Two books arrived on my doorstep this week.
1. Rules for My Unborn Son is a very light read featuring 100 or so quick one-liners (”Don’t Swing at the first pitch.”) as advice to give to kids. There are some pieces of wisdom here that will mostly make adults nod in agreement. This is likely not a book you’d give as a graduation present – it’s more of a gift for a new dad. It might be a good way to start your own project of writing down your own “rules” to set aside for someday when your kids are interested in what tidbits of knowledge you’ve picked up along the way.
2. Stepmonster is a thorough examination of the thoughts and motivations of stepmoms. We don’t usually cover books written by women, but this seems like such an important topic. The publisher says that half the women in the United States will either live with or marry a man with children not her own. That’s a big number. Stepmoms seem to be in a losing position all around – not eligible in most cases for the true mommy love of the kids, yet having to sacrifice for their upbringing and in the attentions of the dad in their lives. Yes, there are plenty of cruel stepmothers out there, but I’ve also heard a lot of heroic tales of stepmoms who go beyond the call to prove they can step up to the role. This looks like a good book if you’re trying to understand how the other half sees things.