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The World Deserves My Children
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2022)A laugh-out-loud funny collection of insightful and razor-sharp essays on motherhood in our post-apocalyptic world from comedian Natasha Leggero.
When Natasha Leggero got pregnant at forty-two after embarking on the grueling IVF process, she was over the moon. But once her feelings of bliss dissipated, she couldn’t help but shake the lingering question: Am I doing this right? And then, Should I be doing this if the world is about to end?
In The World Deserves My Children, Natasha explores themes like “geriatric” motherhood, parenting in an environmental panic, fear and love, discipline (and conflicting schools of thought on how not to raise a brat), and more. Ultimately, Natasha determines that motherhood is worth it. After all, where do you think the next five generations of humans will be if the only people who are having kids don’t believe in science? The world deserves my children.
When Natasha Leggero got pregnant at forty-two after embarking on the grueling IVF process, she was over the moon. But once her feelings of bliss dissipated, she couldn’t help but shake the lingering question: Am I doing this right? And then, Should I be doing this if the world is about to end?
In The World Deserves My Children, Natasha explores themes like “geriatric” motherhood, parenting in an environmental panic, fear and love, discipline (and conflicting schools of thought on how not to raise a brat), and more. Ultimately, Natasha determines that motherhood is worth it. After all, where do you think the next five generations of humans will be if the only people who are having kids don’t believe in science? The world deserves my children.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2022
151 people are currently reading
11480 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
November 15, 2022
". . . I only have to come into contact with my daughter for my mood to lift. She's like a human marijuana edible."
Natasha Leggero played my second favorite character on Another Period. (Hey, I'm a bespectacled gal who reads books; of course Hortense was nearer and dearer to my heart!)
Leggero as Lillian Bellacourt (with Mayor Cutie)
This, her first, and possibly only book ever caught my eye on NetGalley due to its irresistible cover:
Oy! How many hours of my life have I spent washing dishes whilst surrounded by my kids' detritus, (though thankfully with NO nuclear holocaust raging outdoors).
Leggero has a lot to say, and offers up funny commentary on fertility, child rearing, religion, and the hazards of life in general. Many of the pieces focus on her experience of becoming a first-time-mother at age 42. Her writing is shrewd, and filled with pithy comments on others' behavior, like the environmentally concerned mother who carries metal drinking straws, yet popped out four children. And, to be fair, Leggero also puts her own lifestyle under the microscope.
This is packed with tons of laugh-out-loud moments. If you have children, you'll probably find yourself saying, "Yeah. Been there, done that." I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the chance to read this.
Natasha Leggero played my second favorite character on Another Period. (Hey, I'm a bespectacled gal who reads books; of course Hortense was nearer and dearer to my heart!)
Leggero as Lillian Bellacourt (with Mayor Cutie)
This, her first, and possibly only book ever caught my eye on NetGalley due to its irresistible cover:
Oy! How many hours of my life have I spent washing dishes whilst surrounded by my kids' detritus, (though thankfully with NO nuclear holocaust raging outdoors).
Leggero has a lot to say, and offers up funny commentary on fertility, child rearing, religion, and the hazards of life in general. Many of the pieces focus on her experience of becoming a first-time-mother at age 42. Her writing is shrewd, and filled with pithy comments on others' behavior, like the environmentally concerned mother who carries metal drinking straws, yet popped out four children. And, to be fair, Leggero also puts her own lifestyle under the microscope.
This is packed with tons of laugh-out-loud moments. If you have children, you'll probably find yourself saying, "Yeah. Been there, done that." I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the chance to read this.
December 30, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up.
I really appreciated Leggero's memoir on becoming a mother, because her experience as a first time mother at an older age (and her rant about calling any expecting mother over the age of 34 "geriatric") was something I could relate to. Especially since she, like me, didn't think she would ever be a mother at all.
