Things I Learned About My Dad: Humorous and Heartfelt Essays, edited by the creator of www.dooce.com
by Heather B. Armstrong
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 229)
Read in July, 2008
This book of essays was a nice read, but nothing spectacular. Some were better than others. The second-to-last one was just bizarre and rambling.
This would be a nice gift to a new father. Several of the essays written by men about being fathers were really great. I laughed out loud over some of them. The editor, Heather Armstrong, should have just gone with that theme instead of including stories by her various blogging friends about fathers and fatherhood. There was only one written by a wo...more
This would be a nice gift to a new father. Several of the essays written by men about being fathers were really great. I laughed out loud over some of them. The editor, Heather Armstrong, should have just gone with that theme instead of including stories by her various blogging friends about fathers and fatherhood. There was only one written by a wo...more
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Read in May, 2008
There were about two essays that I did not care for but the rest were very touching in one way or another. I am not close with my father and naturally have never really experienced the intimacy of fatherhood in a sense that I have motherhood. Exploring these close relationships makes me a little sad, and there's a pang of jealousy there too. However, I anticipate the future when I can witness the relationship Scott will have with our kids. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be an amazin...more
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Read in May, 2008
No self respecting 'Doocefan' can call themselves a 'Doocefan', if they haven't read this book. Now a die-hard 'Doocefan' probably would have sent their copy of the book to Heather Armstrong herself for an autograph... And an, "I'll be a 'Doocefan' 'til the day I die", 'Doocefan' would've bought an airline ticket to Salt Lake City, Utah for her book signing yesterday. Me, I just bought the book at the local Border's and read it. I'm not some wacked out blog fan that warrants a restrain...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Jaime and Michelle
Update- I finished. This is a great book. I'll warn you, there was one story that made me cry myself to sleep, but in a good way I guess.
I've been reading this one for a couple weeks now. It's not a long book, but I find when I read a compilation of short stories it takes me longer to get through everything with the lack of story that brings you back night after night. That isn't to say the stories in here are boring by any means! They are fantastic. I'm considering getting my dad an...more
I've been reading this one for a couple weeks now. It's not a long book, but I find when I read a compilation of short stories it takes me longer to get through everything with the lack of story that brings you back night after night. That isn't to say the stories in here are boring by any means! They are fantastic. I'm considering getting my dad an...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who has kids or intend to have kids
This is a book I was looking forward to reading because I am obsessed with Dooce.com - ok, not that obsessed, I don't comment like the other 1500 people do every day, I only comment sometimes! But yea, I really love Heather's blog, so I figured that anything she dipped her hands into would be great, and I think I was right on this one.
She edited this collection of essays about fatherhood, and by god would I love to try to contribute something if she ever does one about motherhood, too! It wa...more
She edited this collection of essays about fatherhood, and by god would I love to try to contribute something if she ever does one about motherhood, too! It wa...more
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This is a book of essays... and it's a little hit or miss. The ones that were hits, though, were quite good... earnest and sweet. The most interesting thing about this book, I think, is the fact that all the authors publish their work mainly online. I'm fascinated (and happy) that writing on the Internet has vailidity and credibility to this degree. Most of the authors' writing styles also speak to that origin (blogs, etc.) This collection of writing really felt... contemporary, for lack of a be...more
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Fantastically easy to read, this collection of essays from fathers and the occasional mother is another genre I love. Heather Armstrong is the author of one of my favorite blogs - after Perez Hilton, of course: www.dooce.com. Her effortless style and rhythm is one I relate to, look up to, and hope to make my own someday. (With a twist, of course. I'm not saying I wanna sound exactly like her.) But this lady's got a mighty fine thing going. I hope she does another collection of essays in the futu...more
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Like all compilations, this was a mixed bag. Some of my favorite bloggers are in here, though, and reading the more heavily edited versions of their work was really satisfying. I was hoping it would be more about reflecting on one's own father (which I am All About these days) and less on reflecting on fatherhood (which I would be all about, but for having my own kid to wrangle, which makes reading about the wrangling of others less interesting). Ultimately, it was a nice quick read.
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Read in May, 2008
This book was thoroughly entertaining and very heartfelt. But I was expecting something more. More of that in your face, laugh out loud, politically incorrect, caps locked, colorful writing that defines Dooce.com (and Heather). Obviously, the book wasn’t going to be the same as her website because, after all, she didn’t write all of the essays. But sometimes it felt a little...flat, too simple. Overall, it was a good book, and definitely something I would recommend to others
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Read in June, 2008
I think I expected a bit more out of this book. I liked the first essay by Heather a lot and I liked a few of the others, but I expected them to be laugh-out-loud funny or brutally tender or incisive and wise. What I got out of the book was a more grating and harsh worldview than I really wanted. There seem to be some really great writers in this group, but I think the style was just a bit much for me.
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Read in May, 2008
A few of these essays were brilliant pieces of writing. Moving, funny, and very clever. But you have to wade through some duds to appreciate the good stuff. Alice Bradley, Doug French, Maggie Mason, and James Griffioen's were some of my favorites.
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When I first started reading through this essay collection, I wasn't particularly entranced with it, but it definitely grew on me. I loved, in particular, Sarah Brown's essay about her kick-arse Dad, and Jon Armstrong's essay about his relationship with his father, as well as "Long Live the Weeds and the Wilderness Yet" by James Griffioen.
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Read in July, 2008
I really like the essays by Heather B. Armstrong and a few of the other bloggers. Unfortunately there were a couple essays that just seemed disjointed and unrelated. I laughed while reading most essays and got a bit teary-eyed during a couple of others. It really was quite interesting to get so many different viewpoints in one little book.
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Read in June, 2008
I bought this book for James Griffioen's essay (blogger extraordinare of Sweet-Juniper.com), and it didn't disappoint. The essays by Heather Armstrong, Jon Armstrong, and Sarah Brown were also fun reads.
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Read in May, 2008
Generally speaking I enjoyed this book. A couple of the essays were downright hysterical and a couple were downright touching. But most of them were just so-so. It's a lightning fast read, however.
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This book is by the author of my favorite blog. I know, "a blog?" but she's hilarious, irreverent, smart and shares about her battle with depression. Looking forward to reading this anthology.
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Read in June, 2008
Most of the essays were fantastic, a few I could have done without, but generally it was a wonderful little book that made me want to go and hug my dad.
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Read in June, 2008
so far, this is pee-your-pants-laugh-out-loud-annoy-your- partner-by-reading-the-funny-parts-to-him-while he-tries-to-watch-basketball hysterical
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Read in July, 2008
This was a quick read, and it was very cute. Short stories by different writers (mostly bloggers) about fatherhood...I enjoyed thoroughly.
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This is edited by my favorite blog author, Heather Armstrong of dooce.com. She's funny and honest and I really love her writing.
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