“We want you to be better than us. Because if our kids don’t grow up to be better than us, then what’s the point of all this? We want you to be kinder, smarter, more humble, more generous, and more selfless than we are. We want to give you the very best circumstances we can possibly provide. So we follow sleeping methods and go to seminars and buy ergonomic bathtubs and push car-seat salesmen up against the wall and shout, ‘The safest! I want THE SAFEST, doyouhearme?!’ (Not that I’ve ever done that, of course; you shouldn’t pay so much attention to what your mother says.)” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: starting bands, strong women, masculinity, justice, IKEA, teams, helpful (and unhelpful) advice, and tons of poop.

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.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, fictional, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he’ll need to make his way in the world.

Reading this small book felt like reading a heart-warming love letter. This is such a beautiful and loving dedication from the author to his newborn son, and I’m glad he decided to share it with the world as well.

I would describe this small book as a collection of essays, where the author describes to his newborn son his first time experiencing fatherhood. He says to his son that he will fail a lot as a parent and how much he is trying. He also gives him “practical” advice on multiple everyday things – which was very funny considering the chosen topics! And yet, there’s a lot of love and wisdom behind his words – and that’s not only directed to his son but to his wife as well. She also received her fair share of love letters from this small book, and it was a joy to read about it!

I’ve read a few Fredrik Backman books before this one, and I can see his familiar humor shining through. I just love how funny this was! Fredrik Backman has a great sense of humor and I’m glad we got to see it not hidden behind his works of fiction.

It’s not often you see a fiction author open up a window like this to their personal lives. Sometimes in the world of fiction, we easily to forget that authors are real people who live real lives and have real experiences. This book made me think about my favorite authors and the kinds of lives they’re living and what challenges they are dealing with daily.

It was a book that made me feel very happy and warm inside. Also, it was a very easy read and I read it in one sitting! I would recommend this one to Fredrik Backman fans, but I’m sure if you have kids this would be a very special read anyway.