101 books
—
3 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Rules for My Unborn Son” as Want to Read:
Rules for My Unborn Son
by
RULES FOR MY UNBORN SON is a collection of traditional, humorous, and urbane fatherly advice for boys. From the sartorial ("If you are tempted to wear a cowboy hat, resist") to the practical ("Keep a copy of your letters. It makes it easier for your biographer") to even a couple of sure-fire hangover cures ("There is no better remedy than a dip in the ocean"), the book of
...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Rules for My Unborn Son,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Rules for My Unborn Son
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Rules for My Unborn Son
Classic wisdom for a modern gentleman. Charming, humorous, and well-designed, it's small but stylish. A great gift idea. We have a copy on our coffee table, and it's a fun conversation starter.
Ok. We get it. Your a wealthy elitist who lives in Manhattan and you are better than the rest of us. Round of applause. 70% of this book is GREAT, but the other 30% I could definitely do without.
This book was MADE great when I passed it around to a select few of my closest friends/family and invited them to liberally edit it with their updated opinions.
Examples of good advice:
"When caught in a riptide, swim parallel to the beach."
"Be a well-informed voter."
"Don't litter. Ever."
"Twice a year, ...more
This book was MADE great when I passed it around to a select few of my closest friends/family and invited them to liberally edit it with their updated opinions.
Examples of good advice:
"When caught in a riptide, swim parallel to the beach."
"Be a well-informed voter."
"Don't litter. Ever."
"Twice a year, ...more
I've read it no less than 100 times because it's that good! I keep a copy in the bathroom, living room, and bedroom just to make sure I can access this powerful knowledge at any moment. Knowledge is power and this book will make you a better person. Some of the rules are so simple... yet so genius. Those are the best! I don't know what this author is up to now, but I hope he's working hard on a follow-up!
It was entertaining to read these with my husband and compare against our "rules" for our future son. Very cute book, could be a nice gift for an expecting father.
Feb 10, 2010
Matt
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
father of sons
Shelves:
good-reads-first-reads
This book is a great idea! It is a collection of sayings that the author's dad said to him as he was growing up. Too many people have thought about doing something like this, but never followed through with it. Lamond does this and does it well! Proverbial sayings range from manners to music, from women to waltzing.
I found myself reading it and not only saying to myself that I wanted to use some of the truisms in my life, but to pass them along to my sons as well. Anyone with a son would enjoy ...more
I found myself reading it and not only saying to myself that I wanted to use some of the truisms in my life, but to pass them along to my sons as well. Anyone with a son would enjoy ...more
Pick up & read, even if your sons are grown
and share with your daughters
and share with your daughters
Jan 11, 2010
Mary Beth
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
would-be gentlepeople
Shelves:
first-reads
I very happily received this book as a goodreads give-away, and am delighted to find it to be a fun, witty, and enjoyable book that offers good advice to boys (and girls) of all ages. Rules for My Unborn Son is a collection of quotes, facts, and practical advice ranging from wisdom: "When things go wrong, don't go with them(Elvis Presley)" to the ever helpful "Find yourself a good hideout." Suggestions on how to eat well, play hard, and find success in love are all included in a format that
...more
I won this on FirstReads and am very excited. Having 4 sons myself I'm always interested in boy things!
Update: This was a fast read. There are several thoughts on each page, some in large print, some in small. There are also a lot of pictures throughout. The book itself is very nice looking. I liked the layout and the feel of it when I held it.
Most of the thoughts were great and some even downright hilarious. I would have given it 5 stars if not for several references to drinking or a few other ...more
Update: This was a fast read. There are several thoughts on each page, some in large print, some in small. There are also a lot of pictures throughout. The book itself is very nice looking. I liked the layout and the feel of it when I held it.
Most of the thoughts were great and some even downright hilarious. I would have given it 5 stars if not for several references to drinking or a few other ...more
A book of maxims. A number of his guidelines I'll happily ignore, especially the bit about men not wearing sandals or sunglasses on airplanes. In others you can see Lamond's liberalism showing (serve one's country by driving a fuel efficient car?). Overall, just another gift book more likely to be tossed than to earn that spot on the coffee table.
This was an awesome book that i will be purchasing for my 2 small grandsons. Gives some great old fashion advice to manners
This book is filled to bursting with amazing tips, songs and pictures of how to conduct yourself as a man. But also, it is a fantastic read for any self-respecting lady.
My quickest read yet
Fun little advice for dudes
Visit the website
Fun little advice for dudes
Visit the website
I agree with most but not all of these rules. :)
Lots of little tidbits of wisdom here.
It’s a great, easy read.
It’s a great, easy read.
Only a few lines per page, but those lines are filled with wisdom.
I had been following this blog on tumblr for a while, and I just wanted to have a physical copy on my shelf. I ended up going through the whole thing and "updating" it for myself--for my unborn son.
