Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood Audio CD – Audiobook, CD, Unabridged. When he became a father, Michael Lewis found himself expected to feel things that he didn’t feel, and to do things that he couldn’t see the point of doing. Start reading Home Game: An.
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Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Home Game by Michael Lewis. An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood 3. This book is that record. But it is also something else: The only wonder is that his wife has allowed him to publish it. Paperback , pages. Published June 7th by W. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Home Game , please sign up. Lists with This Book.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia. I have a request. Not a real book! I procured my copy of Home Team from the library. Only suckers purchase this book. The book costs 24 bucks! Think of all the cool things you could buy for 24 bucks before you buy this title. You sure fucking can. The father will thank you for this book but secretly wonder what the hell you were thinking. She is his third wife. Soren was in negative territory from the start and should have been removed early due to the slaughter rule. However, anyone can have a bad day on a game show, and Ms. Soren fueled enough of my college girlfriend dreams to earn fond memories.
Lewis makes her sound like an insane bitch while tossing only the slightest of backhanded compliments in her direction. I predict within ten years Lewis will write a post-split book called Blown Save. That title will be marketed towards recent divorcees. I feel sorry for him.
KIRKUS REVIEW
Buying this book would support Lewis. And do you really want to support a guy like this? Or books like this? Make the right choice. View all 20 comments. It's kind of interesting that two excellent Berkeley-based writers named Michael both happened to come out with a book of ruminations on modern fatherhood and its corollary, manhood within a few months of each other. Since we added a second child to our own household a few months ago, and I'm now on unpaid leave to take care of him for a few months, this struck me as a good time to check out what two writers I greatly respect have to say on my current profession.
The other book is Michael C It's kind of interesting that two excellent Berkeley-based writers named Michael both happened to come out with a book of ruminations on modern fatherhood and its corollary, manhood within a few months of each other. The other book is Michael Chabon's Manhood for Amateurs. To a certain extent, both authors grapple with the state that Lewis articles in his introduction: It's kind of stunning to me that someone with his powers of both analysis and storytelling managed to say absolutely nothing interesting, provocative, or even amusing about being a father in this new age of fatherhood.
Instead, he paints himself in the usual self-deprecating colors of progressive fatherhood -- ever the bumbling idiot, an object of dismissive scorn by his partner, etc. Almost every situation reads like a story one's already heard before, and his ambivalence about fatherhood will be familiar to, um, pretty much any male reader who's had a kid in the last ten years or so.
I guess some people might find this "frank" male perspective enlightening or refreshing, but as a fellow guy, I was mainly bored. Maybe I'm the wrong audience for this book -- after all, I was a stay-at-home dad for about ten months with our first child. It may be that his incredibly minor trials and tribulations end up sounding kind of whiny. Ultimately, I wish he could have found a fresh angle to take on the topic of parenting. For example, he knows a lot about incentives, he could have examined his own parenting through the lens of incentives and arrived at a better version of the book Parentonomics.
Or, as in Moneyball, he could have taken a look at the historically dominant paradigm of contemporary fathering and examined why that's undergone a dramatic shift in certain demographics such as his over the last ten years or so. Like I said, I really like Michael Lewis' past books, but this one is a dud. Skip it and try out Michael Chabon's much funnier, provocative, and more emotionally compelling Manhood for Amateurs instead.
Jun 21, Angie Dokos rated it really liked it. This was a funny book. It was very entertaining. I think all parents can relate to at least some of it.
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Oct 12, martha rated it it was ok Shelves: Mildly entertaining but too much in the vein of 'bumbling sitcom dad and shrewish wife' for my taste. I think I was meant to be a father. I sympathize completely with Michael Lewis's take on the divide between what men are supposed to feel upon becoming a father and what they actually do feel. Lewis, that you're writing for a certain portion of the maternal community, too. My husband took a picture of me, post I think I was meant to be a father. My husband took a picture of me, post-childbirth, in which I am totally absorbed in my Dunkin Donut and pointedly ignoring the squalling bundle of whatever-that-is in the bassinet next to my hospital bed.
Lewis discovered that being forced to care for a totally dependent human being transformed his feelings into first, fondness, and then love. But all is not sweetness and light after that realization. And thank goodness for that! The author's jaded eye and comic sensibility enlivens this narrative of his perceived third-string role as a father. I particularly enjoyed the approach of someone who is used to viewing the world through the lens of finance and business. My only caveat is that some episodes are skipped over too quickly, perhaps a result of the material's origin as a Slate series.
