Rules for My Unborn Son

by Walker Lamond

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 rules and accompanying quotations is quite simply an instruction manual for becoming a Good Man - industrious, thoughtful, charming, and of course, well-dressed.

Hip and witty with a decidedly traditionalist flavor, RULES FOR MY UNBORN SON is meant to evoke simpler times when Father knew best and a suitable answer to "Why?" was "Because I said so."

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Humor, Philosophy, Self Help, Adult, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 27, 2009

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Lailatun Nadhirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku yang sangat menarik bagi saya. Dalam 1 muka surat terdapat 3 pesanan pendek penulis seandainya beliau memiliki anak lelaki. Segala pesanan itu ada yang sangat sesuai dijadikan sebagai kata-kata motivasi dan copywriting. Pesanan penulis bukan sekadar berpesan tentang pembelajaran sahaja, malah lebih daripada itu. Antara pesanan yang saya gemari:

"Get to know your sister's boyfriend. I'll rely on your opinion."
"Never criticize the government of your country when you are aboard."

Saya tertarik dengan pesanan beliau tentang meminta anak lelaki sentiasa mengambil berat terhadap adik-beradik perempuan. Pesanan-pesanan yang jarang didengari dan diikuti.

[Luke David · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Anie · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Cole Schoolland · Rating 3 out of 5]

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, write down your goals"
"Let the axe do the work"
Good stuff.

But, then there's this shit:
"Men with facial hair have something to hide."
(maniacal laugh)
"Men should not wear sandals. Ever."
(never ever?)
"A vandal is the lowest form of scoundrel."
(thats it. No other context)
"Invest in great luggage. The world will know that you've arrived."
(wtf is that last bit about?)
"Spend as little time as possible in CA"
(West Coast envy much?)
And a lot about participating in expensive/entitled hobbies like horses, sailing, and antique cars.

The book as a whole rides a fine line, constantly in danger of forgetting it's own advice on P. 77 - "Dont be a snob."

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick up & read, even if your sons are grown
and share with your daughters

[Emm Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 allows for pleasurable reading and perusing. Photographs and creative use of typography round out the experience; you can open the book to any page and find a treat for the eyes and a tidbit of knowledge to carry with you. I was also particularly charmed by the essential listening and reading lists at the end of the book. A great little book that was obviously a project of love and great humor for the author. I am so glad that I had a chance to read it!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 behaviors I'm not particularly cool with. I'm thinking about having my boys read this as they get older and discuss those parts with them (or maybe I'll just Sharpie over them). Of course you won't agree with every single thing an author writes, and this is no exception, but overall I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun reading it.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 reading this even if you don't agree with every single thing.

[Jeff Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My quickest read yet
Fun little advice for dudes
Visit the website

[Jess Kanaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome book that i will be purchasing for my 2 small grandsons. Gives some great old fashion advice to manners

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with most but not all of these rules. :)

[Remo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro de consejos de un padre a un hijo que al autor heredó de su padre y presenta aquí ampliado. Se lee en una sentada y tiene de todo, desde cosas obvias y casi obvias:

- Don’t spit on the sidewalk.
- Keep your word.
- At funerals, a dark suit is fine. You shouldn’t own a black one.
- Never side against your brother in a fight.
- Be a strong swimmer, especially in the ocean.
- Surround yourself with smart people.
- Don’t be a snob.
- If the teacher forgets to assign homework, keep quiet.
- Know her dress size. Don’t ask.
- Make sure your clothes fit properly.
- Call your mom.
- If you have the right of way, take it.
- When it comes to opening presents, no one likes a good guesser.
- Never under any circumstances ask a woman if she is pregnant.
- Offer your date the seat with the best view of the restaurant.
- Become an expert in something.

Hasta las absurdas, incorrectas o claramente opinables

- Ride in the front car of a roller coaster. <-- las cuestas son mucho mejores en el último vagón, no en el primero.
Men with facial hair have something to hide. <-- todos y cada uno de ellos, undoubtedly.
- Men should not wear sandals. Ever. <-- y lo dice un pavo que confiesa no usar calcetines nunca. Vamos, anda, tira.
- A T-shirt is neither a philosophy nor an advertisement. It’s a shirt. Wear it plain.
- Live in New York + Limit your time in California. <-- Aquí hay claramente algo edípico
- Never eat the same meal twice in a row. <-- Éste no sabe lo del cocido y la ropavieja
- Sleep with the window open. <-- ???
- Finish what you start, especially books. <-- Precisamente los libros son un mal ejemplo.

Hay más. En conjunto es una lectura entretenida que más que aportar conocimiento nos lo recuerda. Donde sí aporta conocimiento es en la sección "fobias del autor", pero es conocimiento muy poco útil y nada interesante.

[Amberlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little quote book. Some of my favorites:

Be careful what you set your heart upon, for it will surely be yours. - James A. Baldwin

There is rarely a time to raise your voice. At the ball game is one.

Think about your answers, then call them back.

When things go wrong- don't go with them. - Elvis Presley

Courage is not the lack of fear, it is acting in spite of it. - Mark Twain

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only a few lines per page, but those lines are filled with wisdom.

[Samir Kagadkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of little tidbits of wisdom here.
It’s a great, easy read.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with about half of the rules. The others, I would definitely let my son be a total rebel (like mom) and break them.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 something like

Go to a baseball game, eat a hot dog, sing along with 'Take me out to the ball game.' Go to a soccer game, paint your face, scream loud when your team scores.

...etc. I have whole additions, of things I think ought to have been in there, and I have whole sections struck out because it's decidedly not advice I would pass on to my son. But overall, the book is a good starting point for creating a social curriculum of sorts for a young man. I will continue to add to it with my own rules as well as newer posts from the blog.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

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: PG.

[Howard Dickins · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 discography" at the end. Reccommended

[Jane]

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.

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Matt Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

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?"

[Eric Moote · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Sara Pruner · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.