The Man Who Would Be Dad (Capital Ideas) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "As Tina gently embraced our firstborn son, Grant, she greeted him with a glowing "Hi, Sweetie..." (more)
Key Phrases: Real Dad, Papa Bill, Father's Day (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Hilling, an instructor of expectant fathers and the founder of several Orange County fathers' networks, held his newborn son for the first time, it felt "awkward and anticlimactic." Only a few years later he was a stay-at-home dad devoted foremost to nurturing his three sons. In the brief, impressionistic vignettes that make up this tome, Hilling describes how he learned to be a father, shares stories about his kids and offers advice for other dads who may feel nervous or confused about their roles in their children's lives.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"He shares the lessons he learned along the way and his increasingly fatherly wisdom with humor and grace." -- Beth Snider, Kids VT

"Hogan (is) an elder statesman of the at-home dad movement…" -- Brian Reid, Washington Post

"The reader will enjoy Hogan’s development into a sensitive, caring father with strong relationships with his wife and sons." -- Elaine Butler, Support for Families of Children with Disabilities Newsletter

"Through sheer absorption, he would have ample information to pass along. Through keen perception, the book becomes more than that." -- Craig Beem, OC Family

"a good book for virtually any father to read.... I recommend this..." -- Tom Anderson, The Times for Fathers & Families

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 180 pages
• Publisher: Capital Books; 1 edition (February 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892123959
• ISBN-13: 978-1892123954
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,063,853 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Did we read the same book???, February 24, 2004

By	Jallen (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Would Be Dad (Capital Ideas) (Paperback)

First clue that this would be a book I wouldn't like; the "star" in the upper left of the cover states "A Gift Book for Dads". That's publisher code for "There's no way in heck a dad would buy this for himself".

One reviewer said, "...it was a quick read..." That's because there is practically no text to this book. Some pages consist of only two sentences (using "See Dick run" size text, to boot!).

Speaking of pages...I guess I needed to read the physical description of the book more closely. Anyone else notice the size of the book? I didn't until it arrived. It looks like one of those little books you used to buy in grade school for fifty cents.

Now to content... There isn't any. Well, that's not totally fair. The content is the same stuff you have between your ears...common sense. If you like reading bumper stickers of the "Visualize World Peace" variety, then by all means, buy this book!

As a relatively newly minted Stay At Home Dad (SAHD), I found Mr. Hogan's book to be of little value. Mr. Hogan hits every obvious point about fathering. I guess there might be men out there that might get value from this book. They are the ones that put a "This side up" sticker on their child's head, though.

In conclusion, there are sooooo many better resources out there than this book. I expected more for the price. Talk to your county/state Family Services offices. Hit the web and look up info on SAHD's (or SAHM's). The info and resources you need are out there.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celebrating the joys of fatherhood, May 22, 2002

By A Customer

This book is a beautiful reflection of one man's journey into fatherhood. Through very personal and candid reflections on the day to day joys and challenges of being a stay at home dad, Hogan paints a portrait of the "dad" side of parenting and the potential for what it can be. Beautifully and sensitively written.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning One Mans' Dad Journey, May 20, 2002

By	"sherdm" (Caro, Mi United States) - See all my reviews

I needed to read this book to help my two young sons understand what is is to be a father to their children. You see, my sons have not had a dad since age 4 and 5 and are now 20 and 21. and fathers in their own right. I was directed to this book by friends and it did not let me down. Hogan deals with the ups and downs of fatherhood, marriage maintainence and handling multiple children. Hilling also shares his adjustment to parenting a disabled child. A valuable resource to men and women alike in parenting from a very insightful and honest man.