Babyhood

From the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Couplehood and Familyhood: Insights on infants with “an out-loud laugh on every page” (San Francisco Chronicle).   Just as Paul Reiser and his wife had finally figured out how to successfully live together as two people, why would they want to jeopardize everything with a whole new human being? Sitting next to two exceptionally loud little ones on an airplane gives them some strong arguments against it, but if they don’t “take the next step,” who’s going to drive them around when they’re old and cranky? This classic New York Times bestseller from the actor and comedian contemplates the indecision, the anxiety, the exhaustion, and the hard-earned rewards of deciding to perpetuate the species.   “For the couple considering parenthood as well as for parents who are decades past their days of diaper changing . . . this book hits home and hits the funnybone.” —Chicago Tribune   “Reiser knows how to wrench a laugh from sticky situations, and in his life, since his firstborn arrived, every situation has been sticky or moist.” —Los Angeles Times   “This book won’t help you be a better parent, but it might put you in a better frame of mind about the whole experience.” —Detroit News

Review "This book hits home and hits the funnybone, for the couple considering parenthood as well as for parents who are decades past their days of diaper changing."--"Chicago Tribune"Reiser knows how to wrench a laugh from sticky situations. And in his life, since his firstborn arrived, every situation has been sticky or moist."--"Los Angeles Times"A fun read...Paul Reiser has put his delightfully humorous touch on life as a new parent."--"San Antonio Express-News"This book won't help you be a better parent, but it might put you in a better frame of mind about the whole experience..."Babyhood will be a nice read while you're rocking your own little one's cradle."--"Detroit News"An out-loud laugh on every page...Paul Reiser is one of the few stand-up comics-turned-sitcom-stars who can be genuinely funny in print..if you are thinking about having a baby, Reiser's "Babyhood is your indispensible...guide."--"San Francisco Chronicle --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. About the Author A seasoned actor, writer, and stand-up comedian, Paul Reiser has appeared in many films and television shows, including cocreating and starring in the critically acclaimed NBC series Mad About You. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Couplehood, Babyhood, and most recently Familyhood. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two kids. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From the Inside Flap I'm going to be totally honest.  This is not the kind of audiobook that can help you.  It's not a "how-to," a "when-to," or a "what-to-expect."  It's not even endorsed by anyone remotely connected to the medical profession.  (Although a cousin of mine who sells carpeting to doctors' offices not only found it "insightful" and "informative," but felt that, "if properly vacuumed, it should last a lifetime.")"A fine endorsement," you say.  "But if I have only one audiobook to buy, shouldn't I go for the helpful one?"Let's compare:Those "know-it-all" books tell you how to have a happy, healthy pregnancy.  My book mentions a squirrel.Those books tell you how to care for a newborn child.  My book describes how tired I am.Those books give you essential information you can use in a life-threatening emergency.  My book has some very amusing anecdotes about poop.So really, it's up to you.If you want to be prepared and well-informed, I understand.  But if you enjoy hearing the words "pterodactyl" and "uterus" in the same book, you've come to the right place. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From the Back Cover I'm going to be totally honest with you. This is not a "how-to," a "when-to," or a "what-to-expect" book. It's not even endorsed by anyone remotely connected to the medical profession. "But if I have only one book to buy," you ask, "shouldn't I go for the helpful one?"Let's compare:Those know-it-all books tell you how to care for a newborn child.My book describes how tired I am.Those books give you essential information you can use in a life-threatening emergency.My book has some very amusing anecdotes about poop.So really, it's up to you. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Amazon.com Review Fans of television's Mad About You and its star, Paul Reiser, will be delighted with his second foray into the self-deprecating self-help genre. Couplehood, his first book, leads logically to this next phase--Babyhood. In a chatty voice Reiser takes us from the "Maybe someday we'll have kids" step into the deep-sea dive of commitment. Babyhood begins on an airplane, with Paul and wife blissfully unencumbered by children. They are seated across from the young parents (graying before his eyes) of a terrorizing 2-year-old and a screeching infant. This sobering reality manages magically to pale in a transcendent moment of the baby's bliss, uncomplicated by drool or colic, and the two decide: "Now." Well, more or less now. First they try to get pregnant, making expeditions to the bookstore to case out the shelves of baby books; then there are the bouncy reflections on who is, after all, cut out to parent ("I don't know if, for example, Mozart actually had kids, but certainly there is no record of him ever leaving the office early to coach Peewee Soccer League"). Later comes the account of sibling rivalry between the newborn and the family dog, and why women make better moms than men. Babyhood manages to provoke thought about the important questions of when and why to have children, many of which are answered in the book's endearing details. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.