Fredrik Backman

In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share his own experience of fatherhood and how he navigates this glorious, unchartered territory. Part memoir, part manual, part love letter to his son, this book relays the big and the small lessons in life. As he watches his son take his first steps into the world he teaches him how to cultivate friendships, support a team that loses and tries to explain why, sometimes, dad might hold his hand just a little bit too tightly. This is an irresistible and insightful collection of essays from one of the world's most beautiful storytellers.

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World

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 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.”

Tracy K

One of the most stunning love letters ever published.

Elaina 

This was funny and heartfelt. I loved it! :)

dija

Midori Kobayashi

bro was trying too hard... it just didn't click with me the way it was supposed to. eh. we move.

Vajas Johanna 

Amr Khater 

And that's what I'm going to tell my son about the world.

brendan sudol

‘So play. Learn. Grow up. Follow your passions. Find someone to love. Do your best. Be kind when you can, tough when you need to be. Hold on to your friends. Don’t go against the direction of the painted arrows in the floor.’

‘And we can never allow stuff to become more important than people.’

‘I will never tell you whether you should be religious or not. Or even if you should believe in God. That’s a thing between God and you, or not. As long as you are kind to your mother and don’t murder or steal or start supporting Manchester City or any other horrible thing like that, I genuinely don’t care whether your moral compass is shaped by an old book or a box of jam doughnuts.’

‘You spit on the napkin. Then you wipe the child’s face with the napkin. You don’t spit straight onto the child.’

Stevie Blundell

Dnf. This was just not for me. 
Easy to read, and not a bad book but full of dad jokes (obviously) and I dont feel it's worth my time to continue. Maybe I'll pick it up again in the future but it's just full of social commentary that as an adult is not profound or informative to me. 
I could see parents and young teens enjoying this but just not for me. 
*not rated as I dnf'd.

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World

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