I found myself screen-shotting a number of pages that had quotes I wanted to remember (libraries frown upon making notations in their books, after all). One of the first quotes I noted, that sums up the main contradiction of motherhood perfectly?
"I tried to explain that having a kid is loving something so intensely that you can't live without it, mixed with wanting that something to take a nap so dangerously long that you have to go into its room and check to see if it's still breathing."
This is something I can relate to particularly well on a day like today, when my child is at daycare. I'm so relieved to have him out of the house so I can do things (or do nothing at all...although that is rarer than ever these days, even when he isn't around), and yet I miss him desperately. And then he will come home, and he will be a wild man/cranky, and I will be SO READY when bedtime comes around. And then I will just stare at photos of him in my phone, thinking about how much I love him and would love to snuggle him. Parenthood is so weird, man.
But so much of what she includes in the book is so relatable - from the way being a parent introduced an entirely new idea of what fear is into her life, to the ways that it's changed her relationship with her husband (and the constant niggling arguments about how to do the million things you need to do to raise a human), to how grateful she is she didn't have a child until she was older, established in her career and in who she is as a human. I loved the way she talked about creating traditions with her husband and child, the ways they're trying to create their own ways of celebrating things and spending time together.
I also appreciated when she started talking a bit about preschool, and a realization that she had when considering sending her child to a school that instilled no screen time for children (at school OR at home). She realized that this desire for her CHILD to have no screen time was actually something she wanted for HERSELF - to unplug more, and be more present. Just another way parenthood messes with your brain - what YOU want and what you want for your KID are sometimes intertwined in ways that make it hard for you to see at first.
Although some of the resources she has available to her thanks to her successful career are less relatable (like a full-time nanny and some of the VERY specialized and assuredly very expensive preschools), at the heart of this book was a mother I could relate to. I particularly appreciated her discussion of her increased anxiety since becoming a mother, the constant fear of something terrible happening to her child, and wanting to protect her at all costs. That anxiety and fear has probably been the most defining characteristic of my experience of motherhood so far as well. I loved the conversation at the end of the book between herself and her husband about their experience of parenthood, and his take on her anxiety surrounding her child.
The review has been long and rambly and honestly probably very personal. But, this was a book that I enjoyed and found a lot to relate to in its pages.
I really appreciated Leggero's memoir on becoming a mother, because her experience as a first time mother at an older age (and her rant about calling any expecting mother over the age of 34 "geriatric") was something I could relate to. Especially since she, like me, didn't think she would ever be a mother at all.
I found myself screen-shotting a number of pages that had quotes I wanted to remember (libraries frown upon making notations in their books, after all). One of the first quotes I noted, that sums up the main contradiction of motherhood perfectly?
"I tried to explain that having a kid is loving something so intensely that you can't live without it, mixed with wanting that something to take a nap so dangerously long that you have to go into its room and check to see if it's still breathing."
This is something I can relate to particularly well on a day like today, when my child is at daycare. I'm so relieved to have him out of the house so I can do things (or do nothing at all...although that is rarer than ever these days, even when he isn't around), and yet I miss him desperately. And then he will come home, and he will be a wild man/cranky, and I will be SO READY when bedtime comes around. And then I will just stare at photos of him in my phone, thinking about how much I love him and would love to snuggle him. Parenthood is so weird, man.
But so much of what she includes in the book is so relatable - from the way being a parent introduced an entirely new idea of what fear is into her life, to the ways that it's changed her relationship with her husband (and the constant niggling arguments about how to do the million things you need to do to raise a human), to how grateful she is she didn't have a child until she was older, established in her career and in who she is as a human. I loved the way she talked about creating traditions with her husband and child, the ways they're trying to create their own ways of celebrating things and spending time together.
I also appreciated when she started talking a bit about preschool, and a realization that she had when considering sending her child to a school that instilled no screen time for children (at school OR at home). She realized that this desire for her CHILD to have no screen time was actually something she wanted for HERSELF - to unplug more, and be more present. Just another way parenthood messes with your brain - what YOU want and what you want for your KID are sometimes intertwined in ways that make it hard for you to see at first.
