[.uk] Househusband (ISBN 0345470621)

Amazon.com Review:
The premise of Ad Hudler's first novel, Househusband, is as simple as the book's title: narrator Linc Menner tells us all about adjusting to life as the primary caregiver to his 3-year-old daughter Violet. The pleasures the book yields are, however, surprisingly complex. There's a weird thrill in reading the trials of domesticity described by, well, a man. In the opening comic set piece, Linc prepares for a dinner party he's throwing for his wife Jo's boss. "Jo had said the house was already clean, that it wouldn't take much to get it ready for guests, but she doesn't understand these things. It wasn't dinner party clean." Hudler has a real knack for observing the inner workings of what is traditionally considered woman's work--he's not shy about devoting page space to dusting and nutrition and plant care. He also gets off some good, quiet social commentary: "There's a reason women read more than men. They get stuck in undesirable locales and situations more often--soccer fields, hospital rooms, bedsides--and a book helps pass the time." In the end, Hudler's book amounts to both a celebration of the art of homemaking and a lovely, funny way to pass the time. --Claire Dederer

To someone debating whether to buy this:
Don't read this if you either think only women can be homemakers or think housework is a snap. I think this book makes a lot of true points, about gender and about the unrecognized value of a homemaker, and I think the readers giving reviews are influenced by whether they agree with these points. However a good message doesn't necessarily make a good book. The points could have been made in a 5,000 word position paper. Or this story could have made a tight novella. But, despite the well-written prose, the situation is unchanged for most of the book: Linc is unhappy as a househusband despite the rewards, yet he's trapped. The book failed to engage me in whether he has an affair with his neighbor, or with what happens to his mother on the run, or how he will deal with an inadequate nanny. I enjoyed the individual scenes but overall the trip to the end took too long.

no beating around the bush...:
This is such a funny book. Very entertaining as Linc describes his feelings towards being home all day with his 3-year-old. I am a "housewife" and can relate to some of his dilemas. Unfortunately, when he describes himself as a control freak about the cleanliness of the house and his overzealous control of how he is raising his daughter, he makes me feel guilty about my house; could be cleaner and maybe I don't spend enough time with my kids. I really fell for Linc in this story and found myself wanting one just like him! It has also motivated me to start cooking some different dinners.

I need one of those! LOL:
Absolutely one of the funniest and engaging books about child care and SAHM's. I think this book makes a lot of true points, about gender and about the unrecognized value of a homemaker.

Witty and delightful!:
Absolutely one of the funniest and engaging books about child care and SAHM's. I laughed out loud so many times my co-workers thought I was nuts! I say bravo to Mr Hudler for a true glimpse of man in a woman's part of the world. I know there are men out there like this, because I have one!

Good but not Great:
Linc, in some ways was SO wholesome, sometimes using the book as a soapbox to have a little dig and bitch about the lack of parenting some stay-at-home mums do. In our modern culture we encounter more stay-at-home dads, and the message I got in this book is no matter what gender you are, from time to time, we all experience the feeling of no self worth when staying at home on a full time basis. Linc obviously wanted the homemaker title to stick, the reader being treated to the odd recipe, On OK story.