I struggled to understand the chapter that combines an ice-skating accident with a break-in in which he loses his manuscript for this book, along with years of his other writing. On the other hand, the last chapter, about his vasectomy, was more drawn out than I could appreciate. Maybe I wasn't meant to be a dad after all. A few hilariously funny anecdotal stories aside, this book by Michael Lewis is poison.
While somewhat entertaining, and an extremely easy and quick read, this book provides little insight into 'real' fatherhood. It does little more than propagate the hideous fallacy that only mothers can be the true nurturers and care-givers for our children, and any attempts by a man to do so can only be inadequate.
Furthermore, Lewis would have you believe if you are a father and you do feel confident in takin A few hilariously funny anecdotal stories aside, this book by Michael Lewis is poison. Furthermore, Lewis would have you believe if you are a father and you do feel confident in taking complete control of care-giving and child raising with confidence, well, then there must be something wrong with you. Because, after all,the men around you are only doing what is required of them, and begrudgingly at that, and like it this way. Well, I for one beg to vehemently disagree.
It has almost become cliche, this 'accidental guide'. The situation where the man is left with the children for only a short time, but manages to screw things up so badly that onlookers are left to wonder how the children will ever survive, only to be saved just in the nick of time by Mom. She swooshes in with her golden lasso and bullet deflecting bracelets and saves the day, but not without handing out a few back-handed comments about Dad's incompetence as a care-giver first.
The crowd hardly notices Dad as he slinks off to the basement with his tail between his legs to "tinker" with something on his work bench or drink heavily in solitary confinement. No, this crowd of rubberneckers is too focused on Mom lavishing her children with copious amounts of love and affection after their near fatal incident, and think to themselves, as Mom thinks to herself, what a wonderful Mother she is, and how her children obviously "need" her every minute of everyday.
Questions?
Well, if I'm in this crowd of onlookers, I'm yelling "Bullshit! But it's this fallacy that Lewis calls Fatherhood and claims is normal. While I agree there are obvious gender-based differences between men and women when it comes to being parents, I don't agree that it's these differences that make a Mom somehow more competent than Dad.
That somehow Dad's are suppose to be less competent at providing for their children when Mom isn't around, and that's just how it is. However, I do believe, and often witness, Dad's being set-up by Mom's for failure, and when they do "fail" or rather, just don't do things the exact same way Mom would have done them, without harm , they get chastised until they feel they are about as equipped to be a father as Pee Wee Herman. According to Lewis, with his experiences relayed in this book, that's just how it is. That may be, in your house Mr. Lewis, and in numerous households across this country, but it's not normal and NOT how it should be.
Or maybe it's the other way around. Maybe, it's really a self-depreciation that occurs with this dynamic, that allows a father to shirk his real responsibilities to his children without guilt. Somebody actually pays you to write this dribble for a magazine. I shudder to think that there are probably thousands of readers out there who have read this excrement and thought because it was presented in a funny and witty way, that it was sound advice on fatherhood.
While I have enjoyed the previous two books I've read by Lewis on two subjects he is obviously well versed in, Home Game is a huge disappointment. A gentleman much wiser than me once told me that growing up and becoming a man involved a moment or a series of moments where you stopped doing things just for you and your personal satisfaction and started doing things for the benefit of those you care for and love.
Not because some outsider said you are suppose to, but because you know deep down it's what is right and what you want the most. Given his personal past 2 divorces , Lewis might want to focus on his own personal development and maturation, before passing on his questionable at best advice on family life. If you have a weak mind, are unable to turn off your "I am sooo offended brain cells", wear polyester shorts, have plastic on your furniture, and just can't bear to see a naughty word, skip this review.
My wife and I are listening to this while driving up into Minnesota on vacation mixed in with some of my favorite old Booknotes shows with Brian Lamb -- the guy is the best, bar none, interviewer around -- when she nods off. She's not nodding off because of the book because it ha Teaser: She's not nodding off because of the book because it has had us laughing our heads off. There are so many funny scenes, it's hard to pick a favorite, but I think the funniest was when, Dixie, his 3-year-old daughter runs to the defense of her 6 year-old sister who is being bothered by some older boys in the childrens' pool while Lewis is right next door in the adult wading area keeping an eye on things.