Although some of the resources she has available to her thanks to her successful career are less relatable (like a full-time nanny and some of the VERY specialized and assuredly very expensive preschools), at the heart of this book was a mother I could relate to. I particularly appreciated her discussion of her increased anxiety since becoming a mother, the constant fear of something terrible happening to her child, and wanting to protect her at all costs. That anxiety and fear has probably been the most defining characteristic of my experience of motherhood so far as well. I loved the conversation at the end of the book between herself and her husband about their experience of parenthood, and his take on her anxiety surrounding her child.
The review has been long and rambly and honestly probably very personal. But, this was a book that I enjoyed and found a lot to relate to in its pages.
November 21, 2022
I still don’t want kids, but if anyone could convince me it would be Natasha Leggero.
December 29, 2022
No, Chelsea Handler, this is not the funniest book on parenting ever written.
January 7, 2023
I could not finish the book. Humorous yes but very un relatable. I found myself rolling my eyes at the white privileged, elitist, entitled world the author lives in. No wonder celebrities how no clue how the rest of the world lives and then the comments about her poor, beneath her family. When I got to the chapter about hiring a nanny, I quit. The author lives a life most of us “hicks” can’t relate to.
April 11, 2023
The cover caught my eye at the library and it promised "laugh out-loud humor" so I grabbed it. I'd never heard of the author and still have no real idea who she is, but I like humorous parenting books and I have three kids, so I thought, why not?
Ironically, I ended up finding the chapters about Leggero's pre-child life far more interesting and funny, especially her 1980s childhood with her absent dad, demon-child younger brother, wine-guzzling stepmom, and tough, tired single mother. Leggero helped raise her two brothers, preparing Lipton rice as a main course and other very relatable anecdotes about the oddly intense pressures of expectation for girls in the 80s. You didn't think you deserved anything, really, or that the world owed you jack crap. So you did what you had to do, end of story. And yeah, we all got left alone in the car in that era, no matter how hot or cold the temp outside and no matter how long your mom had to shop or meet her secret lover, or whatever.
I also found compelling the chapters about former boyfriends and what she's learned since, and how grateful she is that none of these losers impregnated her back in the day. I think all women should be far more aggressively picky when it comes to choosing life mates. In some ways, there really isn't a more important or significant choice in one's life than a mate.
The line that made me personally laugh out loud the hardest was her observation that twenty-three year olds had to watch a 10-second video to know how much milk to put in their coffee. And she thinks the world is doomed by climate change...
Even though this is touted as a parenting book, Leggero's "advice" on parenting is kind of a joke. She comes across as shallow and borderline ridiculous; rather than LOLing (blech), I was eye-rolling and speculating that about 80% of her parenting anecdotes were made up for "laughs" in the true fashion of a creative, comedic type of person. Much like the super-staged photos on the front and back covers, the narrative fell flat because it seemed so false; actors are attention seeking at best and gapingly insecure at worst, so I suppose that figures. Finally, if the most glowing endorsement for your parenting book comes from a vapid mouthpiece like Chelsea Lately, I mean Handler, I mean Who Gives A Shit It's Not the Early 2000s Anymore, that kind of says it all...
Ironically, I ended up finding the chapters about Leggero's pre-child life far more interesting and funny, especially her 1980s childhood with her absent dad, demon-child younger brother, wine-guzzling stepmom, and tough, tired single mother. Leggero helped raise her two brothers, preparing Lipton rice as a main course and other very relatable anecdotes about the oddly intense pressures of expectation for girls in the 80s. You didn't think you deserved anything, really, or that the world owed you jack crap. So you did what you had to do, end of story. And yeah, we all got left alone in the car in that era, no matter how hot or cold the temp outside and no matter how long your mom had to shop or meet her secret lover, or whatever.
