Things I Learned About My Dad: Humorous and Heartfelt Essays, edited by the creator ofwww.dooce.com (Hardcover)

by Heather B. Armstrong (Editor)
Key Phrases: Star Wars, New York, Pacific Mist (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Compiled by Heather B. Armstrong, award-winning publisher and uber-mistress of the phenomenally popular dooce.com®, this hilarious and heartwarming celebration of "everything dad" features original stories from some of the country's most celebrated bloggers, including Alice Bradley (Finslippy) Doug French (Laid Off Dad), Maggie Mason (Mighty Girl), Matthew Baldwin (Defective Yeti), Sarah Brown (Que Sera Sera), and more.

From a new father's comparison of pregnancy to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, to a mother's story of bravely surviving a husband-son infatuation with Star Wars, to the mini triumphs and tragedies of toddlerhood, this book provides a unique, no-holds-barred glimpse into the quirks and candid moments of modern dads.

Whether we relish or fear growing up to be like our fathers...whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. Things I Learned about my Dad in Therapy touches upon the many joys and discoveries of fatherhood, one essay at a time.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; Reprint edition (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758216599
• ISBN-13: 978-0758216595
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #235,927 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars some essays are better than others, May 2, 2008

By	princess "a semi-serious chef" (new jersey) - See all my reviews

I'll admit to be intrigued by the concept of this book: a collection of essays by different bloggers on the topic of fathers (not necessarily fatherhood, per se) that was then edited by Heather Armstrong.

After having read it, I'll also admit that I found it uneven, probably because the writers all have such unique voices and I am not a fan of each and every person included in the book. My favorite essay is by Doug French of Laid Off Dad fame and for that essay alone I would encourage others to purchase (or at the very least, read) this book. The letter to his sons on the eve of his divorce is incredibly moving.

There were several other essays that were quite well written as well and others that just did not resonate with me. Essentially, if you enjoy reading certain blogs, then you will enjoy reading the longer essays by the authors of those blogs.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wanted to Love It... But Didn't, May 12, 2008

By	K. Miller - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was very excited for this compilation -- most of my year is spent buying grad school text books and things I don't necessarily deem "fun." On top of that, I really wanted all of these authors to succeed. Several of the authors' blogs are on my most-read list, and a couple of them are individuals whose words have really touched me in times when I needed it most (Heather Armstrong is one of those authors).

Unfortunately, in many cases that did not translate to the printed page. I was disappointed that much of Armstrong's contribution was published on her blog (for free, as someone previously noted), and Alice Bradley's essay in WonderTime, to which I subscribe. That eliminated quite a bit of the best writing in this book. I enjoyed a few of the other essays, but several just seemed to hint that perhaps the editor was hesitant to edit these online celebrities... or the essays were beyond saving, regardless of editing.

The fact that I was able to support these folks in what they aspire to do, however, still makes me happy. To those who comment on Dooce's "self-promotion," she's a business woman whose commodity happens to be herself and her words. She's entitled to promote herself. While I don't consider myself a diligent Dooce devotee, her words have pulled me through difficult times as a mother and I respect the ambition she and Jon Armstrong have in tailoring their family according to THEIR rules. These reviews are not intended to rate your feelings about Heather Armstrong (if they were, I'd tack on another star). They should rate the work.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Was hoping for more, but am still glad I supported these bloggers, May 6, 2008

By	J. Garlich (St Louis, MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was disappointed in the book, I'll admit it. At times reading the essasys felt like déjà vu, as a lot of the meat in some of the works had been featured previously on their personal websites. Both of Heather Armstrong's essays have, in part, been featured on her blog (Dooce) before.

Since I knew the outcome of the stories a lot of the excitement was lost. I was hoping for a new voice from her and it wasn't there. Especially considering this was her book, I expected the most from her (perhaps somewhat unfairly.) True, collections often feature writing that has been showcased elsewhere, And each writer that pulls from their own material, does add to it, but it didn't quite work as a whole.

This is not true, however, of all of the pieces. I truly enjoyed Doug French (of Laid off Dad, whose blog I had not read before this) and Jim Griffioen (of Sweet-Juniper, whose blog I do read) as stand alone works.

There are other strong essays in the collection, but none that rival Doug or Jim's. The other stronger essays felt like great blog pieces, but only average non-fiction pieces.

If you enjoy the bloggers featured in the book, I think you will enjoy the book. And it is worth purchasing just to support the bloggers and writers you enjoy on a daily basis. But this isn't a book I will keep coming back to.

The book simply doesn't stand alone as a collection (Doug & Jim's pieces are the exceptions.) Without the back story of the bloggers the book lacks real substance and makes it an unlikely gift, which is unfortunate.

And I know this is super picky, but the pull out quotes throughout the book drove me mad.