Lewis meanwhile, is imitating an alligator in the pool, only his eyes and ears showing. Another great episode is his camping outing with his older daughter at an amusement park where they serve a great meal for the kids, probably the only one any of the dad's had ever seen their kids eat without them whining or crying: Of course, she wants her dad's sleeping bag and wants to exchange. Should be no problem except her's is 4 feet long. And it's necessary to wake dad up every 30 minutes to ask a question.
And then the "fucking" birds start singing at 6 in the morning just as they drift off to sleep. Classic Take 2 tomorrow. Finished the book shortly after leaving. If you have children, you will love this book. If not, too bad. Besides being quite funny, it has it very poignant moments.
He makes a distinction between the almost instant bonding with the mother. Fathers bond more slowly, but he notes that you really never love someone until you have to care for it. The classic example was his newborn son, third child, who developed RSV look it up and had to spend time in the hospital to regain his strength to breath it's a respiratory virus.
Lewis was finally so upset with the interruptions from staff to just check on his kid, waking him up and disturbing him that he barricaded the door, did the aspirations himself and checked the monitors. When a student doctor slipped in while he was in the bathroom, Lewis peremptorily threw him out. His child got better faster too. We found a book not long ago with "I hate Dad, he is so mean," carboned on the cover. My daughter, enamored of carbon paper had inadvertently permanently enshrined her feelings at that moment. Lewis' daughter did something similar, writing "Dad is so mean.
Lots of fun to listen to with your spouse. Oh yes, the description of getting the vasectomy is classic too. As is the one where he thinks his daughter has reported to her teachers that Dad has a small penis. I have enjoyed most of what I've read by Michael Lewis In Home Game he takes it to a whole new level. On most days Lewis doesn't seem the type to win 'Parent of the Year' awards, but throughout this book he gives a highly engaging, hilarious, and ultimately heartwarming take on life as a father of young kids mostly daughters.
I suspect anyone who has ever been one will find this take very familiar. There were times when I thought he had read my mind or lived my life or at the very least had spent a morning dressing my daughter for school rather than his own. A great read - and great encouragament for all us inept dads View all 3 comments. This is a hilarious account of learning to be a father in the 21st century.
I actually gave this book to a guy friend of mine who is struggling with the idea of marriage and fatherhood in the near future, and he stayed up all night reading and laughing, which is amazing since he's even more of a reluctant reader than he is a reluctant grownup. Myself, I was able to read it in just a few hours--it's light and amusing but makes some real points about the naturalness of maternity versus the learne This is a hilarious account of learning to be a father in the 21st century.
Myself, I was able to read it in just a few hours--it's light and amusing but makes some real points about the naturalness of maternity versus the learned behavior of paternity. This should make a fun gift for any expectant or new father this coming Fathers Day. Do you want to read about a guy who has a self-deprecating view of himself as a father, who yearns for an earlier age when fatherhood was all about earning the bacon and not about dealing with the casual insults that your daughters might throw in your face?
Do you want to read a book by a guy who's proud of how few diapers he has changed during the lives of his three children, and read a humorous account of his wife's struggle with post-partum depression? Do you want to read about the three smal Do you want to read about a guy who has a self-deprecating view of himself as a father, who yearns for an earlier age when fatherhood was all about earning the bacon and not about dealing with the casual insults that your daughters might throw in your face? Do you want to read about the three small brats who make him a father, but not really a good one?
Apr 13, Erik Tanouye rated it liked it. In the store, I noticed on the back that the cover photo was taken by Tabitha Soren. I was interested that the former MTV news person had started doing book cover photography. Then I flipped through the book and saw on the last page that she was thanked, since she is Michael Lewis's wife and the mother of his three children who the book is about. I hadn't known that! Read reviews that mention michael lewis home game blind side laughing out loud quick read laughing out loud liars poker year old sense of humor read this book new father guide to fatherhood great read raising his children laughed out loud look at fatherhood new fathers well written father is today unhappy transition.
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. My wife purchased this book for me before our twins were born. As a first-time dad, I was both anxious and excited for our future. I perused some of the other books my wife had about what to expect, etc. Not to sound like a typical man, but so most of the books I read about babies and children made me want to gag.