I also found compelling the chapters about former boyfriends and what she's learned since, and how grateful she is that none of these losers impregnated her back in the day. I think all women should be far more aggressively picky when it comes to choosing life mates. In some ways, there really isn't a more important or significant choice in one's life than a mate.
The line that made me personally laugh out loud the hardest was her observation that twenty-three year olds had to watch a 10-second video to know how much milk to put in their coffee. And she thinks the world is doomed by climate change...
Even though this is touted as a parenting book, Leggero's "advice" on parenting is kind of a joke. She comes across as shallow and borderline ridiculous; rather than LOLing (blech), I was eye-rolling and speculating that about 80% of her parenting anecdotes were made up for "laughs" in the true fashion of a creative, comedic type of person. Much like the super-staged photos on the front and back covers, the narrative fell flat because it seemed so false; actors are attention seeking at best and gapingly insecure at worst, so I suppose that figures. Finally, if the most glowing endorsement for your parenting book comes from a vapid mouthpiece like Chelsea Lately, I mean Handler, I mean Who Gives A Shit It's Not the Early 2000s Anymore, that kind of says it all...
dnf
July 21, 2024Dnf @ 73%
I have no interest in reading about politics or your opinions on gender identity or your weird fucking husband who grew up going to nude hot tubs with his mother as a CHILD, or how you normalize men who don’t do shit. You’re a “celebrity” who cannot be related to by the majority of the population, I don’t see the humor in this at all
I have no interest in reading about politics or your opinions on gender identity or your weird fucking husband who grew up going to nude hot tubs with his mother as a CHILD, or how you normalize men who don’t do shit. You’re a “celebrity” who cannot be related to by the majority of the population, I don’t see the humor in this at all
December 18, 2022
A few home truths, some American stereotypes confirmed, and zero laughs. Guess there's a reason I never heard of this stand-up comedian before.
January 10, 2024
I haven't watched any of Natasha Leggero's comedy specials, but I always love her on the Comedy Central roasts, so I figured it would be silly not to listen to The World Deserves My Children. This is a short collection of essays that mostly cover Leggero's thoughts on parenting and children in general as well as motherhood of course. I loved her no-nonsense approach to this book, and she is nothing if not brutally honest. She quickly learned that as a mother you will always have people telling you you're doing things wrong, and you just have to do what works best for you as a parent.
Leggero narrates her audiobook and I have to say that this is the best possible way to fully enjoy this nonfiction read. She made me laugh out loud many times throughout the book, while also broaching on very serious topics when it comes to parenthood. The audio is especially great as it includes Leggero 'interviewing' her husband Moshe (who I had to Google since I didn't even know who he was OR that they were married!) and asking him questions about their parenting styles. Being childless myself, I still managed to find this incredibly relatable, and if you are a parent (especially a mom) you may love it even more! Overall, a fairly light and funny book that you will especially enjoy if you are a fan of her comedy and sense of humor.
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Leggero narrates her audiobook and I have to say that this is the best possible way to fully enjoy this nonfiction read. She made me laugh out loud many times throughout the book, while also broaching on very serious topics when it comes to parenthood. The audio is especially great as it includes Leggero 'interviewing' her husband Moshe (who I had to Google since I didn't even know who he was OR that they were married!) and asking him questions about their parenting styles. Being childless myself, I still managed to find this incredibly relatable, and if you are a parent (especially a mom) you may love it even more! Overall, a fairly light and funny book that you will especially enjoy if you are a fan of her comedy and sense of humor.
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
December 15, 2022
I listened to this.
I wanted to read this because I purchased a copy for the parenting section of my library/employer. I don't think it reallllly reads as a parenting book. Maybe some chapters, but not others. It is more a humor/bio/parenting book. It is pretty funny, though. I especially enjoyed the chapter where Leggero talks about the #metoo movement. For the record, though, I did not know who this woman was before I read the book. Well, I still don't know who she is other than the writer of this book.
