So You're Going To Be a Dad [Paperback]

Peter Downey (Author), Nik Scott (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 2000

For the first-time dad, useful and practical information about pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care, including: what to say--and what not to say--when you hear the news; taking care of moms-to-be; what childbirth feels like; crying, diapers, and bathtime; and baby-proofing the home.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Downey teaches high-school English in Australia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1 edition (March 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555612415
• ISBN-13: 978-1555612412
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter Downey is on executive staff at a Christian school in Sydney, Australia. The author of three marriage and parenting books, including So You're Going to be a Dad, he was listed in The Bulletin magazine as one of Australia's Top Ten parenting authors. He is also author of Everything You Want to Know about the Bible (co-authored with Ben Shaw), a book about Jesus for the Bible Society, and has written for a range of journals and publications. Although he has a Bachelor, Masters, and Doctoral degrees in Arts and Education and a diploma in Biblical Studies, he feels like a guy writing a book about automotive engineering when all he's done is worked part-time in a carwash. He and his wife have three daughters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Let me save you $12.95, April 7, 2004

By 

James L. Walls "sixtoe" (Ridley Park, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: So You're Going To Be a Dad (Paperback)

This is NOT a "guide," as the back cover suggests. It's an English teacher's attempt at comedy writing...cornball comedy. As in, If you love the TV show "Yes, Dear," this might be for you. The basic message is that dealing with a pregnant wife sucks, raising a baby sucks, but fatherhood has some nice benefits. Thanks, Dr. Spock. Consider this passage from the end of the book: "And now that you've almost finished this tome, I'll let you in on a little secret...Nothing can really prepare you for being a father. I hope you're not disappointed, but I had to put this earth-shattering statement at the end of the last chapter, otherwise you might not have read the book." I wish I'd read this page first, so I could have missed out on some of the half-truths and misinformation the author buries between half-assed jokes.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars don't waste your money, December 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: So You're Going To Be a Dad (Paperback)

This book has to be one of the lamest books I have ever read. There is very little useful information and every page contains dumb joke after dumb joke. The best advice I can give is to stay clear of this one.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good for some.....but not me., February 5, 2006

By 

DJ Rippon (Gold Coast, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: So You're Going to Be a Dad (Paperback)

If you're one of those Dads-to-be sitting on the edge of your seat, chewing your fingers to the bone thinking "oh no, my life is over now", then this book is for you, because it will definitely help to reinforce those thoughts. Personally, I'm over the moon that I'm going to be a Dad and can't wait for the big day. Hence why after reading a few chapters of this book I couldn't understand why I suddenly felt disturbed about the prospect. I found that throwing the book across the room fixed that though (much to my wife's amusement) and the book is now sitting on the shelf at my local 2nd hand book store....