off. Plus, he is a great writer. Win-win!
This really didn't do it for me I'm afraid.I have less of a problem with the author, whom I can tell from this book is obviously talented and a capable fellow. My problem lies with the subject matter.I love my kids, I am a family man. However I couldn't give too hoots about Mr Lewis's, and nothing in this book made me care. They overcome no adversity, live quite privilaged lives in the richest state of the richest country in the world.Yes, kids say funny things. yes kids do funny things but yours are not unique Mr Lewis. I'm sure every parent can think of a dozen more interesting stories to fill a book with.Please fair reader, instead of spending the 2-3 hours required in reading this book, go and play with your own kids or your nieces, nephews, cousins etc- you'll have a heck of a lot more fun.
Teaser: If you have a weak mind, are unable to turn off your "I am sooo offended brain cells", wear polyester shorts, have plastic on your furniture, and just can't bear to see a naughty word, skip this review.
Take 1: My wife and I are listening to this while driving up into Minnesota on vacation (mixed in with some of my favorite old Booknotes shows with Brian Lamb -- the guy is the best, bar none, interviewer around -- when she nods off.) She's not nodding off because of the book because it has had us laughing our heads off.
There are so many funny scenes, it's hard to pick a favorite, but I think the funniest was when, Dixie, his 3-year-old daughter runs to the defense of her 6 year-old sister who is being bothered by some older boys in the childrens' pool while Lewis is right next door in the adult wading area keeping an eye on things. "You teasing boys, you motherfucking assholes," she screams at them in his loudest voice, whereupon, the mother of one of the boys yells at her son for teaching bad words to the little girl. Lewis meanwhile, is imitating an alligator in the pool, only his eyes and ears showing. Not his kid. Priceless.
Another great episode is his camping outing with his older daughter at an amusement park where they serve a great meal for the kids, probably the only one any of the dad's had ever seen their kids eat without them whining or crying: hamburgers, chips, soda, and doughnuts. Of course, she wants her dad's sleeping bag and wants to exchange. Should be no problem except her's is 4 feet long. And it's necessary to wake dad up every 30 minutes to ask a question. And then the "fucking" birds start singing at 6 in the morning just as they drift off to sleep. Classic
Take 2 tomorrow. Finished the book shortly after leaving. If you have children, you will love this book. If not, too bad. Besides being quite funny, it has it very poignant moments. He makes a distinction between the almost instant bonding with the mother. Fathers bond more slowly, but he notes that you really never love someone until you have to care for it. The classic example was his newborn son, third child, who developed RSV (look it up) and had to spend time in the hospital to regain his strength to breath (it's a respiratory virus.) Lewis was finally so upset with the interruptions from staff to just check on his kid, waking him up and disturbing him that he barricaded the door, did the aspirations himself and checked the monitors. When a student doctor slipped in while he was in the bathroom, Lewis peremptorily threw him out. "Can't I just check him?" was the plaintive query. "No, get out." was Lewis' response. Great scene. His child got better faster too.
I remember something happening with my daughter reminiscent of Lewis' experience. We found a book not long ago with "I hate Dad, he is so mean," carboned on the cover. My daughter, enamored of carbon paper had inadvertently permanently enshrined her feelings at that moment. Lewis' daughter did something similar, writing "Dad is so mean." But she forgot she had done it a week later.
Lots of fun to listen to with your spouse. Oh yes, the description of getting the vasectomy is classic too. As is the one where he thinks his daughter has reported to her teachers that Dad has a small penis. Very funny.
Take 1: My wife and I are listening to this while driving up into Minnesota on vacation (mixed in with some of my favorite old Booknotes shows with Brian Lamb -- the guy is the best, bar none, interviewer around -- when she nods off.) She's not nodding off because of the book because it has had us laughing our heads off.
There are so many funny scenes, it's hard to pick a favorite, but I think the funniest was when, Dixie, his 3-year-old daughter runs to the defense of her 6 year-old sister who is being bothered by some older boys in the childrens' pool while Lewis is right next door in the adult wading area keeping an eye on things. "You teasing boys, you motherfucking assholes," she screams at them in his loudest voice, whereupon, the mother of one of the boys yells at her son for teaching bad words to the little girl. Lewis meanwhile, is imitating an alligator in the pool, only his eyes and ears showing. Not his kid. Priceless.
Another great episode is his camping outing with his older daughter at an amusement park where they serve a great meal for the kids, probably the only one any of the dad's had ever seen their kids eat without them whining or crying: hamburgers, chips, soda, and doughnuts. Of course, she wants her dad's sleeping bag and wants to exchange. Should be no problem except her's is 4 feet long. And it's necessary to wake dad up every 30 minutes to ask a question. And then the "fucking" birds start singing at 6 in the morning just as they drift off to sleep. Classic
Take 2 tomorrow. Finished the book shortly after leaving. If you have children, you will love this book. If not, too bad. Besides being quite funny, it has it very poignant moments. He makes a distinction between the almost instant bonding with the mother. Fathers bond more slowly, but he notes that you really never love someone until you have to care for it. The classic example was his newborn son, third child, who developed RSV (look it up) and had to spend time in the hospital to regain his strength to breath (it's a respiratory virus.) Lewis was finally so upset with the interruptions from staff to just check on his kid, waking him up and disturbing him that he barricaded the door, did the aspirations himself and checked the monitors. When a student doctor slipped in while he was in the bathroom, Lewis peremptorily threw him out. "Can't I just check him?" was the plaintive query. "No, get out." was Lewis' response. Great scene. His child got better faster too.
I remember something happening with my daughter reminiscent of Lewis' experience. We found a book not long ago with "I hate Dad, he is so mean," carboned on the cover. My daughter, enamored of carbon paper had inadvertently permanently enshrined her feelings at that moment. Lewis' daughter did something similar, writing "Dad is so mean." But she forgot she had done it a week later.
Lots of fun to listen to with your spouse. Oh yes, the description of getting the vasectomy is classic too. As is the one where he thinks his daughter has reported to her teachers that Dad has a small penis. Very funny.