I wanted to read this because I purchased a copy for the parenting section of my library/employer. I don't think it reallllly reads as a parenting book. Maybe some chapters, but not others. It is more a humor/bio/parenting book. It is pretty funny, though. I especially enjoyed the chapter where Leggero talks about the #metoo movement. For the record, though, I did not know who this woman was before I read the book. Well, I still don't know who she is other than the writer of this book.
April 20, 2023
I live this lady! She’s so funny and amazing to listen to BUTTTTT her take of Trump every few pages and the “Celebrity” take on politics is hard for me to deal with. Sometimes celebrities don’t understand that they don’t have the same life as everyone else when it comes to blue v red
January 2, 2023
“Having a child is ironically the biggest obstacle to finishing a book about having a child.” 🤣 Uh. Yup. Or any other genre. This is full of little nuggets of both humor and truth. The audiobook is hilarious with her own voice and the conversation with her husband. Seriously, what do they even do again? Lol. So much of Natasha’s experience confirmed my own but was relayed with her own comedic voice, so this is a fun romp through the toils of motherhood.
February 8, 2023
This has some funny observations and as a woman who started having children at a later age some parts I could definitely agree with. The style of writing made it difficult to stay interested. It's very colloquially written with many asides, much as I imagine it would sound as performed in stage rather than written in a book.
Overall not for me.
This book was won in a giveaway on this site.
Overall not for me.
This book was won in a giveaway on this site.
August 10, 2023
I LOVE Natasha Leggero and I liked this book. The audiobook is delivered as well as her stand up sets and did make me laugh out loud. It’s good to hear different perspectives on parenting. It probably doesn’t speak to me much because I am neither a parent nor a member of Gen X.
March 1, 2023
This book was excruciating. Not because of the writing, which was fine but not nearly as funny as it was billled (thanks Chelsea Handler), but because the author seemed to think readers would find it charming/humorous/endearing that her husband seems to…do nothing? Genuinely. The amount of times she talked about how she has to clean up after him, how it never occurs to him to help, and how he describes himself as the Chief Fun Officer while criticizing her for being anxious about their daughter’s safety left me baffled. Girl, you don’t have one kid, you have two and one is an adult male. Gross.
Also, the casual mention of domestic violence was very disturbing. If it was a joke, it was not a good one. If it was serious, I guess process how you like but don’t spring that on your readers.
Also, the casual mention of domestic violence was very disturbing. If it was a joke, it was not a good one. If it was serious, I guess process how you like but don’t spring that on your readers.
January 26, 2023
I’m sorry Tash, I love you and Moshe like my own parents, but this book was a wee bit boring and very repetitive. You talk a lot on the pod about how you found the process of writing grueling, so I know you probably already know this isn’t your medium. Still some solid takeaways in here and you’ll have my support always.
November 26, 2022
Really freaking funny book about motherhood from someone who didn’t always have a burning desire to be a mom.
December 27, 2022
Quick, funny read. You don’t have to be a parent to enjoy this book, I just love Natasha
June 28, 2024
Another long review, I have nothing else to do rn. Natasha is one of my favorite comedians, I was there for her book tour! Super easy read, very funny obvi. The writing wasn’t extremely refined, but the thought behind it was moving. I’m such a religious listener of their podcast that I’ve heard most of this has already. I think because the chapters were written out of order some things were needlessly repeated in basically the same words. Also, my book was missing pages 183-198 lmao
I truly have zero idea if I want to have kids. I feel like I spend more time thinking about it than my friends who don’t want kids…”situational breeder” is Natasha’s term that I will regrettably use too.
I hate to take a book written by a mother and say her husband’s portion was the most stunning part, it wasn’t. But it covered a really hefty subject from a different perspective. Moshe has an outlook that is foreign to me, but I hope to find in my future. For me it’s so easy to understand exactly what Natasha is talking about so having a different person interrupt the dialogue I know well was cool. I am such a worrier, I was raised by two worriers. I never realize how exhausting it is for me or others until it’s pointed out to me, but Moshe makes a point that is so calming; worrying about it won’t prevent the bad things from happening. Simple for some, but groundbreaking. Very very excited to read his books eventually.
