The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he’ll need to make his way in the world. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World collects the personal dispatches from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man … one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood.
As he conveys his profound awe at experiencing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Fredrik Backman doesn’t shy away from revealing his own false steps and fatherly flaws, tackling issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop.
In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people you care about unconditionally. Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son advice as he grows up and ventures out into the world, Backman relays the big and small lessons in life, including:
-How to find the team you belong to
-Why airports explain everything about religion and war
-The reason starting a band is crucial to cultivating and keeping friendships
-How to beat Monkey Island 3
-Why, sometimes, a dad might hold onto his son’s hand just a little too tight
This is an irresistible and insightful collection, perfect for new parents and fans of Backman’s “unparalleled understanding of human nature” (Shelf Awareness). As he eloquently reminds us, “You can be whatever you want to be, but that’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.”
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I have read everything Fredrik Backman has written. His books are always thought-provoking, humorous, laughter-inciting, and odd in a good way. The same is true about “Things My Son Needs to Know About the World”. I can imagine him at a party, the center of attention, enthralling all the attendees with his wit and story-telling ability. I can also imagine him declining party invitations to be home with his family, devoted to his wife and children. Hopefully, his next book arrives soon so I can immerse myself in his crazy world once again!
Read 4.18.2021
Hilarious. Just what I needed on a cold, rainy, Sunday. Even the parts that made me cry. Loved it!!
This sweet Novella – by one of my favorite authors – was a lend to me by a friend. What a treasure. A sweet composition of things he wanted to tell his own son when his son was a baby. Filled with stories and silly anticdotes, it was a fun, quick read.
We all should make a composition like this for our kids. Stories we want to tell them. Things we want them to know. We don’t leave enough written history for our kids to revisit as they grow and change, and I think Backman is onto something here.
I laughed so loud and uncontrollable, that fellow pedestrians commuting to work startled and looked at me apprehensively, thinking I behaved strange and erratic, but it was all due to listening to this fabulous, heart warming book. Sure, it is typically Swedish (with every 7 words being a swear word) which may not suit all English speakers, who tend to assign different connotation to their use than what was meant in native Swedish. However, please take the plunge, and get over that cultural difference, and you will be rewarded with a wonderful, hilarious, unexpected love story. My best read in the last 12 months.
All of his books are great with definite viewpoints
Fred Backman has written a delightful memoir on being a father and husband .He shares the joys the lack of sleep and expectations parents experience.The author writes It is not easy to teach you as half as much as the men who can tell you how we got here.I want you always to remember that you can become whatever you want to become ,but that is nowhere as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are. The writer reminds us to be humble ,forgiving of ourselves and to appreciate the small things in life
Reading the chapter titles had my tearing up. So did the introduction. By the first chapter I was and receiving weird looks from my family for laughing out loud. Suffice to say, I was hooked. I don’t remember the last book that I read straight through…I mean, I would have read it in one setting if I hadn’t fallen asleep, but then I read the last 20 pages when I woke up. So sort of one setting.
The entire book is like those Amazon reviews for ridiculous products where the reviewer spends the entire time comparing the product to exaggerated natural wonders or pop culture references. That was this book. But then in the midst of all of that, this bomb statement full of heart and love and all the feels. Because it’s Fredrik-freaking-Backman and that’s what he does. He tears you apart and lifts your spirits in the same ten seconds.
One page I was giggling aloud and the next had my in tears. I mean, the way he talks about his wife. *heart-flutter*
I don’t know if this book is for everyone. But it was certainly for me.