Editorial Review
Compiled by Heather B. Armstrong, award-winning publisher and uber-mistress of the phenomenally popular dooce.com®, this hilarious and heartwarming celebration of "everything dad" features original stories from some of the country's most celebrated bloggers, including Alice Bradley (Finslippy) Doug French (Laid Off Dad), Maggie Mason (Mighty Girl), Matthew Baldwin (Defective Yeti), Sarah Brown (Que Sera Sera), and more.
From a new father's comparison of pregnancy to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, to a mother's story of bravely surviving a husband-son infatuation with Star Wars, to the mini triumphs and tragedies of toddlerhood, this book provides a unique, no-holds-barred glimpse into the quirks and candid moments of modern dads.
Whether we relish or fear growing up to be like our fathers...whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. Things I Learned about my Dad in Therapy touches upon the many joys and discoveries of fatherhood, one essay at a time.
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Customer Reviews
fun, could have been more 
2008-05-12
I did enjoy the variety of stories, and it kept me motivated to read the next short essay...but it could have gone deeper, and I would have enjoyed more from Heather and Jon. While this book is not going to bounce her into any kind of stardom, I believe her talent for entertainment is real. This idea just didn't work as well as it could have. However, for those Dooce fans, worth the read.
I wanted to love this book. 
2008-05-12
I'm a huge dooce fan and religiously read her blog, along with many of her contributors' blogs, every single day. So no one was more surprised than me that I have found the book to be so...blah.
I was touched by Doug French's column on divorce, especially since I am such a fan of his wife's blog.
And while I had high hopes for Greg Allen's piece, ultimately I was un-moved by his quest to create, among other things, a mini-Bugaboo stroller.
Heather's pieces did not disappoint and hopefully her next book will just be her writing.
Wanted to Love It... But Didn't 2008-05-12
I was very excited for this compilation -- most of my year is spent buying grad school text books and things I don't necessarily deem "fun." On top of that, I really wanted all of these authors to succeed. Several of the authors' blogs are on my most-read list, and a couple of them are individuals whose words have really touched me in times when I needed it most (Heather Armstrong is one of those authors).
Unfortunately, in many cases that did not translate to the printed page. I was disappointed that much of Armstrong's contribution was published on her blog (for free, as someone previously noted), and Alice Bradley's essay in WonderTime, to which I subscribe. That eliminated quite a bit of the best writing in this book. I enjoyed a few of the other essays, but several just seemed to hint that perhaps the editor was hesitant to edit these online celebrities... or the essays were beyond saving, regardless of editing.
The fact that I was able to support these folks in what they aspire to do, however, still makes me happy. To those who comment on Dooce's "self-promotion," she's a business woman whose commodity happens to be herself and her words. She's entitled to promote herself. While I don't consider myself a diligent Dooce devotee, her words have pulled me through difficult times as a mother and I respect the ambition she and Jon Armstrong have in tailoring their family according to THEIR rules. These reviews are not intended to rate your feelings about Heather Armstrong (if they were, I'd tack on another star). They should rate the work.
Like the title says: Humorous and Heartfelt 
2008-05-12
I really like this COMPILATION. I capitalize that because several other reviewers didn't seem to realize that before reading the COMPILATION. Of course it is uneven and all different voices. That's actually what I like best about it. I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to reading so I like the idea of picking up a book and reading a chapter and putting it down. I lost my father a little more than 4 years ago. We never had the best relationship and now that I'm a parent myself I've gained much insight on parenting. This book offers even more from the perspective of a father.
Also, to the folks who want Dooce to stop her self promotion - there are many people out there who want to know when they can catch her on The Today Show or where they can find articles about herself. WE LIKE HER!!!
Very uneven 
2008-05-10
Reads like a bunch of high school essays for the most part. The one I enjoyed was from Laid Off Dad-very touching. If you want to read gems dropping from the MacBook of Ms. Armstrong, I suggest reading her blog for free instead of spending money on this uneven collection.