Some of the advice is timeless, but some is pretty specific to certain historic eras or tastes of the author. For example (and I wish I had the book in front of me to quote specifics), there's definitely at least one entry in there about baseball, and I hate baseball. So my annotation would be ...more
Some of the advice is timeless, but some is pretty specific to certain historic eras or tastes of the author. For example (and I wish I had the book in front of me to quote specifics), there's definitely at least one entry in there about baseball, and I hate baseball. So my annotation would be ...more
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It's still an honest review, but the FTC wanted you to know...
----------------
Won as a Firstreads a few months back. Despite the fact that it didn't come for a while, I was very excited when it finally arrived.
This is a book of great advice for boys. It's a nice hardcover worth perusing on a regular basis. I made it through the whole thing straight pretty quick, and found myself smiling and nodding at many of the rules provided.
Rating: ...more
----------------
Won as a Firstreads a few months back. Despite the fact that it didn't come for a while, I was very excited when it finally arrived.
This is a book of great advice for boys. It's a nice hardcover worth perusing on a regular basis. I made it through the whole thing straight pretty quick, and found myself smiling and nodding at many of the rules provided.
Rating: ...more
It's a lovely book to pick up and read a few pages from. It's intent is to guide a father in bringing up his young son - not with wordy regulations, but with wit, wisdom and compassionate little proverbs. It's a book that's full of a certain 20th century style - you may not agree with everything contained herein; but even those few points you might disagree with would at least give you cause to think about what you do believe - and how a young man ought to live.
It even has a "suggested ...more
It even has a "suggested ...more
I believe I received this book as part of the Goodreads.com First Reads.
I am not sure where this book fits in my collection of books.
I enjoyed the slices of wisdom from quotes by H. G. Wells ("Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.") to seemingly dated advice ("Have a pen pal.").
I will hang on to the book as I envision that one day I could hand the book down to my future son when he is expecting his first child.
I am not sure where this book fits in my collection of books.
I enjoyed the slices of wisdom from quotes by H. G. Wells ("Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race.") to seemingly dated advice ("Have a pen pal.").
I will hang on to the book as I envision that one day I could hand the book down to my future son when he is expecting his first child.
I wish I owned this book. I flew right through it and found myself chuckling at some of the quotes and advice. That being said, my favorite quotes came from people besides the author.
"On matters of style, swim with the current. On matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
"Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath." - Michael Caine
"On matters of style, swim with the current. On matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
"Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath." - Michael Caine
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
Overall: a great, thorough collection of wisdom any boy would be blessed to have tattooed in their mind.
Written by a father to his sons which he was able to share with the world. I would agree with 99% of the advice, but the 1% is regional preference (west coast vs. east).
I would recommend this to: fathers.
Written by a father to his sons which he was able to share with the world. I would agree with 99% of the advice, but the 1% is regional preference (west coast vs. east).
I would recommend this to: fathers.
Excellent book for those new dads, soon to be dads, or any moms for that matter! Excellent take on traditional roles, while bucking a few norms, but not in the "throw all gender roles out the window" kind of way. Any boy learning these rules growing up and following them into manhood, will never have to hear from another woman "where have the real men gone?"
I just love this book it is full but f really good information and rules almost all my family have at least 3-2 copy’s plus my dad wrote this book so I guess I’m the unborn son.
Ps for those of you who want a new book he is working on a adventure book and I’ll tell him to look at your comments and maybe write more like it.
Ps for those of you who want a new book he is working on a adventure book and I’ll tell him to look at your comments and maybe write more like it.
Nov 15, 2009
Jane
added it
Woo Hoo, I won this from GoodReads!
Update: This would be good for a baby shower and then have guests write their own advice for the unborn child.
Otherwise, it's too stodgy, even for me. Really? Grown men shouldn't wear shorts or sandals? Maybe it's just because I live in Texas, that seems ridiculous to me.
Update: This would be good for a baby shower and then have guests write their own advice for the unborn child.
Otherwise, it's too stodgy, even for me. Really? Grown men shouldn't wear shorts or sandals? Maybe it's just because I live in Texas, that seems ridiculous to me.
The maxims in this book are hit or miss. Most are fantastic pieces of advice for everyone (not just men) while others are dated, prejudice, or even a bit on the sexist side. Still, it's definitely a worthwhile read.
I found some of what Walker Lamond suggested for his unborn son helpful, some of what he said witty, and some of what he said utterly ridiculous. I also read it in approximately 30 minutes so I am happy I picked it up in a bargin bin off Amazon.
Essentially a collection of quick blog posts encapsulated as "rules" to live by, but so many are funny and appropriate for today's world, I found myself dog-earing my copy to quickly reference the ones I thought were best. And that is probably endorsement enough.
This is a great little cofffe talbe book. It's full of fun quotes, thoughts, and ideas.
Favorite book on my coffee table.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Walker Lamond is a writer, television producer, and father of three. His work has appeared on HBO, the Discovery Channel, and in numerous publications including the Washington Post, popular Mechanics, Esquire, and Parenting magazine. He is the author of Rules for My Newborn Daughter and Rules for My Unborn Son.
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