This collection of essays by Michael Lewis. I've enjoyed reading Lewis's other writing on financial topics and this collection struck the perfect tone of confronting many of the fears and emotions parents face without going overboard or resorting to the tired cliches. Lewis manages to convey the range of emotions and feelings that a modern dad confronts with truly hysterical stories of his experiences in raising his children.
He pulls no punches on the frustration a dad feels at times, yet doesn't bury the life-changing effect of having children in your life. Now that I've had over a year's experience being a father no time at all, I know! If you are a father-to-be, I couldn't recommend this book more if you are looking to ease into the water. This would also be the perfect present for your husband if he is the type that won't go for normal cheesy books about kids.
Like Lewis's other excellent books, he has a gift for employing his sharp sense of humor and clear writing to convey a feeling and understanding to a subject that few writers are able to achieve. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all fathers and fathers-to-be. A very good writer. In this book Home Game he takes a departure from writing about Wall Street and Money to write up his experiences as a Dad.
Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis
Worth a belly full of laughs. Unfortunately, if Moms read this - it will confirm your worst suspicions about Dads. The first incident is worth repeating. He is in a swimming pool on vacation at a resort. He is in the adults pool and his two young daughters in the kids pool. A boy comes by and tries to bully them. Lewis' younger daughter yells foul obscenities at the boy in a very loud voice and chases him away.
The rest of the parents around the pool are simplify horrified at this language. In a flash of inspiration Lewis' realizes no one knows he is their father. So in his words, he 'drops quietly like an alligator below the water' and swims away, but secretly proud that his daughter stood up for herself, but VERY relieved his wife was not around.
One person found this helpful 2 people found this helpful. And they all recommend this book. I am not a father yet but soon to be. We are expecting our first child in mid-September. Ultrasound showed we will have a boy! I found this book very fun to read. So much fun I want more! Michael Lewis is really a great storyteller. I get drawn into his world as a dad while reading this book. The book is mainly broken into 3 parts.
One for each of his kids. The stories are not step-by-step chronological accounts of his experiences but descriptions of his fatherhood moments.
These "moments" are probably typical I wouldn't know yet in a family setting but the way he wrote them is just plain funny! More than half the time I find myself laughing out loud like I'm in a stand up comedy show. This book is not really a guide to fatherhood or even lessons for fathers and fathers-to-be. He's not lecturing, not even giving pointers. This is an account of his experiences as a father; but as we all know we learn from experiences, some from our own some from others.
As I said earlier, I am a first time expectant father and by no means I can say this book got me prepared for what is to come. But I do know this, now I have a little better idea of what it's going to be like. By the way, I bought this book through Kindle and read it between my iPhone and the iPad. The texts were rendered cleanly and Whispersync was flawless.
There were no pics or diagrams in this Kindle version of the book. He talked about vasectomy in the book. I really did not like that as you can probably understand with my situation. It was a pretty detailed account that I honestly skimmed and skipped over. Sorry, it's not for me right now and maybe ever.
I finished the book in an evening. It's a short easy read. The book is not a guide of any sorts, its a collection of mostly funny short stories about Lewis as a father. I think he's shocked that the hype doesn't match reality. Which is an interesting idea. I think the title is ironic. He doesn't really know what he's doing therefore the book is no guide at all.
I often wondered how much of what he wrote was true and how much was hyperbole. The almost anarchist stance he takes towards his children is odd I think. I felt bad for him and his children at points. I think as a sort of contrarian point of view towards parenthood its very interesting and maybe even useful. But mostly its just funny. It's good for an evening of chuckles.
This book was pure pleasure from beginning to end. I could not put it down and loved especially Lewis's ability to seem both an affectionate and at-times conflicted father. One of my favorite chapters was the one that recounts his visit with his oldest daughter to an amusement park for toddlers in the middle of Oakland: Fairyland, I think it's called. I was laughing late into the night. There's also a very detailed and viscerally affecting section on Lewis's vasectomy. I loved this book - such fun and so smart too. One person found this helpful.
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Not even for dads, as a new mom I loved reading Michael Lewis's style of writing. Def a light hearted book for any dads or moms who are a fan of Michael Lewis' work and his funny and interesting look at raising children. Props to also lots of East Bay shout outs! See all reviews.