I've enjoyed each of Backman's works of fiction, but none as much as this laugh out loud, truthful, insightful look into parenthood.

4.5/5*

*I received an E-arc for an honest review*
I loved this it made me laugh a lot, and as someone who is not a parent, it made me see my own upbringing in a different light, made me wonder if my parents ever thought like this. I have been a big fan of Fredrik Bakman for about half a year now and thought that this collection of essays and little snippets that he wants to explain to his son are both heartwarming, sweet and hilarious. Especially anything to do with Ikea.

A delightful and poignant book about Fredrik Backman falling in love and having a son. He expresses his experiences by writing delightful, often funny anecdotes about his life. The stories are to give his son all he thinks he should know! He frequently repeats that no matter what, he has always done his best, and obviously loves his family a great deal. A quick and worthwhile read, giving the reader an insight to the man that writes such great novels.

This small book is full of beautiful moments, words of wisdom, and hilarious truths. I am being totally honest when I say this even though I am a woman who has two daughters and no sons. You don't have to be a father to read this book. I just love this man's writing and plan on picking up this book and others of his.

Another wonderful book by Fredrik Backman. I am neither a father, nor a parent, but it was touching nonetheless. And of course it has great humour and language in it. It's also interesting to see insight into his personal life and see how his quirky personality shows in his work.

Thank you so much @netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Things My Son Needs to Know About The World by @backmansk in exchange for an honest review.
I was thrilled to be able to get my hands on this book early. I put off reading this book for as long as I could because I knew it wouldn’t take me long to read it and I wanted to have it to look forward to. I will read anything Fredrik Backman writes. His writing is honest and vulnerable and you can just FEEL the emotions he was feeling as he wrote it. The reader is given front row seats to the devotion he feels towards his wife and his son. His fears, his insecurities, his humbleness, they are all laid out on the table and I loved and appreciated every page of it. If you read this book, you will laugh and you may shed a tear, but as always with Fredrik Backman’s books, you will come away feeling enlightened. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Sigh.*

I am one of Mr. Backman's biggest fans. Even those books of his that aren't my all-time favourites, still hold a special place on my bookshelf and in my soul. So it's very difficult for me to say that I did not like this book very much.

I really adore the concept of this book: a collection of essays and other tidbits that Backman has written to his young son. Some of the anecdotes included within are certainly amusing. I really enjoyed the quick notes between the longer essays.

But I struggled with several of the essays. Some meandered on a bit long, and some got a bit too emphatic. At times I felt like I was stuck in an uncomfortable conversation with a friend of a friend of a friend where anything either of you says just gets taken the wrong way.

I'm fairly certain my lack of enjoyment in places had a lot more to do with the translation of this book than the original essays themselves. Some phrases were just very "off" or didn't really even make sense. I'm not sure if those were decisions made by the translator, or if this shorter material didn't lend itself as well to holistic translation as Backman's novels.

Regardless, I'm left trying to rate something that was, at best, hit and miss for me. And that's bitterly disappointing for me to say about one of my favourite authors. :(

I would probably give this 2 stars, but the brief bits between essays were very charming and redeemed a lot, so my final verdict is 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a DRC of this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Before I start, I should mention that Fredrik Backman is one of my favourite authors and that I went into this book with high expectations. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is a collection of essays and lessons that Backman wants to pass on to his infant son. It’s quick, witty, insightful, and heartfelt, and it had me smiling from beginning to end.

My favourite thing about this book is that it was hilarious. I read part of this book at a coffee shop, and I’m sure people were staring at me, wondering why I was quietly giggling to myself. The essay titled What You Need to Know About IKEA was one of the funniest things I’ve read in a while, but it was also one of the sweetest and heartfelt things I’ve read in a while. I also found the short sections between essays to be laugh-out-loud funny, and I especially enjoyed the dialogue that Backman had with his wife.

The other thing I loved about this book is how insightful and heartfelt it was. Underneath all of the humour and jokes is a father who is doing his best to be the best father he can be. One of the major themes of this book is love: loving your child, loving your significant other, and loving your friends. This book is a reminder of the important things in life: standing up for what you believe in, having friends who will be there for you, and that stuff isn’t more important than people.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it was funny and full of important lessons that everyone can appreciate.

What a great book! It's might be an excellent book for parents to be, but it's also a fantastic book for everyone (yeah, even if you don't have kids).

Fredrik Backman wrote a book to his son, teaching him all he absolutely HAS to know about the really important stuff, Ikea for example, and he does that with such a great talent and sense of humor!