Natasha holds a lot of similar values to me. It’s weird to hear someone so funny and sardonic so earnestly say the thing all mothers say; having a child awakens love you could never imagine. Lots to think about here…more than anything I think I should start saving to freeze my eggs.
I truly have zero idea if I want to have kids. I feel like I spend more time thinking about it than my friends who don’t want kids…”situational breeder” is Natasha’s term that I will regrettably use too.
I hate to take a book written by a mother and say her husband’s portion was the most stunning part, it wasn’t. But it covered a really hefty subject from a different perspective. Moshe has an outlook that is foreign to me, but I hope to find in my future. For me it’s so easy to understand exactly what Natasha is talking about so having a different person interrupt the dialogue I know well was cool. I am such a worrier, I was raised by two worriers. I never realize how exhausting it is for me or others until it’s pointed out to me, but Moshe makes a point that is so calming; worrying about it won’t prevent the bad things from happening. Simple for some, but groundbreaking. Very very excited to read his books eventually.
Natasha holds a lot of similar values to me. It’s weird to hear someone so funny and sardonic so earnestly say the thing all mothers say; having a child awakens love you could never imagine. Lots to think about here…more than anything I think I should start saving to freeze my eggs.
December 7, 2022
I LOVE NATASHAAAAAA
so my friend hong and i have been big fans of natasha for a while. we watch her standup and are huge fans of the endless honeymoon podcast she does w her husband moshe. so you can imagine how excited we were when we got to see her live!!!! nyc november 17, $45 for FRONT ROW SEATS!!!! ahh!!!! she talked about her book w rachel brosnahan. we got free signed copies. when natasha walked on stage i made a heart with my hands and SHE DID IT BACK!!!!!
anyways. i love love loved this book.
pros
- literally the funniest person ever. for example:
(1) "Well, I have a nanny now. But I have to write this book to pay for her."
(2) "Meanwhile, when my father was twenty-three, he had three kids, a job, and a mortgage. It couldn't have been easy. Actually, I know it wasn't easy, because he left."
(3) "No one knows why he acted this way, but perhaps he wasn't breastfed long enough."
(4) the whole exchange about moshe and the walt disney restaurant fight
(5) the thing about natasha's MIL trying to feed her baby slimfast — "On the bright side, I'm glad my child was already learning the importance of staying thin."
(6) the story about the bulgarian night nurse who fell asleep on the job — "I woke her and the baby, breastfed them both, and went back to hiding in my room."
(7) "Throughout most of my childhood, I was pretty obnoxious and tended to say whatever popped into my head — sort of like a male comedian."
(8) "I do, however, still have Catholic guilt about the fact that I don't go to synagogue more."
- also she is so so so so so so so intelligent. i thought this would just be a funny book but she actually had really good insights on parenting and just life in general. i never thought we would share the same life philosophies but we do for the most part. i learned a lot from her.
cons
- she just doesn't have a full grasp on the english language. her word choice/style is so wrong in some parts that i literally had to make edits in my book. did she not have people proofread this???
overall, while this isn't the best book in terms of quality, i think it's a very easy, quick, entertaining, HILARIOUS read with VERY VERY insightful lessons about both life and parenting. so, quit being pretentious about your dostoevsky and faulkner and READ THIS GODDAMN BOOK!!!!!! IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!! i already know i'm gonna reread it and type up notes from it whenever i decide to have children. but i am 18 now.........let us not worry about that for the time being......
so my friend hong and i have been big fans of natasha for a while. we watch her standup and are huge fans of the endless honeymoon podcast she does w her husband moshe. so you can imagine how excited we were when we got to see her live!!!! nyc november 17, $45 for FRONT ROW SEATS!!!! ahh!!!! she talked about her book w rachel brosnahan. we got free signed copies. when natasha walked on stage i made a heart with my hands and SHE DID IT BACK!!!!!
anyways. i love love loved this book.
pros
- literally the funniest person ever. for example:
(1) "Well, I have a nanny now. But I have to write this book to pay for her."