A book to browse at the doctors office, but not worth the C-note. 2008-05-09
Compiled by Heather B. Armstrong, award-winning publisher and uber-mistress of the phenomenally popular dooce.com®, this hilarious and heartwarming celebration of "everything dad" features original stories from some of the country's most celebrated bloggers, including Alice Bradley (Finslippy) Doug French (Laid Off Dad), Maggie Mason (Mighty Girl), Matthew Baldwin (Defective Yeti), Sarah Brown (Que Sera Sera), and more.
From a new father's comparison of pregnancy to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, to a mother's story of bravely surviving a husband-son infatuation with Star Wars, to the mini triumphs and tragedies of toddlerhood, this book provides a unique, no-holds-barred glimpse into the quirks and candid moments of modern dads.
Whether we relish or fear growing up to be like our fathers...whether we've inherited his nose, sense of humor, or entire value system, our dads loom large in who we are and the choices we make. Things I Learned about my Dad in Therapy touches upon the many joys and discoveries of fatherhood, one essay at a time.
so-so 
2008-05-07
This book is okay. I think my expectations were too high, as per the writing style, so I was left a little disappointed. There was, actually, one essay that moved me, but beyond that, it failed to impress. I certainly would not recommend that people not buy this book, by all means, do - just aim low in the expectations department and you'll be fine.
Was hoping for more, but am still glad I supported these bloggers 2008-05-06
I was disappointed in the book, I'll admit it. At times reading the essasys felt like déjà vu, as a lot of the meat in some of the works had been featured previously on their personal websites. Both of Heather Armstrong's essays have, in part, been featured on her blog (Dooce) before.
Since I knew the outcome of the stories a lot of the excitement was lost. I was hoping for a new voice from her and it wasn't there. Especially considering this was her book, I expected the most from her (perhaps somewhat unfairly.) True, collections often feature writing that has been showcased elsewhere, And each writer that pulls from their own material, does add to it, but it didn't quite work as a whole.
This is not true, however, of all of the pieces. I truly enjoyed Doug French (of Laid off Dad, whose blog I had not read before this) and Jim Griffioen (of Sweet-Juniper, whose blog I do read) as stand alone works.
There are other strong essays in the collection, but none that rival Doug or Jim's. The other stronger essays felt like great blog pieces, but only average non-fiction pieces.
If you enjoy the bloggers featured in the book, I think you will enjoy the book. And it is worth purchasing just to support the bloggers and writers you enjoy on a daily basis. But this isn't a book I will keep coming back to.
The book simply doesn't stand alone as a collection (Doug & Jim's pieces are the exceptions.) Without the back story of the bloggers the book lacks real substance and makes it an unlikely gift, which is unfortunate.
And I know this is super picky, but the pull out quotes throughout the book drove me mad.
A fun read 2008-05-06
I am a fan of Dooce's blog along with many other writers that contributed to this collection of essays, so I was very happy when I heard that this was going to be published. My husband and I are expecting our first child in October, so I also thought it would be a good read for him as well.
While I do think that a couple of the essays weren't as interesting as the others, overall I thoroughly enjoyed the book. There are a few that made me laugh out loud (Alice Bradley's Star Wars essay certainly did) and a few that brought tears to my eyes (Maggie Mason's and Sarah Brown's, both for different reasons).
Not all of the essays are happy, light hearted content. A few of them are sad and moving, and others show that fathers aren't perfect, which may be hard for some people to read. I appreciate a book that is willing to show ALL sides, not just the happy, upbeat ones. All stories need to be told.
Bloggers, not Writers 2008-05-03
I have been reading Heather Armstrong's website for 5 years and have enjoyed the blogs of several of the other writers involved in this book. I was excited to see these bloggers try and hone their stories into compelling essays.
Sadly, I think most of the stories miss the mark. All of the stories would make for fantastic blog entries but frankly, I expect a little more than that from the books I read. I expect a book to be well edited, have made good aesthetic choices and that each author have something new to say using precise, unique language. Most of these stories are lacking on at least one point.
I still think the book is an accomplishment for these bloggers, I'm always glad to see them being taken more seriously and hopefully by reading this book you'll be exposed to a worthwhile new-to-you blogger.
However I think the truth is that most bloggers are not writers. Blogging and writing are different skills in my mind and I think some of the bloggers should stick to their medium.