He writes about relationships (and what you can tell about a couple with just watching them arguing in Ikea), pop culture (OMG the "Lost" reference took me by surprise and was so awesome!), being a real man, social media, stupid people at the airport, alcohol, how to treat others (the chapter about wrestling was just fantastic), what not to do or say in public when you're with your toddler, friends and even love.

Each chapter is teaching his son about the world and the father about his mistakes and success and between the chapters we get a glimpse to the day to day life of a married couple with a new child and it's oh so funny.

I loved the book and enjoyed every second it (and laughed out loud too many times in public).

This book is a heartfelt and humorous look into the mind of a father and what he wishes to pass on to his child. The language is engaging and the anecdotes hilarious. It is also very easy to pick up, read a few pages, and set down again, which makes it a great choice for vacations and/or busy people on the go.

This is a must read for any new parent. Heck any parent at all. It will have you laughing out loud. This would make a great gift for mothers/ Father’s Day

This was such an enjoyable and relatable book of essays. I read it in less than 24 hours and I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud! Parents should definitely read this one.

A must read for any new parent. Will have you in stitches . Pick up a copy for newDads for Fathers Day. The perfect gift.

Haven’t been disappointed with anything I’ve read by this author yet, and this was just a poignant and sometimes funny collection of anecdotes and advice, lovingly shared from a father to his son.

Things my son needs to know about the world by Fredrik Backman has a publication date of April 30th 2019

Things my son needs to know about the world is a super fun creative book. Fredrick talks about issues and life experiences he thinks his son needs to learn and  understand in order to grow up in the world we live in today. I thought it was clever and cute and very humorous. I found myself, as a mother being able to relate to the topics he choose to include. It was a super quick read that i suggest any parent wanting some humor about  parenting should read.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Backman without doubt deserves 4🌟 for this one



I would like to thank simon and Schuster canada and netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review


You can also find my review on instagram as of april 26th 2019 www.instagram.com/teatime_with_a_book and goodreads www.goodreads.com/teatime_with_a_book

With his telltale blend of wry humour and droll wit, Backman tackles all manner of issues and advice to his young son in this heartwarming, comical read.

Whether you agree with all the author’s philosophies on life or not, you are sure to appreciate the authentic and self-deprecating account of the wild and wonderful world of parenthood. (It involves a lot of poop…) Beautiful and amusing anecdotes ooze love for wife and child while sardonic commentary balances the overly sweet.

Ultimately, the author manages to convey his desire for his child to one – be a better person than he is, and two – know he’s loved unconditionally… just like the best of us as parents wish for our children.

I received a complimentary copy of this title via NetGalley with thanks to the author and publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Surprisingly honest and wicked funny; Backman has done it again.
 
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World provides clever insight into the author himself; the man behind the pen if you will. It's not often that readers get a glimpse into the personal lives of fiction authors. Fredrik manages to make you want to grab a beer and hotdog with him while simultaneously brining his signature wicked wit.
 
I don’t typically read anthologies, and was expecting a series of short stores; I wasn't expecting the essay format, but found it extremely easy to read and easy to follow along with. Throughout the book, Backman sprinkles everything from how to make a heart attack inducing sandwiches to praises for his wife, and most important: a clever IKEA survival guide we all need.  It doesn't hurt that each chapter begins with an adorable hand drawn doodle. This is definitely a book that will resonate well with new parents but has a nugget of wisdom for everyone.

"This parenthood thing isn't as easy as it looks."

4/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC in exchange for an honest review

This was HILARIOUS! Truly this was one of the funniest things I've ever read, which I didn't expect from Frederik Backman honestly. But don't be fooled, it's a pretty deep read that gives some genuine advice under the surface of all the nonsense and comedy.

This book is broken down into sections, each being something different he wants his son to know about. Then between each essay there are three or four little flashes of a story, or a conversation, or something. And they were equally as hilarious. My favourite section was Things My Son Needs to Know About IKEA

But in between all the humour, I think the author does a phenomenal job at truly looking at parenthood, and why we end up doing the things we do for our children. Although the title suggests it, I don't think this is written for the children, I believe it's written for the parents. I think it would be incredibly relatable for them.

The only reason I didn't give this a full five stars, is because I don't believe I'm the intended audience for this, I am not a parent. And I think if I was a parent, I would've gotten more from this book. So I definitely recommend this one for all the parents out there. Especially if you're exhausted all the time, like Backman seems to be!

This is a short humorous memoir about the early days of parenting that includes words of wisdom . It would make a great gift for parents, in particular new fathers. I found myself laughing out loud frequently as I read it. It is certainly a book I will recommend to friends and customers alike.

Probably 4.5 stars. Humorous and heartwarming. Beckman shares his experience wIth his son while attempting not to be too assertive. Strongly recommended.