(2) "Meanwhile, when my father was twenty-three, he had three kids, a job, and a mortgage. It couldn't have been easy. Actually, I know it wasn't easy, because he left."
(3) "No one knows why he acted this way, but perhaps he wasn't breastfed long enough."
(4) the whole exchange about moshe and the walt disney restaurant fight
(5) the thing about natasha's MIL trying to feed her baby slimfast — "On the bright side, I'm glad my child was already learning the importance of staying thin."
(6) the story about the bulgarian night nurse who fell asleep on the job — "I woke her and the baby, breastfed them both, and went back to hiding in my room."
(7) "Throughout most of my childhood, I was pretty obnoxious and tended to say whatever popped into my head — sort of like a male comedian."
(8) "I do, however, still have Catholic guilt about the fact that I don't go to synagogue more."
- also she is so so so so so so so intelligent. i thought this would just be a funny book but she actually had really good insights on parenting and just life in general. i never thought we would share the same life philosophies but we do for the most part. i learned a lot from her.
cons
- she just doesn't have a full grasp on the english language. her word choice/style is so wrong in some parts that i literally had to make edits in my book. did she not have people proofread this???
overall, while this isn't the best book in terms of quality, i think it's a very easy, quick, entertaining, HILARIOUS read with VERY VERY insightful lessons about both life and parenting. so, quit being pretentious about your dostoevsky and faulkner and READ THIS GODDAMN BOOK!!!!!! IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!! i already know i'm gonna reread it and type up notes from it whenever i decide to have children. but i am 18 now.........let us not worry about that for the time being......
Read
January 31, 2023I did not know about Natasha but this cover and description caught my attention as I am one that has preemptively worried about if it’s fair to bring children into this world when climate change is going to make it inhospitable. I’m glad I listed to it as an audiobook bc I think if I had picked up a physical book, I would not have heard the humor and just thought the author was super obnoxious and entitled (which she still might be a little bit, but less so in audio form). I think the book was nice in the sense that parts of it helped me be like “I’m not the only one!” but as far as any deeper answers or solutions it’s kinda just surface level. It’s definitely a book for a very niche audience and I wasn’t feeling her when it seemed she was kind of shaming women that take any “traditional” route. But was still a decent listen.
July 8, 2023
I kind of knew who Natasha Leggero was prior to reading this, but I watched “Stars on Mars” and her comedy wanted me to pickup the book. I won it in a Goodreads Giveaway. The book is an easy read. Natasha is honest, blunt about deciding if she even wanted kids and funny through her discussions of motherhood. There are many stories of her life of ups and downs and minor emotional rollercoasters. She likes to throw in a lot of side comments regarding the current state of America and her personal views as well. Some parts feel repetitive and she also references chapters to each other. I think this is story that people thinking of having children as well as current parents should read. I never want children myself, but I can still see myself relating to Natasha and respect her story.
December 8, 2022
Thank you to Gallery Books for a copy of The World Deserves My Children. Below is my honest review.
I loved this book! Something about celebrities writing memoirs about being a mom is refreshing and entertaining. It reminded me of Jessi Klein or Mindy Kaling's works, full of sage advice and a wry sense of humor. I knew I was in for a ride when I started laughing out loud from page FOUR!
I appreciated Natasha sharing her experiences (and peppering in her husband's) with pregnancy, birthing, and the rest of her life - parenthood. If I'm going to read about a terrifying C-section, I might as well laugh in horror, right?
All in all, a book I'd recommend to anyone embarking on parenthood or those who decided not to have children and want to hear all the ways their choice is validated lol. Already know who I'm gifting this book to this Christmas (sorry Moshe, I know you're a Scrooge).
