Customer Reviews

Go the F**k to Sleep

5 star:		(420)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(108)

 

 

I had the pleasure of reading a promotional copy of Go the F*#k to Sleep as did many other people it seems. Immediately after finishing, I knew I had to come onto Amazon and pre-order this book. I haven't read anything else by Adam Mansbach before, but this introduction has me hooked. As the father of 2 children, I've more than once screamed the title of this book in my own head. I've never actually shared these thoughts with anyone other than my wife, so it's good to finally know that this not-quite-inappropriate rage isn't unique to me.

In this small book, Mr. Mansbach has illuminated and put into perspective one of the greatest frustrations everyone faces in the first few years as a parent -- putting their child to sleep. I honestly can't imagine a non-parent getting much enjoyment out of this book. I feel the humor lays purely within having experienced firsthand the adventure of putting a child to sleep every day for weeks . . . months . . . and years. If anything, I'd think some people would be horrified by the fact that parents would not only identify with the situation presented, but have said the title of this book many, many, many times. The reality is that we all regularly have angry thoughts we would never say aloud (in both social and professional situations). Thinking these thoughts can be a way of coping with displeasing situations -- of de-stressing.

The contrast between Mr. Mansbach's brutally honest and wonderfully lyrical prose and Mr. Cortes' beautifully genuine paintings creates another level of hilarity. Richard Cortes' artwork in these pages is so sincere and sublime that I truly believe a non-English reader who picked up this book would have no idea it was meant for adults.

I was ultimately astounded that Go the F**k to Sleep proved to be a near-cathartic experience for me. In the few weeks since I've read this book, I've found that putting my children to sleep isn't nearly as disheartening as the task had been before. Rather, when my son now asks me for a fifth stuffed animal and "Where mommy?" for the tenth time, a smile creeps onto my face just thinking of this book. This book has allowed me to not only laugh at my children's ingenuity and endurance at avoiding bedtime, but at my annoyance at the whole farce as well.

Do not buy this book if you are a first time new parent- you won't get it.

Do not buy this book if you have perfect kids- you won't get it.

And definately do not buy this book if you dislike swearing- you will hate it.

But for those who have kids that find every excuse not to go to bed and get driven nuts at night trying to be patient- this is hilarious!

We all love our kids and this book says what goes through our minds sometimes but would never say.

I can't imagine anyone more qualified to do the audio version of this book than Samuel L Jackson. It's genius. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I highly recommend this to anyone, especially someone who has struggled with a small child at bedtime.

I got this book pre-ordered as a mothers day gift, I finally got it. I laughed so hard!

It is a great book if you have a sense of humor!

Do NOT read to kids of course, it's adult humor!

Do NOT get this if you do not like swearing

I laughed the whole way through, my friends all enjoyed it! You will get this book if you have problems at night time with your children. Great book!!

To this small book I can relate.
For many nights do parents wait
Until angelic tots are sleeping,
When after endless bouts of weeping,
Or running wild and restless rolling
When no amount of Mom's cajoling,
Or bribes, or threats, warm milk or juice
Or even smacks on the caboose,
Can get those f#cking eyes shut tight
So Mom and Dad can play at night.

Amanda Richards, June 17, 2011

There are a lot of cheap parodies of Margaret Wise Brown's classic Goodnight Moon, with varying degrees of cleverness (unfortunately, usually not very good). This could have been just another, and certainly would have gotten a lot of buzz based on the title alone.

I couldn't help taking a look, figuring at the worst, it'd be something like Baby, Mix Me a Drink (Baby Be of Use) from McSweeney's. But, it's actually a very sweet look at the troubles and frustrations of being a new parent. Having a child turns your life upside down, no matter how prepared you think you are for it, and, yeah, it's hard. Sure, this is a joke book, and the humor is certainly in the inappropriate profanity, but underneath, there's the touching honesty of a loving parent who can admit that it doesn't all just come easily.

And, unlike those cheap parodies, the words and rhythms actually scan pretty well. Huh; look at that. I suppose with an endorsement from David Byrne on the back cover, that's the least one could hope for.

Anyway, this highly recommended as a gift for anyone with a first child aged three to six months. Not only will the new parents laugh, they'll be able to relate.

I am not a person who swears, so I never thought I'd buy this book. But I not only bought one for me but also one for my son who has a 2 year old, 4 year old, and seven year old. We sat together tonight as he read it and we laughed so hard we had to constantly stop reading to get our breathe back. I told him I was sleep deprived for five years after I had him. He told me this book was "his life" and he knew his wife would love it, too! The illustrations are beautiful and contrast wonderfully with the verses.

Oh wow! I love this book! Our 7 month old just reached teething; my patient, loving husband ordered this & when it arrived last week he read it to me after our son was (finally) conked out.
I laughed so hard I had to run to the bathroom in mid-rhyme during my husband's storytime!
Awesome! So worth the price to be able to laugh that hard with my parent-partner. I love my son, we all love our kids, and the sanity we give up as conscientiously-parenting adults makes bonding experiences like this so worth it!

My favorite parts are actually the pics: the kid running naked into the hall (all you see is the shadow of a bare bum), the bright-eyed awake child amid the peaceful slumbering animals, and the blessed papa taking the toddler back to bed while mama sleeps on the couch. Beautiful.
For all the partners & dads who care for the kids, while mom sleeps, I thank you!
Occasionally I've needed that primal scream, but this book helped even more when my loving son bit me yesterday with his cute little sharp teeth.

I just received my copy today, and I think it's hilarious. As a parent who has spent many nights frustrated while trying to get my son to just SLEEP already, this book cracks me up. Is it for children? Absolutely not. Is it going to win any literature awards? Definitely not. But it is very funny, the illustrations are beautiful, and if you have a little twisted side to your sense of humor, you will love this book. It makes a great gift, though I would give it new parents at their child's first birthday - not the baby shower, because they won't appreciate it yet at that point.

To the reviewers who have a problem with the curse words - look at the title! If it wasn't full of foul language, it wouldn't be funny! Don't buy the book if you're offended by cursing or if you're afraid your child might get ahold of it. Personally, I plan on saving this book and giving it to my son if and when he has his own children someday.

This book is for parents who have been known to make up their own twisted nursery rhymes and song lyrics in their heads while spending countless nights trying to get a child to just go to sleep, asking "Why? Why???? For the love of Pete, why won't you just SLEEP???"

My husband and I loved it! We wondered how this author made it into our house to watch our evening ritual... even the last page and the illustration matches our house. Me asleep on the sofa... Daddy putting our child BACK to bed... grrrr

Give it to parents of little ones and they will love it!