I loved this book! Something about celebrities writing memoirs about being a mom is refreshing and entertaining. It reminded me of Jessi Klein or Mindy Kaling's works, full of sage advice and a wry sense of humor. I knew I was in for a ride when I started laughing out loud from page FOUR!
I appreciated Natasha sharing her experiences (and peppering in her husband's) with pregnancy, birthing, and the rest of her life - parenthood. If I'm going to read about a terrifying C-section, I might as well laugh in horror, right?
All in all, a book I'd recommend to anyone embarking on parenthood or those who decided not to have children and want to hear all the ways their choice is validated lol. Already know who I'm gifting this book to this Christmas (sorry Moshe, I know you're a Scrooge).
December 22, 2022
It’s fine, a quick read. I’d be more interested in a full on memoir than anymore thoughts on parenting. A good read for anyone who needs some one and done validation though. Those can be hard to come by.
I did enjoy her conversation with her husband the most. I could be interested in more of that somewhere. Their dynamic is interesting.
I was expecting some laugh out loud moments. I think I got one amused chuckle in the bunch. Oh well, I’d still like to see her hone her writing skills and produce more.
I did enjoy her conversation with her husband the most. I could be interested in more of that somewhere. Their dynamic is interesting.
I was expecting some laugh out loud moments. I think I got one amused chuckle in the bunch. Oh well, I’d still like to see her hone her writing skills and produce more.
February 27, 2023
I had no idea Leggero was married to Moshe Kasher! I read his book probably 10 years ago. Total Chelsea Lately nostalgia! I’ve read so many “Round Table” memoirs over the years. So many fantastic comedians … bring it back, Chelsea! Digression aside, this was an honest, funny, and relatable account of Leggero’s life as a “geriatric” mother and fertility struggles. She brings normalcy and perspective.
February 23, 2023
"The World Deserves My Children" is a rare book among other stand-up comedians' memoirs, it's actually funny!
You probably have to like Leggero's brand of humor to really enjoy it, and it would likely help if you can relate to a few things in the book (which, mostly, I could not). As with most similar books, the author gets a bit ranty. Unlike most similar books, Leggero generally takes the edge off with self-deprecation.
Ultimately, the fact that someone who is mostly just "ok" with her humor, can't relate to pretty much anything in the book, is often on the receiving end of jokes (sort or, indirectly, but not really), and frequently directly disagreed with a lot of the shared "wisdoms" (although far from all, some of it was spot on)... well, that says quite a lot.
A funny read, just don't expect a parenting book (no matter what Chelsea Handler apparently said).
You probably have to like Leggero's brand of humor to really enjoy it, and it would likely help if you can relate to a few things in the book (which, mostly, I could not). As with most similar books, the author gets a bit ranty. Unlike most similar books, Leggero generally takes the edge off with self-deprecation.
Ultimately, the fact that someone who is mostly just "ok" with her humor, can't relate to pretty much anything in the book, is often on the receiving end of jokes (sort or, indirectly, but not really), and frequently directly disagreed with a lot of the shared "wisdoms" (although far from all, some of it was spot on)... well, that says quite a lot.
A funny read, just don't expect a parenting book (no matter what Chelsea Handler apparently said).
July 23, 2023
If you are child-free by choice, considering having children, parenting a toddler, think that your spouse does not help with parenting as much as you do, or any combination of the before; this book is for you. Highly recommend getting the audiobook which is read by the author and very funny.
Trigger Warning: infertility and IVF
Trigger Warning: infertility and IVF
December 2, 2022
Very funny, Laugh Out Loud moments still didn’t make me the right audience for this book.
February 14, 2023
3.75 rounded up
Poignant and hilarious. I wish it had been longer.
Poignant and hilarious. I wish it had been longer.
Read
February 19, 2023Made me lol on airplanes and social security offices.
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